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Which sentence states a fact? | [
"When the U.S. government borrows money, the national debt grows.",
"The United States borrows too much money from foreign countries."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Distinguish facts from opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true.
The month of July has more days than the month of June.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at a calendar and counting the number of days in each month.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
July is a better month than June for camping.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about which month is "better" for camping. | The first sentence states a fact.
When the U.S. government borrows money, the national debt grows.
It can be proved by reading a book or an article about economics.
The second sentence states an opinion.
The United States borrows too much money from foreign countries.
Too much shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about how much is too much. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Brendan acquired this trait? | [
"Brendan's mother speaks one language.",
"Brendan learned to speak two languages in school."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Brendan speaks two languages. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Which correctly shows the title of a poem? | [
"\"First Day at School\"",
"First Day at School"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, or article should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A poem should be in quotation marks.
The correct title is "First Day at School." |
|
Which is the smoothest? | [
"concrete sidewalk",
"sandpaper",
"paper"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | Smooth is a property. A smooth material is not rough or bumpy.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine touching the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the paper is the smoothest. If you touch a piece of paper, it will not feel rough or bumpy. |
|
Complete the sentence.
Shaking up salad dressing is a (). | [
"chemical change",
"physical change"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Identify physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
Cutting a piece of paper is a physical change. The cut pieces are still made of paper.
A change of state is a type of physical change. For example, ice melting is a physical change. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water. | Shaking up salad dressing is a physical change. The different parts mix together, but they are still made of the same type of matter. |
|
Which organ supports the body's weight? | [
"skeleton",
"stomach",
"lungs"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Animals | Human organs and their functions | |||
What kind of sentence is this?
I can't wait to get my driver's license! | [
"declarative",
"interrogative",
"exclamatory"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement and always ends with a period.
The nurse told Mr. Abrams to roll up his sleeve so that she could check his blood pressure.
An imperative sentence makes a request or a demand and usually ends with a period. If a demand shows strong feeling, it can end with an exclamation point.
For this assignment, use references to support your claims.
Don't drive so quickly in the construction zone!
An interrogative sentence asks a question and always ends with a question mark.
Given the recent critiques of her new strategic plan, do you think the CEO will reconsider the company's direction?
An exclamatory sentence is a statement that shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamation always ends with an exclamation point.
I can't wait to travel through Europe this summer! | The sentence is a statement that shows strong feeling and ends with an exclamation point. It is an exclamatory sentence. |
|
Select the plant. | [
"Snowy owls eat small animals.",
"Rosemary bushes have many thin leaves."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify plants and animals | Plants and animals are living things. Living things are called organisms.
Plants come in many shapes and sizes. Most plants grow in the ground. They might grow leaves, flowers, and fruit. Plants cannot move around on their own like animals can.
Animals also come in many shapes and sizes. Most animals can move around. Animals might run, swim, jump, or fly. Animals eat plants or other organisms for food. | A rosemary bush is a plant. It has many thin leaves.
Rosemary has a strong smell. People use its leaves to give food flavor.
A snowy owl is an animal. It eats small animals.
Snowy owls live in cold places. Snowy owls have feathers on their feet to protect them from the cold. |
|
How long is a basketball court? | [
"31 feet",
"31 yards",
"31 inches"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using customary units, length may be written with units of inches, feet, yards, or miles.
There are 12 inches in 1 foot, and 3 feet in 1 yard. There are 5,280 feet in 1 mile.
A football is about 1 foot long. A football field is 100 yards long. | The best estimate for the length of a basketball court is 31 yards.
31 inches and 31 feet are both too short. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
I am just going outside and may be some time.
—Captain Lawrence Oates, Antarctic explorer, before going out into subzero temperatures to face certain death | [
"understatement",
"chiasmus"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: anaphora, antithesis, apostrophe, assonance, chiasmus, understatement | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of several phrases or clauses.
We are united. We are powerful. We are winners.
Antithesis involves contrasting opposing ideas within a parallel grammatical structure.
I want to help, not to hurt.
Apostrophe is a direct address to an absent person or a nonhuman entity.
Oh, little bird, what makes you sing so beautifully?
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound in a series of nearby words.
Try to light the fire.
Chiasmus is an expression in which the second half parallels the first but reverses the order of words.
Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.
Understatement involves deliberately representing something as less serious or important than it really is.
As you know, it can get a little cold in the Antarctic. | The text uses understatement, which involves deliberately representing something as less serious or important than it really is.
May be some time is an understatement, since the frostbitten and weakened Oates knew that he was heading to his death. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Milton! Thou shouldst be living at this hour
England hath need of thee . . .
—William Wordsworth, "London, 1802" | [
"antithesis",
"apostrophe"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: anaphora, antithesis, apostrophe, assonance, chiasmus, understatement | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of several phrases or clauses.
We are united. We are powerful. We are winners.
Antithesis involves contrasting opposing ideas within a parallel grammatical structure.
I want to help, not to hurt.
Apostrophe is a direct address to an absent person or a nonhuman entity.
Oh, little bird, what makes you sing so beautifully?
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound in a series of nearby words.
Try to light the fire.
Chiasmus is an expression in which the second half parallels the first but reverses the order of words.
Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.
Understatement involves deliberately representing something as less serious or important than it really is.
As you know, it can get a little cold in the Antarctic. | The text uses apostrophe, a direct address to an absent person or a nonhuman entity.
Milton! is a direct address to Milton, an absent person. (John Milton was a British poet who died in 1674, over a century before this poem was written.) |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Tessa acquired this trait? | [
"Tessa can cook food over a fire.",
"Tessa learned how to build a fire at summer camp."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Tessa knows how to build a fire. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
What information supports the conclusion that Luther acquired this trait? | [
"Luther learned to identify insects by reading many books about insects.",
"Luther likes to look at butterflies and beetles."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Luther is good at identifying insects. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Which phrase has a more negative connotation? | [
"push the door closed",
"shove the door closed"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | vocabulary | Shades of meaning | Positive and negative connotation | Connotation is the feeling or idea that goes along with a word or phrase. Some words are close in meaning but have different connotations.
For example, think about the words eager and impatient. They both mean wanting something to happen, but they have different connotations.
Eager has a positive connotation. It is a nice word. An eager person is happy and excited.
Impatient has a negative connotation. It is not a nice word. An impatient person is often pushy and demanding. | Shove the door closed has a more negative connotation. If you shove the door closed, you push it in a rough or mean way. |
|
Which text message is more formal? | [
"Heads up! Johnson is here. In the lobby.",
"Ms. Johnson is already here. She's waiting in the lobby."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | writing-strategies | Audience, purpose, and tone | Which text is most formal? | Informal writing is typically used in casual situations or when communicating with someone you know well. Informal language often expresses familiarity and tends to sound more like speech. It uses more conversational language, such as slang, idioms, abbreviations, imprecise language, and contractions.
Formal writing is typically used in academic and business writing or when writing directly to an authority figure. It tends to be more courteous and impersonal, avoiding overly familiar or conversational language.
Compare the following sentences.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but I think they're awesome.
More formal: Ostriches may be flightless, but they're remarkable runners.
Most formal: Though flightless, ostriches are remarkable runners. | The second text message is more formal. It uses complete sentences, avoids slang (heads up), and uses the person's title (Ms. Johnson). The other text message includes more casual language and sentence fragments. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"\"Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs\"",
"***Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs***"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, article, or short story should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A book should be in italics.
The correct title is **Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs**. |
|
Select the animal that has a backbone. | [
"eastern newt",
"dung beetle"
] | 0 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians all have backbones. | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify animals with and without backbones | Some animals have a backbone. The backbone is made of many bones in an animal's back. An animal's backbone helps connect the different parts of its body. In the drawings below, each animal's backbone is colored orange.
Other animals do not have a backbone. In fact, these animals don't have any bones! Some animals without backbones have a hard outer cover. Other animals have a soft body. | A dung beetle is an insect. Like other insects, a dung beetle does not have a backbone. It has a hard outer cover.
An eastern newt is an amphibian. Like other amphibians, an eastern newt has a backbone. |
The city of Oxford has been one of the world's biggest makers of cough drops for many years. But last month, Oxford's cough drop factories were destroyed by floods. What will probably happen to the overall supply of cough drops? | [
"The supply will probably go down.",
"The supply will probably go up."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | Floods destroyed the cough drop factories in Oxford. The number of producers of cough drops went down. So, the supply of cough drops will probably go down. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
"There's nothing I love more than skipping lunch," Mr. Taylor told the flight attendant when he learned that no food would be available on his cross-country flight. | [
"verbal irony",
"allusion"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
Nothing I love more shows verbal irony because Mr. Taylor is probably upset that there isn't anything to eat. |
|
Which soccer ball has more thermal energy? | [
"the colder soccer ball",
"the hotter soccer ball"
] | 1 | Two soccer balls are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 2-kilogram brick at 70°F has twice as much thermal energy as a 1-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the larger brick has twice as many atoms. So, it has twice as much thermal energy. | The two soccer balls are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the hotter soccer ball has more thermal energy. |
What information supports the conclusion that Fred inherited this trait? | [
"Fred's coworker also has curly hair.",
"Fred and his biological parents have brown hair.",
"Fred's biological father has curly hair."
] | 2 | Read the description of a trait.
Fred has curly hair. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Select the elementary substance. | [
"chloromethanol (CH3ClO)",
"sulfur dioxide (SO2)",
"radon (Rn)"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | chemistry | Atoms and molecules | Identify elementary substances and compounds using chemical formulas | Every substance around you is made of one or more chemical elements, or types of atoms. Substances that are made of only one chemical element are elementary substances. Substances that are made of two or more chemical elements bonded together are compounds.
Every chemical element is represented by its own symbol. For some elements, the symbol is one capital letter. For other elements, the symbol is one capital letter and one lowercase letter. For example, the symbol for the element fluorine is F, and the symbol for the element beryllium is Be.
The symbol for each element in a substance is shown in the substance's chemical formula.
An elementary substance is represented by a chemical formula that contains only one symbol.
The symbol may be followed by a subscript. A subscript is text that is smaller and placed lower than the normal line of text. A subscript is included when the atoms in the elementary substance are bonded to form molecules. The subscript tells you the number of atoms in each molecule.
For example, the chemical formula for the elementary substance oxygen is O2. The formula has a subscript of 2. This subscript tells you that there are two atoms in the molecule represented by this chemical formula.
The chemical element represented by the symbol O is also called oxygen. So, the formula O2 tells you that each molecule of O2 contains two oxygen atoms.
A compound is represented by a chemical formula that contains multiple symbols.
For example, in the compound beryllium fluoride, there is one beryllium atom for every two fluorine atoms. This combination is shown in the compound's chemical formula, BeF2. In the formula, the symbol Be represents one beryllium atom. The symbol F followed by the subscript 2 represents two fluorine atoms. | Look at the chemical formula for each substance, and count the number of symbols in the formula. Then, decide if the substance is an elementary substance. The chemical formula for sulfur dioxide contains two symbols: S for sulfur and O for oxygen. So, sulfur dioxide is made of two chemical elements bonded together. Substances that are made of two or more chemical elements bonded together are compounds. So, sulfur dioxide is a compound, not an elementary substance. The chemical formula for radon contains one symbol: Rn. So, radon is made of one chemical element. Substances that are made of one chemical element are elementary substances. So, radon is an elementary substance. The chemical formula for chloromethanol contains four symbols: C for carbon, H for hydrogen, Cl for chlorine, and O for oxygen. So, chloromethanol is made of four chemical elements bonded together. Substances that are made of two or more chemical elements bonded together are compounds. So, chloromethanol is a compound, not an elementary substance. |
|
How long is a caterpillar? | [
"24 millimeters",
"24 kilometers",
"24 meters",
"24 centimeters"
] | 0 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using metric units, length can be written with units of millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers. One meter contains 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. So, 1 meter is larger than 1 centimeter, and 1 centimeter is larger than 1 millimeter.
The tip of the pencil shown here is only 1 millimeter wide, but the pencil is about 16 centimeters long.
A red fox is about 1 meter long. The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is about 1,000 meters, or 1 kilometer, in length. | The best estimate for the length of a caterpillar is 24 millimeters.
24 centimeters, 24 meters, and 24 kilometers are all too long. |
What kind of sentence is this?
I can't believe this is Tracy's first time seeing the Pacific Ocean! | [
"exclamatory",
"declarative",
"interrogative"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement, and it always ends with a period.
The nurse told Mr. Abrams to roll up his sleeve so that she could check his blood pressure.
An interrogative sentence is a question, and it always ends with a question mark.
Do you have any plans for the upcoming weekend?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something, and it usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
For this assignment, use references to support your claims.
Don't drive so quickly in the construction zone!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
I can't wait to travel through Europe this summer! | The sentence tells about something, but it shows surprise and ends with an exclamation point. It is an exclamatory sentence. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
a piece of avocado turning brown
milk going sour | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
A piece of avocado turning brown is a chemical change. The avocado reacts with oxygen in the air to form a different type of matter.
If you scrape off the brown part of the avocado, the inside will still be green. The inside hasn't touched the air. So the chemical change hasn't happened to that part of the avocado.
Milk going sour is a chemical change. The type of matter in the milk slowly changes. The new matter that is formed gives the milk its sour taste.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"After Mary discussed the new research methods with Laura, she decided to try some of them out.",
"After discussing the new research methods with Laura, Mary decided to try some of them out."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun she could refer to Mary or Laura.
After Mary discussed the new research methods with Laura, she decided to try some of them out.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. The text has been rewritten so that the meaning is clear.
After discussing the new research methods with Laura, Mary decided to try some of them out. |
|
Complete the sentence.
Cutting a piece of rope is a (). | [
"chemical change",
"physical change"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Identify physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. The paper changes into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same.
Cutting a piece of paper is a physical change. The cut pieces are still made of paper.
Ice melting is also a physical change. When ice melts, it changes from a solid to a liquid. But both ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water! This kind of change is called a change of state. | Cutting a piece of rope is a physical change. The rope is shorter after you cut it. But it is still made of the same type of matter as the uncut rope. |
|
Would you find the word confuse on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
chair - civilian | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade7 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since confuse is not between the guide words chair - civilian, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Is there a sentence fragment?
We called a taxi for Mr. Wells. Whose car was towed from the no-parking zone in front of the firehouse. | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify sentence fragments | A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
Rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing a subject. It doesn't tell who is rehearsing.
The band I'm in.
This fragment is missing a verb. It doesn't tell what the band I'm in is doing.
Because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing an independent clause. It doesn't tell what happened because of the concert. | There is a sentence fragment that does not express a complete thought.
We called a taxi for Mr. Wells. Whose car was towed from the no-parking zone in front of the firehouse.
Here is one way to fix the sentence fragment:
We called a taxi for Mr. Wells, whose car was towed from the no-parking zone in front of the firehouse. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Do the instructions say what these screws are used for?",
"Do they say what these screws are used for?"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns and antecedents | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun they is used without its antecedent.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. They has been replaced with the instructions.
Do the instructions say what these screws are used for? |
|
Compare the motion of three sailboats. Which sailboat was moving at the lowest speed? | [
"a sailboat that moved 20kilometers north in 5hours",
"a sailboat that moved 40kilometers east in 5hours",
"a sailboat that moved 30kilometers east in 5hours"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the kilometer.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving the slowest will go the shortest distance in that time. It is moving at the lowest speed. | Look at the distance each sailboat moved and the time it took to move that distance. The direction each sailboat moved does not affect its speed.
Notice that each sailboat moved for 5 hours. The sailboat that moved 20 kilometers moved the shortest distance in that time. So, that sailboat must have moved at the lowest speed. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
I will try the chicken soup for lunch. | [
"past tense",
"present tense",
"future tense"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, try. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Kenji described the situation he was facing with his boss as a catch-22. | [
"a song",
"literature"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion catch-22 is literature.
Joseph Heller coined the term "catch-22" in his 1961 novel of the same name. In the novel, if an army pilot wants to avoid dangerous missions, he must be deemed mentally unfit; however, his desire to stay safe proves his sanity, so he can never be excused from a mission. Heller called this sort of predicament or dilemma a catch-22.
The allusion catch-22 means a no-win situation. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Vince investigate with an experiment? | [
"Do cloth towels dry faster if they are hung in the laundry room or in the backyard?",
"Does a small cloth towel or a large cloth towel dry faster when hung in the backyard?",
"When hung in the laundry room, do black cloth towels or white cloth towels dry more quickly?"
] | 0 | After Vince cleans up a spill, he hangs a wet cloth towel in the laundry room. Two hours later, he notices that the towel has partially dried. He wonders what factors affect how cloth dries. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
two identical white cloth towels
water
a clothesline in the laundry room
a clothesline in the backyard | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Which expression of thanks is more formal? | [
"We're so pleased you could join us on our special day. Thank you again for the wonderful gift.",
"We're super happy that you could be with us on our special day. Thanks again for the awesome gift!"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Audience, purpose, and tone | Which text is most formal? | Informal writing is typically used in casual situations or when communicating with someone you know well. Informal language often expresses familiarity and tends to sound more like speech. It uses more conversational language, such as slang, idioms, abbreviations, imprecise language, and contractions.
Formal writing is typically used in academic and business writing or when writing directly to an authority figure. It tends to be more courteous and impersonal, avoiding overly familiar or conversational language.
Compare the following sentences.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but I think they're awesome.
More formal: Ostriches may be flightless, but they're remarkable runners.
Most formal: Though flightless, ostriches are remarkable runners. | The second expression of thanks is more formal. It uses more elevated language (we're so pleased). The other expression of thanks is more conversational (super happy, thanks, awesome). |
|
Complete the statement. Assume that the balloon's mass did not change.
The gravitational potential energy stored between the balloon and Earth () as the balloon floated toward the sky. | [
"stayed the same",
"increased",
"decreased"
] | 1 | Read the text about an object in motion.
Irma was walking with a helium balloon when the balloon's string slipped out of her hand. The balloon floated toward the sky. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | physics | Kinetic and potential energy | Identify changes in gravitational potential energy | Gravitational potential energy is stored between any two objects. So, for every object on or near Earth, there is gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth.
The amount of gravitational potential energy stored between an object and Earth depends on the mass of the object. The amount of gravitational potential energy also depends on the distance between the object and the center of Earth. This distance increases when the object moves higher and decreases when the object moves lower.
If the distance between an object and the center of Earth changes, the gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth will change. The table below shows how this change can happen.
When an object's mass stays the same and its distance from the center of Earth... | Gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth...
increases | increases
decreases | decreases
stays the same | stays the same | Think about how the distance between the balloon and the center of Earth changed.
The balloon moved higher after its string slipped out of Irma's hand. As the balloon floated toward the sky, the distance between the balloon and the center of Earth increased. So, the gravitational potential energy stored between the balloon and Earth increased as the balloon floated toward the sky. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
My mom is a partner at a prominent law firm; she's not exactly Carol Brady. | [
"television",
"modern history"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
The protean nature of the disease makes it difficult to diagnose.
The word protean is an allusion to the sea god Proteus in Greek mythology. Because the sea is constantly changing, to describe something as protean suggests that it is variable or in flux. | The source of the allusion Carol Brady is television.
In the television series The Brady Bunch, Carol Brady dedicates herself to the care of her six children and never complains.
The allusion Carol Brady means a devoted homemaker. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Akira acquired this trait? | [
"Akira likes to photograph birds at the zoo.",
"Akira was not born knowing how to identify different bird calls. She had to learn this skill."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Akira is good at identifying birds from their calls. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Jill thinks Mr. Hardin is a Luddite because he doesn't own a cell phone. | [
"the Bible",
"British history"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion Luddite is British history.
In the early nineteenth century, factories were replacing the jobs of craftsmen. Some of these craftsmen banded together to destroy the new machinery; those who did so were called Luddites.
The allusion Luddite means a person opposed to new technology. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
eat - everyday | [
"explode",
"escape"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since escape is between the guide words eat - everyday, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which tennis ball has a lower temperature? | [
"the tennis ball with less thermal energy",
"the tennis ball with more thermal energy"
] | 0 | Two tennis balls are identical except for their thermal energies. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 2-kilogram brick at 70°F has twice as much thermal energy as a 1-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the larger brick has twice as many atoms. So, it has twice as much thermal energy. | The two tennis balls are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the tennis ball with less thermal energy has a lower temperature. |
Which correctly shows the title of an article? | [
"\"Rules of Thumb for Choosing a baby Name\"",
"\"Rules of Thumb for Choosing a Baby Name\""
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | capitalization | Formatting | Capitalizing titles | In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.
The Wind in the Willows James and the Giant Peach
These words are not important in titles:
Articles, a, an, the
Short prepositions, such as at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up
Coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or | Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between. The words of, for, and a are not important, so they should not be capitalized.
The correct title is "Rules of Thumb for Choosing a Baby Name." |
|
Which object has the least thermal energy? | [
"a stick of butter at a temperature of 11°C",
"a stick of butter at a temperature of 6°C",
"a stick of butter at a temperature of 8°C"
] | 1 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How is temperature related to thermal energy? | All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature. | All three sticks of butter have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 6°C stick of butter is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy. |
Select the solid. | [
"paper clip",
"milk",
"rain"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | States of matter | Identify solids and liquids | Solid and liquid are states of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space. Matter can come in different states, or forms.
When matter is a solid, it has a shape of its own.
Some solids can be bent or broken easily. Others are hard to bend or break.
A glass cup is a solid. A sock is also a solid.
When matter is a liquid, it takes the shape of its container.
Think about pouring a liquid from a cup into a bottle. The shape of the liquid is different in the cup than in the bottle. But the liquid still takes up the same amount of space.
Juice is a liquid. Honey is also a liquid. | ||
Is this a sentence fragment?
Closed to visitors since the 1960s, the prehistoric cave paintings in Lascaux, France, are between fifteen thousand and seventeen thousand years old. | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify sentence fragments | A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
Rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing a subject. It doesn't tell who is rehearsing.
The band I'm in.
This fragment is missing a verb. It doesn't tell what the band I'm in is doing.
Because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing an independent clause. It doesn't tell what happened because of the concert. | This is not a sentence fragment. It is a complete sentence because it expresses a complete thought.
Closed to visitors since the 1960 s, the prehistoric cave paintings in Lascaux, France, are between fifteen thousand and seventeen thousand years old. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"best regards,\nLeah",
"Best regards,\nLeah"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Select the vertebrate. | [
"comet moth",
"black howler"
] | 1 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify vertebrates and invertebrates | Vertebrates and invertebrates are both groups of animals.
A vertebrate has a backbone. The backbone is made of many bones in an animal's back. A vertebrate's backbone helps connect the different parts of its body. In the drawings below, each vertebrate's backbone is colored orange.
An invertebrate does not have a backbone. In fact, invertebrates do not have any bones! Some invertebrates have a hard outer cover on their body. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A black howler is a mammal. Like other mammals, a black howler is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A comet moth is an insect. Like other insects, a comet moth is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a hard outer cover. |
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
Displayed next to the other books with more eye-catching covers, this one seemed () by comparison. | [
"shy",
"ordinary"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Creative techniques | Use personification | Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. It is a figure of speech that can be used to make writing more interesting or to emphasize a point.
The trees danced in the wind.
The word danced describes the trees as if they were people. Unlike people, however, trees can't actually dance. Instead, the personification suggests that the trees are moving. | Complete the sentence with the word shy. It describes this book as if it were a shy person. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Tristan investigate with an experiment? | [
"Do pie crusts made with white flour burn less quickly when covered with aluminum foil or when left uncovered?",
"Does a pie crust made with white flour burn more quickly when the pie is cooked in a glass pan or in an aluminum pan?",
"Does a pie crust made with white flour burn more quickly than a pie crust made with whole wheat flour?"
] | 1 | Tristan is baking a pie. He notices that the crust burns before the pie is fully cooked. He wonders what factors affect whether a pie crust will burn in the oven. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
ingredients for pumpkin pie filling
ingredients for apple pie filling
two pie crusts made with white flour
a glass pie pan
an aluminum pie pan
an oven | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Which type of sentence is this?
Mark took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. | [
"compound-complex",
"compound",
"simple",
"complex"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | grammar | Phrases and clauses | Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is not a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw the flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard a rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause in a complex sentence usually begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, or whose.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.
During his trip to Italy, Tony visited the Trevi Fountain, which is in Rome.
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and then she went to the gym.
Sometimes a dependent clause in a complex or compound-complex sentence can interrupt an independent clause.
Orcas that are kept in captivity often have bent dorsal fins. | The sentence is simple. It is a single independent clause.
Mark took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. |
|
Which object has less thermal energy? | [
"a 200-gram glass of grape juice at a temperature of 20°C",
"a 200-gram glass of grape juice at a temperature of 10°C"
] | 1 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How is temperature related to thermal energy? | All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature. | The two glasses of grape juice have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 10°C glass of grape juice is colder than the 20°C glass of grape juice, it has less thermal energy. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
plus - puff | [
"patrol",
"poke"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since poke is between the guide words plus - puff, it would be found on that page. |
|
Assume all other forces on Terrell are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on Terrell? | [
"The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Terrell.",
"The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on Terrell."
] | 0 | Terrell is standing on a diving board at the pool. Earth's gravity is pulling down on Terrell with a force of 400N. The diving board is pushing up on Terrell with a force of 400N. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Balanced and unbalanced forces | A force is a push or a pull that acts on an object. Every force has a direction and a magnitude, or strength. If two forces act on an object in opposite directions, the forces are called opposing forces.
When opposing forces have the same magnitude, they are balanced. If all the forces on an object are balanced, there is no net force on the object.
When opposing forces have different magnitudes, the forces are unbalanced. If any forces on an object are unbalanced, there is a net force on the object. | To determine if there is a net force on Terrell, look at the forces:
Earth's gravity is pulling Terrell down with a force of 400 N.
The diving board is pushing Terrell up with a force of 400 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have the same magnitude: 400 N. This means that the forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Terrell. |
How long does it take to bake lasagna in the oven? | [
"45 minutes",
"45 hours"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to bake lasagna in the oven is 45 minutes.
45 hours is too slow. |
Which graduation announcement is more formal? | [
"Terrence Murray is graduating, and we couldn't be more proud!",
"We are proud to announce the graduation of Terrence Murray."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Audience, purpose, and tone | Which text is most formal? | Informal writing is typically used in casual situations or when communicating with someone you know well. Informal language often expresses familiarity and tends to sound more like speech. It uses more conversational language, such as slang, idioms, abbreviations, imprecise language, and contractions.
Formal writing is typically used in academic and business writing or when writing directly to an authority figure. It tends to be more courteous and impersonal, avoiding overly familiar or conversational language.
Compare the following sentences.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but I think they're awesome.
More formal: Ostriches may be flightless, but they're remarkable runners.
Most formal: Though flightless, ostriches are remarkable runners. | The second graduation announcement is more formal. It uses more ceremonious language (proud to announce). The other graduation announcement uses more conversational language (we couldn't be more proud!). |
|
What does the simile in this text suggest?
Tori rubbed coconut oil on her hands, which were like the parched earth during a drought. | [
"Tori's hands were dry and cracked.",
"Tori's hands were hot."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night. | The text includes a simile, using like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The simile like the parched earth during a drought suggests that Tori's hands were dry and cracked. A drought is a period without rain; the ground during a drought can become hard and cracked. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
The thing that makes Carson stand out as a remarkable cellist is that he's a marvelous musician who plays the cello splendidly. | [
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself",
"bandwagon fallacy: the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct",
"ad hominem: an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that Carson is a remarkable cellist because he plays the cello well. However, the "evidence" is just a restatement of the claim itself. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as circular reasoning. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Monica acquired this trait? | [
"Monica is most interested in human biology.",
"Monica learned biology by reading, observing, and experimenting."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Monica knows a lot about biology. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
What information supports the conclusion that Dalton inherited this trait? | [
"Dalton and his biological parents have brown hair.",
"Dalton's biological father has curly hair.",
"Dalton's coworker also has curly hair."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Dalton has curly hair. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
What do these two changes have in common?
knitting yarn into a scarf
dew appearing on grass in the morning | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Knitting yarn into a scarf is a physical change. The yarn gets a different shape, but it is still made of the same type of matter.
Dew appearing on grass in the morning is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. Water vapor in the air touches the cool grass and becomes liquid.
The water vapor changes state to become dew, but it is still made of water. A different type of matter is not formed.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. No new matter is created.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. They are not chemical changes.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Dew appears when water vapor in the air condenses into a liquid on the grass. This is caused by cooling. But knitting yarn is not. |
|
According to the Fourth Amendment, when is a judge allowed to write a warrant? | [
"when the judge has a good reason to believe someone has broken the law",
"whenever the police pay the judge enough money",
"whenever the United States Congress is meeting",
"whenever a person refuses to let the police search his or her property"
] | 0 | A search warrant is a piece of paper that gives police the right to search a person's property. Only a judge can write a warrant. | closed choice | grade4 | social science | civics | Government | The Bill of Rights | A judge is allowed to write a search warrant when the judge has a good reason to believe someone has broken the law. The Fourth Amendment says that "unreasonable searches" are not allowed. It is not always clear what makes a search "unreasonable." Americans count on judges to decide. The diagram below explains how and when a police officer can get the right to search a person: |
|
Which is a sentence fragment? | [
"Arrived at the beach.",
"She put salt in the soup."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? | A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It is usually missing a subject or a verb.
Knows the answer.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject.
Who knows the answer? She knows the answer.
The bright red car.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a verb.
What did the bright red car do? The bright red car stopped.
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without end punctuation or with just a comma.
I knocked on the door it opened.
It started raining, we ran inside.
To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add end punctuation after the first sentence, and capitalize the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
It started raining. We ran inside.
You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
I knocked on the door, and it opened.
It started raining, so we ran inside. | Arrived at the beach is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject. |
|
What is the volume of a large soup pot? | [
"2 fluid ounces",
"2 gallons",
"2 cups"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a large soup pot is 2 gallons.
2 fluid ounces and 2 cups are both too little. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
Dale will read his book before bed. | [
"present tense",
"future tense",
"past tense"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, read. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
The city of Richmond has been one of the world's biggest makers of cough drops for many years. But last month, Richmond's cough drop factories were destroyed by floods. What will probably happen to the overall supply of cough drops? | [
"The supply will probably go down.",
"The supply will probably go up."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | Floods destroyed the cough drop factories in Richmond. The number of producers of cough drops went down. So, the supply of cough drops will probably go down. |
|
The city of Booneville has been one of the world's biggest makers of cough drops for many years. But last month, Booneville's cough drop factories were destroyed by floods. What will probably happen to the overall supply of cough drops? | [
"The supply will probably go up.",
"The supply will probably go down."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | Floods destroyed the cough drop factories in Booneville. The number of producers of cough drops went down. So, the supply of cough drops will probably go down. |
|
According to Newton's third law, what other force must be happening? | [
"The gas pedal is pulling on Marie's foot.",
"The gas pedal is pushing on Marie's foot."
] | 1 | Isaac Newton was born in the 1600s and studied how objects move. He discovered three fundamental laws about forces and motion. According to Newton's third law, for every force, there is an equal and opposite force.
Consider the following force:
Marie's foot is pushing on her car's gas pedal. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Predict forces using Newton's third law | According to Newton's third law, for every force, there is an equal and opposite force. This means that if one object is applying a force on a second object, the second object must also be applying a force on the first object, but in the opposite direction.
For example, if your hand is pushing down on a table, the table is also pushing up on your hand. Or, if you are pulling forward on a rope, the rope is also pulling back on you. | Marie's foot is pushing on the gas pedal. So, Newton's third law tells you that the gas pedal is pushing on Marie's foot. |
Based on this information, what is Frankie's phenotype for the fur length trait? | [
"long fur",
"short fur"
] | 0 | In a group of cats, some individuals have short fur and others have long fur. In this group, the gene for the fur length trait has two alleles. The allele for short fur (F) is dominant over the allele for long fur (f).
Frankie is a cat from this group. Frankie has the homozygous genotype ff for the fur length gene. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Frankie's genotype for the fur length gene is ff. Frankie's genotype of ff has only f alleles. The f allele is for long fur. So, Frankie's phenotype for the fur length trait must be long fur.
To check this answer, consider whether Frankie's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for short fur (F) is dominant over the allele for long fur (f). This means F is a dominant allele, and f is a recessive allele.
Frankie's genotype of ff has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Frankie's phenotype for the fur length trait must be long fur. |
Which is harder? | [
"rubber balloons",
"metal flute"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | Hard is a property. A hard material keeps its shape when you press on it with your finger.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine pushing on the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the metal flute is harder. If you press on a metal flute, it will not change shape. |
|
Which text uses the word factoid in its traditional sense? | [
"A reporter for the Princeton Daily Mail dug up an amusing factoid about Princeton's founder while researching for an article about the town's early years.",
"The Princeton Daily Mail was forced to issue a retraction after printing a factoid about Princeton's founder. It turned out that the reporter had written the article based on local legend rather than researching the actual history."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The first text uses factoid in its traditional sense: something made up presented as a true fact.
The Princeton Daily Mail was forced to issue a retraction after printing a factoid about Princeton's founder. It turned out that the reporter had written the article based on local legend rather than researching the actual history.
The second text uses factoid in its nontraditional sense: a trivial but true fact.
A reporter for the Princeton Daily Mail dug up an amusing factoid about Princeton's founder while researching for an article about the town's early years.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word factoid because it is considered more standard. |
|
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
The average wind speed last weekend was around seven kilometers per hour. | [
"weather",
"climate"
] | 0 | Hint: Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Weather and climate | What's the difference between weather and climate? | The atmosphere is the layer of air that surrounds Earth. Both weather and climate tell you about the atmosphere.
Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Weather can change quickly. For example, the temperature outside your house might get higher throughout the day.
Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. For example, summer temperatures in New York are usually higher than winter temperatures. | Read the text carefully.
The average wind speed last weekend was around seven kilometers per hour.
This passage tells you about the wind speed last weekend. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
What do these two changes have in common?
silver jewelry tarnishing
baking a loaf of bread | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Metal turning less shiny over time is called tarnishing. Silver jewelry tarnishing is a chemical change. The silver reacts with sulfur in the air to form black tarnish. The tarnish is a different type of matter that was not there before the change.
Baking a loaf of bread is a chemical change. The type of matter in the dough changes when it is baked. The dough turns into bread!
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Baking is caused by heating. But silver tarnishing is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?
While waiting for her search results, Jessica exclaimed, "My Internet connection is as speedy as a snail!" | [
"Jessica was patiently waiting for an Internet connection.",
"The Internet connection was very slow."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret the figure of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
As speedy as a snail suggests that the Internet connection was very slow. A snail is not speedy, and neither was Jessica's Internet connection. |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
Darnell took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. | [
"simple",
"compound",
"compound-complex",
"complex"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | grammar | Phrases and clauses | Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is not a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw the flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard a rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause in a complex sentence usually begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, or whose.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.
During his trip to Italy, Tony visited the Trevi Fountain, which is in Rome.
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and then she went to the gym.
Sometimes a dependent clause in a complex or compound-complex sentence can interrupt an independent clause.
Orcas that are kept in captivity often have bent dorsal fins. | The sentence is simple. It is a single independent clause.
Darnell took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. |
|
Which change better matches the sentence?
A part of Earth's surface moves and shakes. | [
"earthquake",
"flood"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface | |||
How long does it take to knit a scarf? | [
"7 minutes",
"7 hours"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to knit a scarf is 7 hours.
7 minutes is too fast. |
Which correctly shows the title of an article? | [
"\"Lost to the Ages\"",
"Lost to the Ages"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, article, or short story should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | An article should be in quotation marks.
The correct title is "Lost to the Ages." |
|
Would you find the word began on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
blade - bob | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade6 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since began is not between the guide words blade - bob, it would not be found on that page. |
|
What does the allusion in this text suggest?
A Good Samaritan identified only as Mr. Li captured the world's attention in May 2014 when he rushed across a street in China to catch a baby falling from a window. | [
"The man generously helped a stranger.",
"The man was hoping for a reward."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked. | The text uses an allusion, a brief reference to someone or something well known.
The allusion Good Samaritan suggests that the man generously helped a stranger. It refers to a biblical parable in which a Samaritan stops to help a stranger who has been beaten and left lying in the road. |
|
Would you find the word trouble on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
thrash - tiny | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade6 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since trouble is not between the guide words thrash - tiny, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which word is not like the others? | [
"fly",
"cow",
"ant",
"bee"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade1 | language science | vocabulary | Categories | Which word is not like the others? | Some words are alike. They go together in a group.
Red, blue, and green go together. They are colors.
Mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa go together. They are people in a family. | Ant, bee, and fly go together. They are bugs. Cow is not a bug, so it is not like the other words. |
|
Is this a sentence fragment?
Derailed by miscommunication and a lack of funding, Fernando and Cody's new business venture. | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify sentence fragments | A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
Rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing a subject. It doesn't tell who is rehearsing.
The band I'm in.
This fragment is missing a verb. It doesn't tell what the band I'm in is doing.
Because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing an independent clause. It doesn't tell what happened because of the concert. | This is a sentence fragment. It does not express a complete thought.
Derailed by miscommunication and a lack of funding, Fernando and Cody's new business venture.
Here is one way to fix the sentence fragment:
Fernando and Cody's new business venture has been derailed by miscommunication and a lack of funding. |
|
Compare the motion of three ducks. Which duck was moving at the lowest speed? | [
"a duck that moved 310kilometers north in 5hours",
"a duck that moved 365kilometers south in 5hours",
"a duck that moved 425kilometers west in 5hours"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the kilometer.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving the slowest will go the shortest distance in that time. It is moving at the lowest speed. | Look at the distance each duck moved and the time it took to move that distance. The direction each duck moved does not affect its speed.
Notice that each duck moved for 5 hours. The duck that moved 310 kilometers moved the shortest distance in that time. So, that duck must have moved at the lowest speed. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Kendra has a scar on her right leg. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | Children do not inherit their parent's scars. Instead, scars are caused by the environment. People can get scars after they get hurt. So, having a scar is an acquired trait. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Soft language issued from their spittleless lips as they swished in slow circles round and round the field.
—James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | [
"chiasmus",
"assonance"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: anaphora, antithesis, apostrophe, assonance, chiasmus, understatement | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of several phrases or clauses.
We are united. We are powerful. We are winners.
Antithesis involves contrasting opposing ideas within a parallel grammatical structure.
I want to help, not to hurt.
Apostrophe is a direct address to an absent person or a nonhuman entity.
Oh, little bird, what makes you sing so beautifully?
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound in a series of nearby words.
Try to light the fire.
Chiasmus is an expression in which the second half parallels the first but reverses the order of words.
Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.
Understatement involves deliberately representing something as less serious or important than it really is.
As you know, it can get a little cold in the Antarctic. | The text uses assonance, the repetition of a vowel sound in a series of nearby words.
The words issued, spittleless, lips, swished, and in share a vowel sound. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
What made Krysta so upset? | [
"exclamatory",
"interrogative"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement. It tells about something. A declarative sentence always ends with a period.
I have an older brother and a younger sister.
An interrogative sentence is a question. It asks something. An interrogative sentence always ends with a question mark.
How tall are you?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something. An imperative sentence usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
Read the first chapter by next week.
Look out for that car!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
Some whales are over ninety feet long!
I can't wait until tomorrow! | The sentence asks something, and it ends with a question mark. It is an interrogative sentence. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Cole returned to the parking lot to find his car somewhat destroyed. Apparently someone had crashed into it while he was working and had broken the entire front windshield. | [
"oxymoron",
"hyperbole"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Somewhat destroyed is a contradiction, because somewhat means partially or moderately, and destroyed implies totally wrecked. |
|
Which change best matches the sentence?
Mud is left behind along the sides of a river. | [
"erosion",
"drought",
"deposition"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface II | |||
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
keep - knives | [
"king",
"kangaroo"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since king is between the guide words keep - knives, it would be found on that page. |
|
Is this a sentence fragment?
In honor of Washington Irving's famous tale, the town of North Tarrytown, New York, voted to rename itself Sleepy Hollow in 1996. | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify sentence fragments | A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
Rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing a subject. It doesn't tell who is rehearsing.
The band I'm in.
This fragment is missing a verb. It doesn't tell what the band I'm in is doing.
Because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing an independent clause. It doesn't tell what happened because of the concert. | This is not a sentence fragment. It is a complete sentence because it expresses a complete thought.
In honor of Washington Irving's famous tale, the town of North Tarrytown, New York, voted to rename itself Sleepy Hollow in 1996. |
|
What does the simile in this text suggest?
Ava rubbed coconut oil on her hands, which were like the parched earth during a drought. | [
"Ava's hands were dry and cracked.",
"Ava's hands were hot."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret the figure of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night. | The text includes a simile, using like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The simile like the parched earth during a drought suggests that Ava's hands were dry and cracked. A drought is a period without rain; the ground during a drought can become hard and cracked. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Grandpa billy,",
"Dear Grandpa Billy,"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The first greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Grandpa Billy is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Manuel inherited this trait? | [
"Manuel and his siblings all have naturally straight hair.",
"Manuel and his biological father have short hair.",
"Manuel's biological mother often wears her naturally brown hair in a bun."
] | 2 | Read the description of a trait.
Manuel has naturally brown hair. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
What information supports the conclusion that Justin inherited this trait? | [
"Justin likes to wear a blue sweater to match his blue eyes.",
"Justin's mother has blue eyes. She passed this trait down to Justin."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Justin has blue eyes. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Before Lily had even met her future husband in person, she knew about his reputation as a Romeo. | [
"literature",
"Roman mythology"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion Romeo is literature.
In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is known for the eloquent declaration of love with which he woos Juliet.
The allusion Romeo means a man who is very romantic. |
|
Select the amphibian. | [
"snowy owl",
"helmeted iguana",
"brown pelican",
"arroyo toad"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Amphibians have moist skin and begin their lives in water. | An arroyo toad is an amphibian. It has moist skin and begins its life in water.
Toads do not have teeth! They swallow their food whole.
A snowy owl is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
Snowy owls live in cold places. Even their feet have feathers to keep warm!
A brown pelican is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
Brown pelicans live near water. They can dive underwater to catch fish.
A helmeted iguana is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Iguanas are a type of lizard. Iguanas eat plants and fruit. |
|
Which text uses the word disinterested in its traditional sense? | [
"Jenna is happy with her position as class treasurer. Though she would have the support of the student council, she is disinterested in running for student body president.",
"Jenna is excellent in her position as class treasurer. She always manages to be disinterested in student council debates about the allocation of extracurricular funds."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The second text uses disinterested in its traditional sense: unbiased or impartial.
Jenna is excellent in her position as class treasurer. She always manages to be disinterested in student council debates about the allocation of extracurricular funds.
The first text uses disinterested in its nontraditional sense: uninterested or indifferent.
Jenna is happy with her position as class treasurer. Though she would have the support of the student council, she is disinterested in running for student body president.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word disinterested because it is considered more standard. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a newspaper? | [
"The Times of Earth",
"the Times of earth"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | capitalization | Formatting | Capitalizing titles | In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.
The Wind in the Willows James and the Giant Peach
These words are not important in titles:
Articles, a, an, the
Short prepositions, such as at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up
Coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or | Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between. The word of is not important, so it should not be capitalized.
The correct title is The Times of Earth. |
|
Does the sentence use a simile or a metaphor?
My dog, Skip, is the security guard for our front yard mailbox. | [
"simile",
"metaphor"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Identify similes and metaphors | Similes and metaphors are figures of speech that compare two things that are not actually alike.
A simile compares two things by saying that one is like the other. Similes often use the words like and as.
My sister runs like a cheetah.
The sister's running and a cheetah's running are compared using the word like.
A cheetah is known for running fast, so the simile means that the sister also runs fast.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
The cat's fur and the night are compared using the word as.
The night is dark, so the simile means that the cat's fur is also dark.
A metaphor compares two things by saying that one of them is the other. Unlike similes, metaphors don't use the word like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
The snow and a blanket are compared without the word like or as.
A blanket is a large piece of cloth that completely covers a bed. The metaphor makes the reader imagine that the snow becomes a blanket, covering the town completely.
Using similes and metaphors in your writing can help you create an interesting picture for the reader. | My dog, Skip, is the security guard for our front yard mailbox.
The words Skip and security guard are compared without the word like or as. So, the sentence uses a metaphor. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Amanda has a scar on her left hand. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | Hint: Most scars are caused by accidents during a person's life. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | Children do not inherit their parent's scars. Instead, scars are caused by the environment. People can get scars after they get hurt. So, having a scar is an acquired trait. |
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