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Which text uses the word disinterested in its traditional sense? | [
"As a teacher of American history, Mr. Ferguson tries to remain disinterested when discussing controversial issues, giving equal attention and consideration to each major viewpoint.",
"As an experienced teacher of American history, Mr. Ferguson believes that playing history-based trivia games will revive even the most disinterested of students."
] | 0 | 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 disinterested in its traditional sense: unbiased or impartial.
As a teacher of American history, Mr. Ferguson tries to remain disinterested when discussing controversial issues, giving equal attention and consideration to each major viewpoint.
The second text uses disinterested in its nontraditional sense: uninterested or indifferent.
As an experienced teacher of American history, Mr. Ferguson believes that playing history-based trivia games will revive even the most disinterested of students.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word disinterested because it is considered more standard. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
cutting an apple
breaking a rock in half | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | 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.
Cutting an apple is a physical change. The apple gets a different shape. But it is still made of the same type of matter as the uncut apple.
Breaking a rock in half is a physical change. The rock gets broken into two pieces. But the pieces are still made of the same type of matter as the original rock.
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.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Bridget investigate with an experiment? | [
"When placed in the sun, does a glass jar wrapped in cotton heat up more than a glass jar wrapped in wool?",
"When wrapped in a cotton shirt and placed in the sun, does a large jar or a small jar heat up more?",
"When placed in the sun, does a glass jar wrapped in a black cotton shirt heat up more than a glass jar wrapped in a white cotton shirt?"
] | 2 | Bridget is outside with her friend on a sunny day. Bridget is wearing a light-colored shirt, and she notices that she feels colder than her friend, who is wearing a dark shirt. She wonders what factors affect how fabric warms an object. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
a black cotton shirt
a white cotton shirt
two identical empty glass jars
two thermometers | 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 figure of speech is used in this text?
The Conway family is going to spend two weeks in Ocean City, but for Jerry it will be a working vacation, since he'll be checking in with the office every day. | [
"euphemism",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | 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.
Working vacation is a contradiction, because going on a vacation implies that you are taking a break from work. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Albert inherited this trait? | [
"Albert likes to wear a blue sweater to match his blue eyes.",
"Albert's mother has blue eyes. She passed this trait down to Albert."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Albert has blue eyes. | 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 Nathan acquired this trait? | [
"Nathan's scar was caused by an accident. He cut his arm when he fell off his bicycle.",
"Some scars fade more quickly than others."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Nathan has a scar on his right arm. | 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. | |
Select the vertebrate. | [
"banana slug",
"zebra dove",
"lion's mane jellyfish",
"monarch butterfly"
] | 1 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade5 | 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 an outer cover on their body called an exoskeleton. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A zebra dove is a bird. Like other birds, a zebra dove is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A monarch butterfly is an insect. Like other insects, a monarch butterfly is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
Like other slugs, a banana slug is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a soft body.
Like other jellyfishes, a lion's mane jellyfish is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a soft body. |
What kind of sentence is this?
Why did the photographer choose to shoot the sunset in black and white? | [
"declarative",
"interrogative",
"exclamatory"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 asks something, and it ends with a question mark. It is an interrogative sentence. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
. . . the report of my death was an exaggeration.
—Mark Twain, in a notice that appeared in the New York Journal | [
"understatement",
"anaphora"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | 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.
Exaggeration is an understatement, since the report was in fact totally inaccurate. |
|
Would you find the word head on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
having - hop | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 1 | yes or no | 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 head is between the guide words having - hop, it would be found on that page. |
|
Would you find the word express on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
entertain - erase | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | 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 express is not between the guide words entertain - erase, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
It's an open secret that Omar is writing a book based on his experiences living in Singapore. He never talks about it, but almost all his friends know. | [
"hyperbole",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure 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.
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.
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.
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 an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Open secret is a contradiction, because open describes something that is freely or publicly known, and a secret is hidden. |
|
Which is softer? | [
"cotton shirt",
"glass marbles"
] | 0 | 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. | Soft is a property. A soft material changes shape when pressed or squeezed.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine touching the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the cotton shirt is softer. If you squeeze cotton fabric, it will change shape. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
You're an absolute genius for figuring out how to stop the leak! | [
"interrogative",
"declarative",
"exclamatory"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 strong feeling and ends with an exclamation point. It is an exclamatory sentence. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Leah told Mia that the fleece jacket on the bench looked like hers.",
"The fleece jacket that Leah saw on the bench looked like Mia's."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | pronouns | 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 hers could refer to Leah's or Mia's.
Leah told Mia that the fleece jacket on the bench looked like hers.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. The text has been rewritten so that the meaning is clear.
The fleece jacket that Leah saw on the bench looked like Mia's. |
|
Select the invertebrate. | [
"rockfish",
"green frog",
"Canadian lynx",
"monarch butterfly"
] | 3 | Hint: Insects, spiders, and worms are invertebrates. | closed choice | grade5 | 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 an outer cover on their body called an exoskeleton. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A monarch butterfly is an insect. Like other insects, a monarch butterfly is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A rockfish is a fish. Like other fish, a rockfish is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A Canadian lynx is a mammal. Like other mammals, a Canadian lynx is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A green frog is an amphibian. Like other amphibians, a green frog is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
Is a flashlight a good or a service? | [
"a service",
"a good"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | social science | economics | Economics | Goods and services | Everything you can buy is either a good or a service.
A good is something you can touch or hold in your hands. For example, a hammer is a good.
A service is a job you pay someone else to do. For example, cooking food in a restaurant is a service. | To decide whether a flashlight is a good or a service, ask these questions:
Is a flashlight something you can touch? Yes.
Is a flashlight a job you might pay someone else to do? No.
So, a flashlight is a good. |
|
Complete the sentence.
In this chemical reaction, fructose is a (). | [
"reactant",
"product"
] | 1 | This passage describes a chemical reaction. Read the passage. Then, follow the instructions below.
Honeybees make honey from nectar that they collect from flowers. Nectar is a clear liquid that contains a sugar called sucrose. After a bee collects nectar from a flower, chemicals in the bee's body break down the sucrose into a mixture of fructose and glucose, two simpler sugars. The bee then deposits this mixture into a honeycomb and seals the honeycomb with wax. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Identify reactants and products | A chemical change occurs when new substances are formed from existing substances. This process is called a chemical reaction.
In a chemical reaction, one or more substances change into one or more different substances. During the reaction, the atoms of the original substances are rearranged to form other substances.
The original substances in a chemical reaction are called reactants. These substances react, or go through a chemical change.
The substances that are formed in a chemical reaction are called products. These substances are produced by the chemical reaction.
So, in a chemical reaction, reactants go through a chemical change to form products. | Read the underlined text carefully. Look for information about what happens to fructose in this chemical reaction.
Honeybees make honey from nectar that they collect from flowers. Nectar is a clear liquid that contains a sugar called sucrose. After a bee collects nectar from a flower, chemicals in the bee's body break down the sucrose into a mixture of fructose and glucose, two simpler sugars. The bee then deposits this mixture into a honeycomb and seals the honeycomb with wax.
The underlined text tells you that fructose forms when sucrose breaks down. Because fructose is produced by this chemical reaction, fructose is a product. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
refuse - rub | [
"rig",
"rascal"
] | 0 | closed choice | 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 rig is between the guide words refuse - rub, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"The subway runs beneath the streets of the city.",
"A chimpanzee escaped from the zoo, so the police are searching for it."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple or compound? | A simple sentence is a sentence with only one subject and predicate.
The pitcher threw the ball to first base.
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
The pitcher threw the ball, and the batter hit it.
Some simple sentences have a compound subject or a compound predicate, but they are not compound sentences.
Anna and James will watch the fireworks tonight.
This simple sentence has a compound subject, Anna and James.
The singers bowed and walked off the stage.
This simple sentence has a compound predicate, bowed and walked off the stage.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but they are not compound sentences. The introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Farmer Ben wears his heavy coat.
This is a simple sentence. There is one subject, Farmer Ben, and one predicate, wears his heavy coat in the winter. | The first sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two simple sentences joined by a comma and the conjunction so.
A chimpanzee escaped from the zoo, so the police are searching for it. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Troy can drive a car. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | Hint: Driving well takes practice. | 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. | Humans are not born knowing how to drive a car. Instead, many people learn how to drive when they are older. So, driving is an acquired trait. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
The hum of the computer concerned Jamal. Was the problem with the power supply or the hard drive? | [
"onomatopoeia",
"metaphor"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | 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 onomatopoeia, a word that expresses a sound.
Hum represents the sound the computer was making. |
|
Compare the motion of three sailboats. Which sailboat was moving at the lowest speed? | [
"a sailboat that moved 120kilometers east in 10hours",
"a sailboat that moved 170kilometers south in 10hours",
"a sailboat that moved 45kilometers south in 10hours"
] | 2 | 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 10 hours. The sailboat that moved 45 kilometers moved the shortest distance in that time. So, that sailboat must have moved at the lowest speed. |
|
Complete the sentence.
Carving a piece of wood 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. | Carving a piece of wood is a physical change. The wood changes shape, but it is still made of the same type of matter. |
|
Which text uses the word nauseous in its traditional sense? | [
"The odor emanating from the landfill made Dana so nauseous that she had to roll up the car windows as she drove past.",
"Dana couldn't tolerate the nauseous odor emanating from the landfill, so she rolled up her car windows as she drove past."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 nauseous in its traditional sense: causing disgust or nausea.
Dana couldn't tolerate the nauseous odor emanating from the landfill, so she rolled up her car windows as she drove past.
The first text uses nauseous in its nontraditional sense: feeling disgusted or nauseated.
The odor emanating from the landfill made Dana so nauseous that she had to roll up the car windows as she drove past.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word nauseous because it is considered more standard. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a movie? | [
"Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore",
"winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | 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 the, and, a, and for are not important, so they should not be capitalized.
The correct title is Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore. |
|
How long does it take to go for a walk with a dog? | [
"15 minutes",
"15 seconds"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade2 | 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 go for a walk with a dog is 15 minutes.
15 seconds is too fast. |
Which type of sentence is this?
Trevor always approaches difficult tasks enthusiastically, and he frequently motivates others with his energy and fervor. | [
"compound",
"complex",
"simple",
"compound-complex"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | 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 compound. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction and.
Trevor always approaches difficult tasks enthusiastically, and he frequently motivates others with his energy and fervor. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"Penny and Her Doll",
"penny and Her doll"
] | 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 and is not important, so it should not be capitalized.
The correct title is Penny and Her Doll. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
ravenous - rib | [
"ruffle",
"restart"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | 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 restart is between the guide words ravenous - rib, it would be found on that page. |
|
Complete the statement.
Calcium is (). | [
"a compound",
"an elementary substance"
] | 1 | Calcium is a metal found in substances that make up your teeth and bones. The chemical formula for calcium is Ca. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | chemistry | Atoms and molecules | Classify elementary substances and compounds using chemical formulas | There are more than 100 different chemical elements, or types of atoms. Chemical elements make up all of the substances around you.
A substance may be composed of one chemical element or multiple chemical elements. Substances that are composed of only one chemical element are elementary substances. Substances that are composed of multiple chemical elements bonded together are compounds.
Every chemical element is represented by its own atomic symbol. An atomic symbol may consist of one capital letter, or it may consist of a capital letter followed by a lowercase letter. For example, the atomic symbol for the chemical element fluorine is F, and the atomic symbol for the chemical element beryllium is Be.
The atomic symbol for each chemical 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 atomic symbol.
The atomic symbol in a chemical formula may be followed by a small number written lower than the symbol. This number is called a subscript. A subscript is included when the atoms in the elementary substance are bonded to form molecules. The subscript shows how many atoms are in each molecule.
For example, the chemical formula for the elementary substance oxygen, O2, has a subscript of 2. This subscript shows that the atomic symbol O represents two atoms. The elementary substance O2 and the chemical element represented by the atomic symbol O are both named oxygen. So, the formula tells you that each molecule of O2 contains two oxygen atoms.
A compound is represented by a chemical formula that contains multiple atomic symbols.
The chemical elements in a compound are bonded together in a fixed ratio. This ratio is shown in a compound's chemical formula.
For example, in the compound beryllium fluoride, there is one beryllium atom for every two fluorine atoms. So, the ratio of beryllium atoms to fluorine atoms is 1 to 2. This ratio is shown in the chemical formula for beryllium fluoride, BeF2. There is no subscript following the atomic symbol Be because that symbol represents one atom. The subscript 2 follows the atomic symbol F to show that the symbol represents two atoms. | You can tell whether calcium is an elementary substance or a compound by counting the number of atomic symbols in its chemical formula. An atomic symbol consists of either one capital letter or a capital letter followed by one or two lowercase letters.
The chemical formula for calcium contains one atomic symbol: Ca. So, the formula tells you that calcium is composed of only one chemical element.
Since calcium is composed of only one chemical element, calcium is an elementary substance. |
Based on this information, what is Dipper's phenotype for the fur length trait? | [
"short fur",
"long fur"
] | 1 | In a group of Syrian hamsters, 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).
Dipper is a Syrian hamster from this group. Dipper has the homozygous genotype ff for the fur length gene. | closed choice | grade6 | 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. | Dipper's genotype for the fur length gene is ff. Dipper's genotype of ff has only f alleles. The f allele is for long fur. So, Dipper's phenotype for the fur length trait must be long fur.
To check this answer, consider whether Dipper'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.
Dipper'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, Dipper's phenotype for the fur length trait must be long fur. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, was as shocking as an earthquake, leaving Americans feeling shaken and vulnerable. | [
"simile",
"alliteration"
] | 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 includes a simile, using like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
As shocking as an earthquake compares the assassination of President Kennedy to an earthquake. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Brandon inherited this trait? | [
"Brandon and his father both have short hair.",
"Brandon's parents were born with straight hair. They passed down this trait to Brandon."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Brandon has straight hair. | 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. | |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
I don't trust Professor Harper's findings. Another researcher at her university was caught falsifying data. So, it's likely Professor Harper has, too. | [
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against",
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 1 | 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 Professor Harper's research is untrustworthy because someone else at her university was caught falsifying data. However, this isn't necessarily true. The practices of one researcher at a university do not necessarily reflect the practices of another researcher at the same university. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as guilt by association. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a short story? | [
"\"End of the Line\"",
"End of the Line"
] | 0 | 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 short story should be in quotation marks.
The correct title is "End of the Line." |
|
Select the living thing. | [
"manta ray",
"computer",
"soap",
"yo-yo"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify living and nonliving things | All living things are made up of cells. Plants, animals, and some fungi have many cells. Other living things are made up of just one cell.
All living things need food and water. Water helps living things break down food and remove waste. Food gives living things energy. They use energy from food to grow and change.
All living things sense changes in their environment. Living things might sense changes by seeing, smelling, hearing, or feeling. Living things can respond to the changes they sense. | A computer is not a living thing.
A computer does not have all the traits of a living thing. It does many useful things, and even responds to the world around it. But it does not grow. It does not need food or water.
A yo-yo is not a living thing.
Yo-yos do not have all of the traits of living things. They do not grow or respond to their environment. They do not need food or water.
Soap is not a living thing.
Soap does not have all of the traits of a living thing. It may change shape or become foamy, but it does not grow. It does not need food or water.
A manta ray is a living thing.
Manta rays grow and respond to their environment. They need food and water. Manta rays are made up of many cells.
Manta rays are animals. They use their wide, flat fins to swim. |
|
What is the temperature of a bowl of ice cream? | [
"37°C",
"37°F"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Estimate temperatures | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Temperature can be written with units of degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or Celsius (°C). Use the list below to compare the two units.
212°F | Water boils | 100°C
98.6°F | Body temperature | 37°C
68°F | Room temperature | 20°C
32°F | Water freezes | 0°C
| The better estimate for the temperature of a bowl of ice cream is 37°F.
37°C is too hot. |
Select the one substance that is not a mineral. | [
"Malachite is a solid. It is formed in nature.",
"Shampoo is a liquid. It is made in a factory.",
"Quartz is a pure substance. It is formed in nature."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Rocks and minerals | Identify minerals using properties | Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. A rock can be made of one or more minerals.
Minerals and rocks have the following properties:
Property | Mineral | Rock
It is a solid. | Yes | Yes
It is formed in nature. | Yes | Yes
It is not made by organisms. | Yes | Yes
It is a pure substance. | Yes | No
It has a fixed crystal structure. | Yes | No
You can use these properties to tell whether a substance is a mineral, a rock, or neither.
Look closely at the last three properties:
Minerals and rocks are not made by organisms.
Organisms make their own body parts. For example, snails and clams make their shells. Because they are made by organisms, body parts cannot be minerals or rocks.
Humans are organisms too. So, substances that humans make by hand or in factories are not minerals or rocks.
A mineral is a pure substance, but a rock is not.
A pure substance is made of only one type of matter. Minerals are pure substances, but rocks are not. Instead, all rocks are mixtures.
A mineral has a fixed crystal structure, but a rock does not.
The crystal structure of a substance tells you how the atoms or molecules in the substance are arranged. Different types of minerals have different crystal structures, but all minerals have a fixed crystal structure. This means that the atoms and molecules in different pieces of the same type of mineral are always arranged the same way.
However, rocks do not have a fixed crystal structure. So, the arrangement of atoms or molecules in different pieces of the same type of rock may be different! | Compare the properties of each substance to the properties of minerals. Select the substance whose properties do not match those of minerals.
Malachite is a mineral.
Shampoo is made in a factory. But all minerals are formed in nature.
Shampoo is a liquid. But all minerals are solids.
So, shampoo is not a mineral.
Quartz is a mineral. |
|
Select the temperature shown by this thermometer. | [
"10°C",
"35°C",
"40°C"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Weather and climate | Read a thermometer | A thermometer is a tool that measures temperature. Temperature can be measured in degrees. The symbol for degrees is °.
Some thermometers measure temperature in degrees Celsius (°C). Celsius is one scale used to measure temperature.
This is a tube thermometer. It has a tube filled with a red liquid.
There is a Celsius scale along the right side of the tube. The top of the red liquid lines up with the number 30 on the scale. So, the temperature shown by this thermometer is 30°C. | Find the top of the red liquid.
Now look at the scale to the right. The top of the red liquid lines up with 10. So, the temperature is 10°C. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"Carmen and her sisters drew a map of the United States and hung it on the wall.",
"An ostrich cannot fly, so it must run away from danger."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It 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 a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The first sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction so.
An ostrich cannot fly, so it must run away from danger. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Dylan acquired this trait? | [
"Dylan's scar was caused by an accident. He cut his arm when he fell off his bicycle.",
"Some scars fade more quickly than others."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Dylan has a scar on his right arm. | 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. | |
Using only these supplies, which question can Omar investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does a big toy car go down the wooden ramp faster than a small toy car?",
"Do toy cars go faster down the ramp made of wood or the ramp made of cardboard?",
"Do toy cars with plastic wheels go faster down the cardboard ramp than toy cars with metal wheels?"
] | 1 | Omar and his sister are building ramps to race their toy cars down. Omar notices that the cars go down some of the ramps faster than others. He wonders what factors affect the cars' speed. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
two identical toy cars
a wooden ramp three feet long and two feet tall
a cardboard ramp three feet long and two feet tall | 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! | |
Complete the statement. Assume that the car's mass did not change.
The gravitational potential energy stored between the car and Earth () as the car slowed to a stop. | [
"decreased",
"stayed the same",
"increased"
] | 1 | Read the text about an object in motion.
Hannah was driving her car on a road when she saw a red light ahead. She slowed the car to a stop along the flat road. | 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 car and the center of Earth changed.
Because the road was flat, each point on the road was the same distance from the center of Earth. As the car slowed to a stop, the distance between the car and the center of Earth stayed the same. So, the gravitational potential energy stored between the car and Earth stayed the same as the car slowed to a stop. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
plead - protest | [
"pasture",
"pony"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | 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 pony is between the guide words plead - protest, it would be found on that page. |
|
Suppose Kelly decides to go as a superhero. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Kelly will save some time and money. She won't have to go out and get a new costume.",
"Kelly will give up the chance to wear the costume she is more excited about."
] | 1 | Kelly is deciding whether to go as a vampire or a superhero to a costume party. She would rather go as a vampire. But she already has a superhero costume. | closed choice | grade5 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Kelly wants or needs:
Kelly will give up the chance to wear the costume she is more excited about. |
Based on this information, what is Fishie's phenotype for the body color trait? | [
"a gray body",
"a golden body"
] | 1 | In a group of guppies, some individuals have a gray body and others have a golden body. In this group, the gene for the body color trait has two alleles. The allele for a golden body (b) is recessive to the allele for a gray body (B).
Fishie is a guppy from this group. Fishie has the homozygous genotype bb for the body color gene. | closed choice | grade6 | 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. | Fishie's genotype for the body color gene is bb. Fishie's genotype of bb has only b alleles. The b allele is for a golden body. So, Fishie's phenotype for the body color trait must be a golden body.
To check this answer, consider whether Fishie's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for a golden body (b) is recessive to the allele for a gray body (B). This means B is a dominant allele, and b is a recessive allele.
Fishie's genotype of bb has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Fishie's phenotype for the body color trait must be a golden body. |
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
It is snowing in Emmett's town today. | [
"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 | grade3 | 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.
It is snowing in Emmett's town today.
This passage tells you about the precipitation today in Emmett's town. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
What do these two changes have in common?
chicken cooking in an oven
a penny tarnishing | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"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.
Cooking chicken is a chemical change. The heat causes the matter in the chicken to change. Cooked chicken and raw chicken are different types of matter.
Metal turning less shiny over time is called tarnishing. A penny tarnishing is a chemical change. When air touches the penny, the surface of the penny changes into a different type of matter. This matter makes the penny dull.
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.
Cooking is caused by heating. But a penny tarnishing is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Jim will pop the popcorn. | [
"future tense",
"present tense",
"past tense"
] | 0 | 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, pop. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Which tray of lasagna has less thermal energy? | [
"the hotter tray of lasagna",
"the colder tray of lasagna"
] | 1 | Two trays of lasagna are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | physics | Heat and 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 1-kilogram brick at 70°F has half as much thermal energy as a 2-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the smaller brick has half as many atoms. So, it has half as much thermal energy. | The two trays of lasagna are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the colder tray of lasagna has less thermal energy. |
What information supports the conclusion that Debbie inherited this trait? | [
"Debbie's hair is the same color as her brown eyes.",
"Debbie's father has brown eyes. He passed this trait down to Debbie."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Debbie has brown eyes. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | 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. | |
Select the elementary substance. | [
"ruthenium (Ru)",
"carbon dioxide (CO2)",
"dichloromethane (CH2Cl2)"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | chemistry | Atoms and molecules | Identify elementary substances and compounds using chemical formulas | There are more than 100 different chemical elements, or types of atoms. Chemical elements make up all of the substances around you.
A substance may be composed of one chemical element or multiple chemical elements. Substances that are composed of only one chemical element are elementary substances. Substances that are composed of multiple chemical elements bonded together are compounds.
Every chemical element is represented by its own atomic symbol. An atomic symbol may consist of one capital letter, or it may consist of a capital letter followed by a lowercase letter. For example, the atomic symbol for the chemical element fluorine is F, and the atomic symbol for the chemical element beryllium is Be.
The atomic symbol for each chemical 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 atomic symbol.
The atomic symbol in a chemical formula may be followed by a small number written lower than the symbol. This number is called a subscript. A subscript is included when the atoms in the elementary substance are bonded to form molecules. The subscript shows how many atoms are in each molecule.
For example, the chemical formula for the elementary substance oxygen, O2, has a subscript of 2. This subscript shows that the atomic symbol O represents two atoms. The elementary substance O2 and the chemical element represented by the atomic symbol O are both named oxygen. So, the formula tells you that each molecule of O2 contains two oxygen atoms.
A compound is represented by a chemical formula that contains multiple atomic symbols.
The chemical elements in a compound are bonded together in a fixed ratio. This ratio is shown in a compound's chemical formula.
For example, in the compound beryllium fluoride, there is one beryllium atom for every two fluorine atoms. So, the ratio of beryllium atoms to fluorine atoms is 1 to 2. This ratio is shown in the chemical formula for beryllium fluoride, BeF2. There is no subscript following the atomic symbol Be because that symbol represents one atom. The subscript 2 follows the atomic symbol F to show that the symbol represents two 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 rhenium contains one atomic symbol: Re. So, rhenium is composed of only one chemical element. Therefore, rhenium is an elementary substance. The chemical formula for carbon dioxide contains two atomic symbols: C for carbon and O for oxygen. So, carbon dioxide is composed of two chemical elements bonded together. Because carbon dioxide is composed of multiple chemical elements bonded together, it is a compound, not an elementary substance. The chemical formula for ruthenium contains one atomic symbol: Ru. So, ruthenium is composed of only one chemical element. Therefore, ruthenium is an elementary substance. The chemical formula for dichloromethane contains three atomic symbols: C for carbon, H for hydrogen, and Cl for chlorine. So, dichloromethane is composed of three chemical elements bonded together. Because dichloromethane is composed of multiple chemical elements bonded together, it is a compound, not an elementary substance. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
At twenty-one, Wesley felt overwhelmed with adult responsibilities and wished he could fly off to Neverland. | [
"simile",
"allusion"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify 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.
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 an allusion, a brief reference to someone or something well known.
Neverland alludes to the story of Peter Pan, a boy who lived in Neverland and never grew up. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Rhianna investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does a catapult with a longer arm launch a rubber ball farther than a catapult with a shorter arm?",
"Does a rubber ball travel farther when launched from a metal catapult or from a wooden catapult?",
"Does a heavier ball travel farther than a lighter ball when launched from a catapult?"
] | 0 | Rhianna visits a museum about ancient Greece. She notices an exhibit with models of wooden catapults that were used to launch large rocks across battlefields. She wonders what factors affect how far a catapult can launch an object. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
a wooden catapult with a 10-inch-long arm
a wooden catapult with a five-inch-long arm
two identical rubber balls | closed choice | grade7 | 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! | |
Select the one substance that is not a mineral. | [
"Hematite is a solid. It is formed in nature.",
"Fluorite is not made by living things. It is a pure substance.",
"Soap is not a pure substance. It is a solid."
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Rocks and minerals | Identify minerals using properties | Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. A rock can be made of one or more minerals.
Minerals and rocks have the following properties:
Property | Mineral | Rock
It is a solid. | Yes | Yes
It is formed in nature. | Yes | Yes
It is not made by organisms. | Yes | Yes
It is a pure substance. | Yes | No
It has a fixed crystal structure. | Yes | No
You can use these properties to tell whether a substance is a mineral, a rock, or neither.
Look closely at the last three properties:
Minerals and rocks are not made by organisms.
Organisms make their own body parts. For example, snails and clams make their shells. Because they are made by organisms, body parts cannot be minerals or rocks.
Humans are organisms too. So, substances that humans make by hand or in factories are not minerals or rocks.
A mineral is a pure substance, but a rock is not.
A pure substance is made of only one type of matter. Minerals are pure substances, but rocks are not. Instead, all rocks are mixtures.
A mineral has a fixed crystal structure, but a rock does not.
The crystal structure of a substance tells you how the atoms or molecules in the substance are arranged. Different types of minerals have different crystal structures, but all minerals have a fixed crystal structure. This means that the atoms and molecules in different pieces of the same type of mineral are always arranged the same way.
However, rocks do not have a fixed crystal structure. So, the arrangement of atoms or molecules in different pieces of the same type of rock may be different! | Compare the properties of each substance to the properties of minerals. Select the substance whose properties do not match those of minerals.
Soap is not a pure substance. But all minerals are pure substances.
So, soap is not a mineral.
Hematite is a mineral.
Fluorite is a mineral. |
|
Which text structure does the text use? | [
"problem-solution",
"descriptive"
] | 0 | Read the text.
Khodr Farhat is a Michigan man on a mission. When he eats out at a restaurant, he faces an issue that most people don't. Khodr can't see well enough to read the menu. He usually has friends read menus aloud to him. However, this strategy doesn't let him take his time with the menu or dine independently. So, he has worked with restaurants to create menus in braille. Braille is a system of writing that uses raised dots. Braille menus allow many customers who are blind to read their own menus. | closed choice | grade4 | language science | writing-strategies | Text structure | Identify text structures | Writers can organize their ideas in different ways. These ways of organizing writing are called text structures. When you can tell how a text is organized, it's easier to understand how the writer's ideas go together. You can also use these text structures to organize your own writing.
| Text structure | Where you might find it | Words and phrases to look for
A sequential structure tells you about events that happen in a certain order. | a recipe for how to make a blueberry pie | first, until, second, after, next, then, before, finally, during
A cause-effect structure shows the causes and the effects, or results, of an event. | an essay about how recycling helps the environment | because, led to, since, as a result, due to, so, reason
A problem-solution structure explains a problem and offers possible solutions. | an article about ways to get more people to vote | issue, suggest, question, puzzle, fix, answer
A compare-contrast structure shows how two (or more) things are the same or different. | a chapter about the differences between whales and sharks | like, unlike, too, on the other hand, both, while, same, instead, common, different, as well as, however
A descriptive structure tells you a list of details about an object, scene, or topic. | a paragraph about what Tyrannosaurus rex looked like| for example, near, for instance beside, such as, most important, also | The text uses a problem-solution structure to show how Khodr Farhat has worked to get braille menus into restaurants. In the text, certain words and phrases help to organize ideas in a problem-solution structure. Notice the words issue, strategy, help, and allow. |
Is the following statement true or false?
Plant cells do not have cytoplasm. | [
"false",
"true"
] | 0 | true-or false | grade4 | natural science | biology | Cells | Cell part functions: true or false | Plant cells do not have cytoplasm.
This statement is false. All cells have cytoplasm. The cytoplasm fills and maintains the space inside the cell. |
||
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"game",
"coat",
"came"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade1 | language science | phonological-awareness | Rhyming | Which word does not rhyme? | Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound.
The words tip and slip rhyme. They both end with the ip sound.
The words lake and make rhyme. They both end with the ake sound.
The words tip and lake don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words came and game rhyme. They both end with the ame sound.
The word coat does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
What is the mass of a floor lamp? | [
"12 tons",
"12 pounds",
"12 ounces"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using customary units, mass may be written with units of ounces, pounds, or tons.
There are 16 ounces in 1 pound and 2,000 pounds in 1 ton.
So, 1 ounce is less than 1 pound and much less than 1 ton.
A slice of bread has a mass of about 1 ounce, while a can of beans has a mass of about 1 pound. A small car has a mass of about 1 ton. | The best estimate for the mass of a floor lamp is 12 pounds.
12 ounces is too light and 12 tons is too heavy. |
Which is a complete sentence? | [
"After the show, all of the actors bow.",
"Haru is from Japan I am from China."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence 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 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. | After the show, all of the actors bow is a complete sentence. The subject is all of the actors, and the verb is bow. |
|
Does the sentence use a simile or a metaphor?
Mrs. Campbell is an owl, working at night and sleeping during the day. | [
"simile",
"metaphor"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | 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. | Mrs. Campbell is an owl, working at night and sleeping during the day.
The words Mrs. Campbell and owl are compared without the word like or as. So, the sentence uses a metaphor. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Tiana acquired this trait? | [
"Tiana is in the Air Force. She flies a plane almost every day.",
"Tiana can fly a plane on cloudy days and at night.",
"A pilot taught Tiana how to fly a plane."
] | 2 | Read the description of a trait.
Tiana knows how to fly a plane. | closed choice | grade8 | 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. | |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
"There's nothing I love more than skipping lunch," Mr. Harper told the flight attendant when he learned that no food would be available on his cross-country flight. | [
"personification",
"verbal irony"
] | 1 | 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. Harper is probably upset that there isn't anything to eat. |
|
Which organ produces the power to move the body? | [
"skin",
"brain",
"skeleton",
"muscles"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Animals | Human organs and their functions | |||
Would you find the word mermaid on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
marsh - muffle | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade4 | 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 mermaid is between the guide words marsh - muffle, it would be found on that page. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Brittany has a scar on her right elbow. | [
"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. |
|
Select the one substance that is not a mineral. | [
"Muscovite is not made by living things. It is a solid.",
"Sterling silver is not a pure substance. It is a solid.",
"Native copper is not made by living things. It is a solid."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Rocks and minerals | Identify minerals using properties | Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. A rock can be made of one or more minerals.
Minerals and rocks have the following properties:
Property | Mineral | Rock
It is a solid. | Yes | Yes
It is formed in nature. | Yes | Yes
It is not made by organisms. | Yes | Yes
It is a pure substance. | Yes | No
It has a fixed crystal structure. | Yes | No
You can use these properties to tell whether a substance is a mineral, a rock, or neither.
Look closely at the last three properties:
Minerals and rocks are not made by organisms.
Organisms make their own body parts. For example, snails and clams make their shells. Because they are made by organisms, body parts cannot be minerals or rocks.
Humans are organisms too. So, substances that humans make by hand or in factories are not minerals or rocks.
A mineral is a pure substance, but a rock is not.
A pure substance is made of only one type of matter. Minerals are pure substances, but rocks are not. Instead, all rocks are mixtures.
A mineral has a fixed crystal structure, but a rock does not.
The crystal structure of a substance tells you how the atoms or molecules in the substance are arranged. Different types of minerals have different crystal structures, but all minerals have a fixed crystal structure. This means that the atoms and molecules in different pieces of the same type of mineral are always arranged the same way.
However, rocks do not have a fixed crystal structure. So, the arrangement of atoms or molecules in different pieces of the same type of rock may be different! | Compare the properties of each substance to the properties of minerals. Select the substance whose properties do not match those of minerals.
Sterling silver is not a pure substance. But all minerals are pure substances.
So, sterling silver is not a mineral.
Muscovite is a mineral.
Native copper is a mineral. |
|
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"peak",
"beak",
"leap"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | phonological-awareness | Rhyming | Which word does not rhyme? | Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound.
The words tip and slip rhyme. They both end with the same sound.
The words meet and treat also rhyme. They both end with the same sound, even though the sound has two different spellings.
The words tip and meet don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words beak and peak rhyme. They both end with the eak sound.
The word leap does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
For his report, Kurt needs information about zebras. | [
"declarative",
"exclamatory"
] | 0 | 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 tells about something, and it ends with a period. It is a declarative sentence. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"After Dave talked with Ted about the research project, he felt better about collaborating on it.",
"Ted felt better about collaborating on the research project after Dave talked with him about it."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | 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 he could refer to Dave or Ted.
After Dave talked with Ted about the research project, he felt better about collaborating on it.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. The text has been rewritten so that the meaning is clear.
Ted felt better about collaborating on the research project after Dave talked with him about it. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a newspaper? | [
"***Tampa Bay Times***",
"\"Tampa Bay Times\""
] | 0 | 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 newspaper should be in italics.
The correct title is **Tampa Bay Times**. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
mixing sand and water
cutting your fingernails | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 2 | closed choice | grade3 | 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.
Mixing sand and water is a physical change. Adding water makes the sand wet. But both the sand and water are still made of the same type of matter as before.
Cutting your fingernails is a physical change. Your fingernails are shorter after you cut them. But the pieces are still made of the same type of matter as the uncut fingernails.
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.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which brochure is more formal? | [
"Did you know that the right landscaping can make the value of your property go through the roof?",
"Did you know that a well-designed landscape can significantly increase your property value?"
] | 1 | 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 first brochure is more formal. It uses more elevated language (well-designed landscape, significantly increase). The other brochure uses a casual-sounding idiom (through the roof). |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Bryan's proclamations earned him a reputation as our neighborhood's own Nostradamus. | [
"the Bible",
"history"
] | 1 | 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 Nostradamus is history.
Nostradamus, a sixteenth-century French astrologer and physician, is best known as the author of a book of prophecies.
The allusion Nostradamus means a seer or predictor of the future. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Ms. Shah,",
"Dear ms. Shah,"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | 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. Ms. Shah is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
throat - torpedo | [
"tiger",
"trample"
] | 0 | closed choice | 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 tiger is between the guide words throat - torpedo, it would be found on that page. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Sandra has naturally brown hair. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 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. | Humans do not choose their natural hair color. Some people dye their hair. But this does not change their natural hair color.
Children get their natural hair color from their parents. So, Sandra's hair color is an inherited trait. |
|
Would you find the word mock on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
maintain - measles | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | yes or no | 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 mock is not between the guide words maintain - measles, it would not be found on that page. |
|
What is the volume of a water balloon? | [
"18 cups",
"18 gallons",
"18 fluid ounces"
] | 2 | 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 water balloon is 18 fluid ounces.
18 cups and 18 gallons are both too much. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
Paula and Layla will plan their trip together. | [
"future tense",
"past tense",
"present tense"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | 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, plan. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Yesterday's tennis match was a classic David and Goliath story, with Ryan playing against his former team captain, Ivan. | [
"Greek mythology",
"the Bible"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | 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 David and Goliath is the Bible.
In the Bible, a young man named David slays Goliath, a giant and champion warrior, using nothing more than a sling and a stone.
The allusion David and Goliath means involving unequal rivals. |
|
Select the bird. | [
"dwarf crocodile",
"human",
"gray crowned crane",
"wombat"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Birds have feathers, two wings, and a beak. | A wombat is a mammal. It has fur and feeds its young milk.
Wombats have strong claws on their front feet. They use their claws to dig underground holes called burrows.
A human is a mammal. It has hair and feeds its young milk.
Humans are a type of animal called a primate. Monkeys and apes are also primates.
A dwarf crocodile is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Crocodiles hunt their prey in or near water.
A gray crowned crane is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
Cranes wade in shallow water to look for food. Cranes eat insects, worms, and plants. |
|
Which text uses the word random in its traditional sense? | [
"At the grocery store, Erin hastily grabbed fruits and vegetables at random, filling her shopping cart with a hodgepodge of food.",
"Erin made a random trip to the grocery store, though her kitchen was already stocked with a hodgepodge of food."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 random in its traditional sense: made or occurring without a definite pattern.
At the grocery store, Erin hastily grabbed fruits and vegetables at random, filling her shopping cart with a hodgepodge of food.
The first text uses random in its nontraditional sense: odd or out of place.
Erin made a random trip to the grocery store, though her kitchen was already stocked with a hodgepodge of food.
Most style guides recommend to avoid using the nontraditional sense of the word random because it is generally considered incorrect. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"The horse isn't in the stable, so it must be in the pasture.",
"North America is the world's third largest continent."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple or compound? | A simple sentence is a sentence with only one subject and predicate.
The pitcher threw the ball to first base.
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
The pitcher threw the ball, and the batter hit it.
Some simple sentences have a compound subject or a compound predicate, but they are not compound sentences.
Anna and James will watch the fireworks tonight.
This simple sentence has a compound subject, Anna and James.
The singers bowed and walked off the stage.
This simple sentence has a compound predicate, bowed and walked off the stage.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but they are not compound sentences. The introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Farmer Ben wears his heavy coat.
This is a simple sentence. There is one subject, Farmer Ben, and one predicate, wears his heavy coat in the winter. | The second sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two simple sentences joined by a comma and the conjunction so.
The horse isn't in the stable, so it must be in the pasture. |
|
What is the mass of a full bag of groceries? | [
"4 kilograms",
"4 grams"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using metric units, mass may be written with units of grams or kilograms.
There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram. So, 1 gram is much less than 1 kilogram.
A paper clip has a mass of about 1 gram, while a textbook has a mass of about 1 kilogram. | The better estimate for the mass of a full bag of groceries is 4 kilograms.
4 grams is too light. |
Would you find the word from on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
fled - fool | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade4 | 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 from is not between the guide words fled - fool, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which object has the most thermal energy? | [
"a banana at a temperature of 65°F",
"a banana at a temperature of 63°F",
"a banana at a temperature of 88°F"
] | 2 | 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 move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature. | All three bananas have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 88°F banana is the hottest, it has the most thermal energy. |
What does the simile in this text suggest?
Brenda rubbed coconut oil on her hands, which were like the parched earth during a drought. | [
"Brenda's hands were dry and cracked.",
"Brenda's hands were hot."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 Brenda's hands were dry and cracked. A drought is a period without rain; the ground during a drought can become hard and cracked. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
a piece of pizza rotting in a trashcan
burning a marshmallow over a campfire | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 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.
A piece of pizza rotting is a chemical change. The matter in the pizza breaks down and slowly turns into a different type of matter.
Burning a marshmallow is a chemical change. The heat from the fire causes the type of matter in the marshmallow to change. The marshmallow becomes black and crispy.
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.
Burning is caused by heating. But a piece of pizza rotting is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Complete the sentence.
A () egg can grow into a seed. | [
"fertilized",
"pollinated",
"germinated"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Plants | Describe and construct conifer life cycles | Fertilized eggs grow into seeds. An egg cannot become a seed until after it is fertilized.
After a female cone is pollinated, its eggs can be fertilized. Pollination is what happens when pollen sticks to a female cone. Eggs do not get pollinated.
A seed can germinate, or begin to grow into a new plant. Eggs do not germinate. |
||
What information supports the conclusion that Nolan inherited this trait? | [
"Nolan's parents were born with straight hair. They passed down this trait to Nolan.",
"Nolan and his father both have short hair."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Nolan has straight hair. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | 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 graduation announcement is more formal? | [
"Nicholas Gupta is graduating, and we couldn't be more proud!",
"We are proud to announce the graduation of Nicholas Gupta."
] | 1 | 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 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!). |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Cindy's Bistro used to be a great place to go for a delicious and carefully prepared dinner, but nobody goes there anymore: it's too crowded. | [
"paradox",
"apostrophe"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure 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.
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.
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.
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 a paradox, a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Nobody goes there anymore: it's too crowded at first appears to be contradictory, because if no one goes to the restaurant, then the restaurant should be empty, not crowded. However, it contains some truth: if a restaurant is frequently perceived to be too crowded, many people will no longer want to go there. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Pete plays soccer. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | 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. | People are not born knowing how to play soccer. Instead, some people learn how to play soccer. Playing the sport takes practice. So, playing soccer is an acquired trait. |
|
Select the invertebrate. | [
"green sea turtle",
"sparrow",
"koala",
"locust"
] | 3 | Hint: Insects, spiders, and worms are invertebrates. | closed choice | grade5 | 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 an outer cover on their body called an exoskeleton. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A green sea turtle is a reptile. Like other reptiles, a green sea turtle is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A sparrow is a bird. Like other birds, a sparrow is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A locust is an insect. Like other insects, a locust is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A koala is a mammal. Like other mammals, a koala is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
When Carly first joined the track team, she was afraid of jumping, but she got over that hurdle. | [
"verbal irony",
"pun"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | 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 a pun, a word or phrase that humorously suggests more than one meaning.
Hurdle refers to an obstacle that one must overcome. It also refers to an object that a runner jumps over. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
Does Kira have any hobbies? | [
"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. |
|
Would you find the word brook on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
beaver - bless | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | 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 brook is not between the guide words beaver - bless, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Erica has naturally brown hair. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 1 | Hint: Some people dye their hair. But this does not change their natural hair color. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | 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. | Humans do not choose their natural hair color. Instead, children get their natural hair color from their parents. So, Erica's hair color is an inherited trait. |
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