Blackmon Road Middle School
Milestones Assessment Practice
Packet
6th
Grade
Dear Students,
This packet is designed to help you prepare for the Georgia Milestones Assessment that will be given in a
few short weeks. Your teachers have prepared you to do your best on this exam, and we are proud of
your diligence in studying and preparing for this new assessment. Please take this opportunity to
complete this assessment packet and do your best on it.
Work through the selections contained in the packet and remember to use the RACE strategy when
answering the constructed response questions for all subjects. If you run out of room as you write,
please feel free to continue on your own paper and staple additional pages to your packet.
Good luck as you prepare to ACE the Milestones Assessment!
We believe in you!
BRMS Faculty and Staff
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th
6 Grade English
Language Arts
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Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
The Perfect Bike
Tracey huffed as she finally made it home after school. Walking to and from school in August was
the worst. It was so hot and steamy that her hair swirled wildly around her head like a cloud. She glared at
her neighbor’s house across the street, where she knew her friend Cheyenne was already inside the cool
air eating her snack because her bike was perched on her front porch. Cheyenne’s bike—a shiny, pink and
white, ribbon-bedazzled bike with a silver bell and sparkling pink spokes that made a loud whirrrrrring
sound—was perfect and identical to the bike Tracey wanted and had seen on sale for $99 at the store just
the other day.
Tracey slammed the screen door behind her as she threw down her backpack. Her mom came
around the corner, bouncing baby Jonah on her hip. "How was your day, honey?"
Tracey sighed, preparing to make her case. "Mom, I really need a new bike because it’s like a
swamp out there!"
"Well, I guess you’d better save up your money, then!" her mom advised.
Upset by her mother’s response, Tracey stomped off. She did not want to spend her own money to
buy a bike, but it appeared as if she would have to if she wanted one. She went to her room and looked
through her closet until she found her shoebox full of money, and poured out her bills and coins. After
counting and recounting every penny of her twenty-one dollars and fourteen cents, Tracey felt defeated.
Then she realized that even though she had far less money than she needed to buy the bike, maybe she
could think of a way to earn the rest, so she came up with a great idea.
Excited, Tracey ran down the stairs and into the garage where she painstakingly created a handful
of signs that read, "Dog-walker Seeking Work!" with her name and her telephone number written below.
She ran around the neighborhood taping up signs (the job would have gone so much faster with a bike),
and then she sat back, satisfied, waiting for the phone to ring. But it didn’t. Or at least the calls that came
in were not job offers for her as she had hoped.
When Tracey asked the lady across the street if she needed a dog walker, the lady said, "I don’t
have any dogs, sweetheart, but you could water my daffodils for me!" So Tracey watered the lady’s
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plants, earning five dollars for the week, but she knew that job wasn’t going to pay her enough money.
She moped around the house all day Saturday thinking of what she could do to earn more money. She
was determined she was going to get that bike!
Next, Tracey decided to have a yard sale. She had seen her neighbors having yard sales all the
time to sell old stuff they no longer wanted and earn money for it. So she went through her old toys,
setting aside buckets of puzzles, and dolls and games that she hadn’t used in years. Her mother was
amused and impressed by Tracey’s efforts, so she decided to help. "Besides, I could stand to clear out my
own closet too, and maybe earn enough money to buy myself a new mixer," her mom said.
But on the day of the sale, Tracey made only ten dollars, which left her miles away from affording
the swanky bike. She sat in a pile of her unsold junk, hands crumpling the dollar bills she had earned, and
feeling totally miserable.
Her mother sat down beside her and said, "Listen, you’ve been working hard and you’ve got a
good bit of money saved already. Why not buy a bike you can afford? You don’t need ribbons and bells
to get to school, do you?"
Tracey shook her head. "I don’t think I could even buy a used bike with this much money, Mom. I
really thought the yard sale would work."
They sat silently for a moment. Then Tracey’s mother said, "You know, honey, sometimes people
sell bikes at yard sales. Have you considered looking around at sales for a bike?
You might find something really nice for half the money you have now."
With eyes full of hope, Tracey asked, "Would you go looking with me?"
"Why sure, honey, I will buy a newspaper and we can go to every yard sale listed this weekend,"
her mom promised.
That weekend, Tracey and her mom went to more than a dozen yard sales. After searching at each
sale and finding nothing, Tracey grew more and more discouraged. She was certain she would never find
a bike she could afford.
Finally, at the last sale, Tracey’s mom called her over to look at a bike. Certain it would be old
and rusty like all the other bikes they had seen, Tracey walked over to where her mother and another lady
stood talking. Looking up, Tracey was surprised. There it was at last! Her perfect bike! She couldn’t
believe it.
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This bike was not as pretty as Cheyenne’s bike though. It didn’t have jazzy ribbons or a bell, and
the spokes didn’t sparkle or whirrrrrrr, but it was pink and white just like the bike she wanted. Best of all,
it only cost twenty dollars. Now THAT was the perfect bike.
Tracey and her mom looked at each other and exchanged grins. Giggling, Tracey ran her hands
along the seat of her beautiful new bike, imagining herself riding it down the sidewalk at home with
Cheyenne.
“Tracey,” her mom said, “I am so proud of you for saving your money and buying your own
bike.”
Tracey smiled. She felt pretty proud of herself, too
1. What is the best reason to explain why the author described the bike as the “perfect bike” in the
title and story?
A) It was a used bike that Tracey bought at the yard sale.
B) It was a bike Tracey proudly earned and paid for herself.
C) It was a pink and white bike like her mom wanted all along.
D) It was a less expensive bike that was similar to the one her friend Cheyenne had.
Please read both selections below and then answer the questions that follow.
IF
by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;
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If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
The Wren and the Tree
A quiet tree by a soft-whispering brook,
A wren considered one particular crook
Amongst the branches, high over the stream
Where dawn through two hills might proudly gleam.
“What think you of this,” the wren asked the tree,
“That you give me shelter in my infirmity,
I’ll build a nest, rest, and grow strong?”
The tree only sighed, loud and long.
“I sing,” said the wren, “I can sing, when I’m well.
When heartache has left me, there are tales I can tell
To make green your leaves, to sweeten your sap,
To make you a bright and blossoming chap.”
Wind shook the tree, gave its branches a shrug
Made the bird long for a nest deep and snug.
Companionship, then, the tree did not want;
The wren trembled sadly, lonely, and gaunt.
“I can go, though my wings are so worn.
I can live in that bush, if I duck past its thorn.
It would be fine, or so I surmise,
To sing here upon the warming sunrise.”
The tree had its height; it had its high crown.
Its leaves spread in an emerald gown.
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It had all it wanted upon the brook’s bank.
The wren could sense this and so its heart sank.
The bird spread its wings, turned to face the harsh wind,
Looked about at the branches, wished it saw there a friend.
But what had it to offer something great as the tree?
What good to a giant could it possibly be?
Just then, the tree spoke and said “Do not go.”
It rustled its leaves. “I’ll help you grow.
I must help small things at their hour of need,
For all trees were once a tiny new seed.”
2. Read this sentence from the poem “The Wren and the Tree.”
“I must help small things at their hour of need,
For all trees were once a tiny new seed.”
Write a paragraph explaining what this sentence means. What does this sentence suggest will most likely
happen next if the poem continued?
Use details from the text to support your answer.
Answer with complete sentences, and use correct punctuation and grammar.
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The Science Fair
By: Marie Eagleton
Mr. Chin's class was having a science fair. The students were all very excited about creating experiments
and preparing projects. The class had learned about many science topics, and Mr. Chin told the class that
their projects should represent something that they had learned this year. He also wanted the class to have
a wide variety of activities, so he took a survey on which types of things each class member thought
would be best for them.
After the survey, the students went to the computer lab to get some ideas about their projects. Jaquain
researched magnets to gather some ideas. Stephanie studied the Atlantic Ocean in order to create an ocean
habitat. Carlos found information about pollution and how it effects the environment. Keyu researched
fossils.
After many weeks of working on their projects and experiments, it was time for the science fair. There
were several different types of creations. All of the other third grade classes came into Mr. Chin's
classroom to view the different activities. The first station at the fair was an experiment showing which
types of objects were attracted to magnets. Another station had fossils for the students to observe, and
then they could create their own fossil using clay. Next, the classes watched a film about pollution created
by Carlos. Another station was under a table. The students went inside of an aqua blanket and learned
about the Atlantic Ocean habitat.
After the other classes completed their tours, the students were asked to go around and view the different
projects. They were required to write down the name of the science topic that each station related to.
Their next assignment was to write down positive comments for their classmates on index cards. When
Jaquain returned to his station, he looked through his cards and read each statement. His favorite card
said, 'Great project! You really stuck to the topic.'
3. Which of these is an opinion about the Science Fair?
A) The class did research.
B) Mr. Chin teaches third grade.
C) Carlos made an excellent film.
D) Mr. Chin's class had a Science Fair.
Read the short passage below:
George W. Bush: Second Inaugural Address
by George W. Bush
Thursday, January 20, 2005
On this day, prescribed by law and marked by ceremony, we celebrate the durable wisdom of our
Constitution, and recall the deep commitments that unite our country. I am grateful for the honor of
this hour, mindful of the consequential times in which we live, and determined to fulfill the oath that I
have sworn and you have witnessed.
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4. Choose the BEST meaning of the word durable as used in the first sentence of the passage.
A) capable of withstanding use or wear
B) not depleted or consumed by use
C) stable, lasting
D) permanent
Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
Moving Fun Forward
Her mother was on one of her “cleaning” kicks. Moira knew that she would have to spend several
hours digging through her belongings and make a pile of throw-outs that was large enough to satisfy her
mother. Moira’s thoughts were so stuck on making these selections of items she knew she didn’t need or
want anymore that she almost missed what Miss Anderle was saying about their project assignment. She
knew it had to be something about recycling, as that had been their science focus for what seemed like
forever.
On their way home from school, Moira and her friends were discussing the project assignment. “I
have no idea what to do,” Tessa whined. “My family already uses marked containers for recyclable
sorting.”
Moira knew how important recycling was, but she was tired of concentrating on it. She couldn’t
even force herself to think of her project right now; she had junk to sort. “Call me tonight if you think of a
project idea,” Tessa startled Moira out of her thoughts. Moira heard Tessa, waved a rather half-hearted
goodbye, and headed home.
Moira’s mother greeted her at the door. Her lips were poised, about to remind her daughter of the
promised plan to clean as soon as she got home. Before her mother could speak, Moira said, “Yeah, I
know.” Her mother grinned, patted her daughter on the shoulder, and went back into the other room.
Moira headed upstairs to begin the digging challenge.
The closet seemed the best place to begin. Moira began pulling things out, creating a pile in the
middle of her bedroom floor. Moira decided to get a large box from the garage. Anything she discarded
would be placed in the box. What she wanted or needed to keep would be put away again for safekeeping.
A rather scruffy, slightly soiled, stuffed toy rabbit with one straight ear and the other drooping
sadly was the first object Moira grabbed. She had to smile as she held the rabbit close to her chest
remembering all those nights when she was little holding the rabbit close. Poor “Flops” looked tired now.
Moira knew the rabbit really had little value for her now and should be delegated to the box. Mustering
strength and firm determination, she laid the rabbit in the box, not daring to look again.
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The next few items were easy. Half-filled coloring books, boxes of bluntly worn and broken
colors, a box of trinkets—some freebies from cereal boxes—were tossed into the box. She pulled from the
pile a doll with its head a bit askew, straggly hair and only half dressed. Martha had been her favorite
doll, accompanying her everywhere when she was just 5. Moira felt more than just a twinge of guilt, but
she knew she had no recourse but to add Martha to the discard box.
Just then, Moira had an idea. An image from a commercial she had seen on television just last
night dominated her mind. It had been an ad for one of the Help the Children funds that showed little
children, all with huge eyes and very sad faces. The ad’s push was for donations for food and medical
help, but her thoughts went elsewhere. There were never any toys. There were fund drives for the
essentials, but she had never seen any for providing the sorts of fun activities that so many children were
able to enjoy. She eyed the discard box. Thinking of what Flops and Martha had meant to her gave her the
project idea she needed. Plastics, paper, and such could be recycled; why couldn’t toys?
Moira ran to tell her mother her idea. She called Tessa and several other friends and MFF
(Moving Fun Forward) was born. For the next week, Moira’s garage was the home of MFF. The group of
friends had each “cleaned house” and had brought all of their once-precious toys to the garage workshop.
Martha and other much-loved dolls were restyled and cleaned. Scuffed trucks were repainted—some even
given racing stripes. Puzzles with missing pieces were resurrected and completed. The missing areas were
traced onto new cardboard and painted to match the rest as closely as possible. Old crayons were
sharpened and new paper was taped around each. Any toy or game that had any possible life remaining
was given a fresh start.
Moira’s mother was so impressed with what the children were doing that she bought each of them
a T-shirt with MFF stamped on the front. All of the parents were supportive and helped supply materials
the reconstructions required. Soon the children had repaired all of the toys they had provided. They
realized that there were so many children in the world who would enjoy having toys that they solicited
neighbors and friends to donate toys that needed some help to be loved again.
Tessa suggested that they needed to get the entire community involved. She said they needed to
advertise and make everyone aware of what MFF was attempting to do. The group agreed and
immediately got to work making posters to put in store windows around town. Moira’s father worked at a
local television station. He arranged for Moira and her friends, along with Miss Anderle, to appear on the
local news program and talk about MFF. The first question that the reporter asked was about the meaning
of MFF. Since it had been Moira’s idea, she explained that MFF stood for Moving Fun Forward. She
went on to tell about the television commercial that first gave her the idea and how the group had worked
to fix and clean used toys in order to give children who needed some happiness and fun in their lives
opportunities to have a little fun. If other products could be recycled, why couldn’t toys?
Donations began pouring in. People in the community wanted to help. Volunteers helped clean,
sanitize, and fix all the toys. Boxes of the repaired toys and games were then mailed off. Moira and her
friends felt so good inside. They hoped that Moving Fun Forward would catch on in other communities.
After all, fun is recyclable, too.
Read this line from paragraph nine of the story.
Puzzles with missing pieces were resurrected and completed.
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5. Which of the following explains why the word resurrected is an effective word choice?
A) The puzzles will be replaced.
B) The puzzles have been forgotten.
C) The puzzles will bring happiness to children.
D) The puzzles have been repaired to seem new
Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
Moxie’s Dilemma
“It can’t be time to get up yet” was all Moxie could think as she heard AUDI’s wheels furiously
roving about her room.
“Rise and shine, rise and shine. You will be late, Moxie, if you do not rise and shine,” AUDI
repeated as she steamed Moxie’s uniform.
Moxie wanted nothing more than to disconnect AUDI’s automated voice generator from his
central circuitry board and crawl under her covers for the rest of the day.
“Come on, AUDI, just give me 10 more minutes; all I need is 10 more minutes.” Moxie pleaded.
“I am afraid not, Moxie. Your mother wants you in the nutrition room in 30 minutes, so clean
yourself up and put on your uniform,” AUDI answered.
Moxie covered her head with a pillow, muffled a rebellious scream, and then proceeded to plod
out of her slumber chamber. Moxie’s reluctance to wake up had less to do with the virtual reality games
she played with her friends, Larch and Reese, late into the night and more to do with the Two Moons
Dance on Friday. Although she was excited about the dance, Moxie was also terrified. The rules for
attending the Two Moons Dance required that a student from Red Moon ask a student from Red Moon II,
which meant Moxie had to do the asking. Larch and Reese, who already had dates for the dance, were
urging her to ask Trexor, the best astroball player in their class.
The expectations of her friends weighed heavily on Moxie as she trudged toward the nutrition
room.
“Good morning, starlight, how did you sleep?” Moxie’s mother chirped as she walked in the
room.
“I slept all right, I guess,” Moxie replied.
Her mother, sensing her bad mood, blurted out, “Your dress for the dance just arrived!”
“Argh! Don’t remind me, Mom!” Moxie muttered.
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“Why? What’s wrong, Mox?” her mother asked.
“I don’t think I’m going to go now,” she answered.
Her mother acted very surprised by this news.
“Why not, haven’t you asked anyone?” her mother replied.
“Never mind, you wouldn’t understand,” Moxie grumbled as she got up and headed back to her
room.
Moxie shut the door to her room and crawled back into her slumber chamber. Just as she
snuggled back into the sanctuary of the bedding, a gentle tap sounded on the door.
“May I come in, please?” asked her mother.
Moxie did not want to talk about the dance, but she knew her mom was just trying to help.
“Yes, you may,” Moxie said as she opened the door to her slumber chamber. Her mother came in
and sat down next to her.
“What’s wrong, Mox? Don’t you want to go to the dance?” her mom asked, peering into the
covers cocoon.
Moxie thought for a moment about how to tell her mother the problem. Slowly, turtle-like, she
stretched just her head and shoulders out so she could peer at her mother.
“Well, I want to go to the dance, but I don’t know who to ask. My friends want me to ask
Trexor.”
Her mother recognized the name and said, “He’s the astroball player, right?”
“Yes,” Moxie answered, “but I want to ask someone else.”
“Oh,” responded her mother, “who would that be?”
“Well,” Moxie replied, “his name is Eon and he is in my mind drawing class.”
Mother smiled and said, “Then ask him to the dance!”
“It’s not that simple, Mom,” Moxie muttered.
“It isn’t?” her mother replied.
“He’s not popular and none of my friends know him. I’m sure they won’t approve of my
decision,” Moxie whimpered.
“Oh, so this is about what your friends think,” replied her mother. “Well, that’s a common
dilemma.”
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Moxie buried her head in her pillow and grumbled, “You would think by now the scientists
would have come up with an easy solution to this problem.”
Her mother roared with laughter. “No matter how advanced we become, Moxie, I’m afraid
science will never find an easy solution to this dilemma.”
Moxie looked up at her with tears in her eyes and replied, “Well, then what do I do, Mom?”
Mother placed her hand under Moxie’s chin and said, “Look, Mox, it’s never easy to make an
unpopular decision, but do you remember when I told you the meaning of your name?”
Moxie wiped the tears from her eyes and replied, “Yes, you said that to have moxie meant to have
a lot of courage.”
“That’s right,” her mother said. “Your father and I knew from the moment we saw you that you
had a lot of courage.”
Moxie started to smile and said, “You did?”
“Absolutely,” her mother replied.
With this Moxie took a deep breath, hugged her mother tightly and said, “I’m going to ask Eon to
the dance.”
6. Which statement correctly describes the effect of the language in paragraph six?
A) The phrase “excited about the dance” shows that the story will end unhappily.
B) The phrase “muffled a rebellious scream” creates a calming feeling in the story.
C) The phrase “the best astroball player in their class” establishes a humorous mood in the story.
D) The phrase “plod out of her slumber chamber” suggests that the story takes place in the future.
Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
New Moves
I’ve traded in my ballet slippers
For boxing gloves
For the summer while
My ballet teacher goes on tour.
She wants us all to try one new sport,
Work different muscles,
And rest our toes.
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My ballet teacher is as tiny as a hummingbird
And just as dainty.
My new kickboxing teacher is a big man with thick arms and legs.
"We’re going to toughen you up, girlie," he jokes in June.
He runs us around the big mat
While guitars blare and drums thump.
My kickboxing class has as much grace as
A herd of stomping elephants.
Stampeding towards a watering hole.
It’s a far cry from warming up on the bar,
Row after row of ballerinas flowing gently like water
To violin and cello.
The first time my kickboxing teacher shows me
How to punch the bag, he laughs.
The bag halts my fist faster than a stop sign and rattles my teeth.
But when he shows me the proper form for a roundhouse kick,
I make that bag swing from my force.
His eyebrows shoot up like question marks.
"I’ve danced for ten years," I tell him, with a tiny smile.
So he tells me I’ll be ready to spar sooner than he thought.
And I make sure to miss my next kick.
Whoops, too bad.
Performing in a ballet recital is scary and hard,
Even as much as I love to dance.
Performing in a kickboxing sparring match
Is the kind of performance I can do without.
Except, it turns out, I can’t.
"Gotta spar to graduate now," he laughs.
And by the time he tells us
I’ve only got one month to go.
Starting over in a new class
Would feel like slipping on ballet shoes
Made of concrete.
So we all memorize the order of hits and kicks we’ll use.
I won’t even have to think, I remind myself.
I’ve danced in many spotlights.
This is just a relaxed sparring match with another beginner. Right?
Wrong.
The first person I have to spar is my teacher—
My towering tree trunk teacher.
The match is also not in the spotlight.
It’s worse. It’s in front of my entire kickboxing class.
Most who have been doing this much longer than I.
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I’m wearing a padded thing on my head that blocks half my vision.
Hard shoes, shin guards, knee pads, and gloves the size of my head.
Is this how a horse feels before a derby?
I am so hemmed in that I can barely catch my breath.
My feet beg stand on their toes
But I force myself to bounce on the balls of my feet like he told me.
Sweat is already stinging my eyes. I blink it back and focus.
In a ballet recital, no one is going to hit me on purpose.
He shows me how to step forward when he moves back
How to force him around the mat by my movements.
He shows me how to watch where his eyes go, to guess his moves
And how to use a simple block to protect my face.
One, two, three, four...jab, cross, hook, upper cut...
He starts off slow, but slowly speeds his moves
Five, six, seven, eight...jab, cross, kick, block...
Until we are at full speed, following the steps I’ve learned.
Suddenly, we’re dancing.
Our steps are in rhythm,
Our kicks and strikes have an ebb and flow
Like a choreographed dance routine.
And when we finish and step back, the class breaks into applause.
I curtsy, laughing, and shake hands with my teacher,
Who has taught me so much more than I expected.
7. This task has more than one (1) part. Read each part carefully and respond.
Part A
Compare and contrast the ballerina and the kickboxing teacher.
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Identify three similarities between the ballerina and the kickboxing teacher.
Identify three differences between the ballerina and the kickboxing teacher.
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Part B
How did the ballerina’s opinion of her kickboxing teacher change? How did the kickboxing teacher’s
opinion of the ballerina change? Use information from Part A as well as examples from the poem to show
how both character’s opinions changed in the poem.
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Read the selection below and answer the questions that follow it.
Moving Fun Forward
Her mother was on one of her “cleaning” kicks. Moira knew that she
would have to spend several hours digging through her belongings and make a pile of throw-outs that was
large enough to satisfy her mother. Moira’s thoughts were so stuck on making these selections of items
she knew she didn’t need or want anymore that she almost missed what Miss Anderle was saying about
their project assignment. She knew it had to be something about recycling, as that had been their science
focus for what seemed like forever.
On their way home from school, Moira and her friends were discussing the project assignment. “I
have no idea what to do,” Tessa whined. “My family already uses marked containers for recyclable
sorting.”
Moira knew how important recycling was, but she was tired of concentrating on it. She couldn’t
even force herself to think of her project right now; she had junk to sort. “Call me tonight if you think of a
project idea,” Tessa startled Moira out of her thoughts. Moira heard Tessa, waved a rather half-hearted
goodbye, and headed home.
Moira’s mother greeted her at the door. Her lips were poised, about to remind her daughter of the
promised plan to clean as soon as she got home. Before her mother could speak, Moira said, “Yeah, I
know.” Her mother grinned, patted her daughter on the shoulder, and went back into the other room.
Moira headed upstairs to begin the digging challenge.
The closet seemed the best place to begin. Moira began pulling things out, creating a pile in the
middle of her bedroom floor. Moira decided to get a large box from the garage. Anything she discarded
would be placed in the box. What she wanted or needed to keep would be put away again for safekeeping.
A rather scruffy, slightly soiled, stuffed toy rabbit with one straight ear and the other drooping
sadly was the first object Moira grabbed. She had to smile as she held the rabbit close to her chest
remembering all those nights when she was little holding the rabbit close. Poor “Flops” looked tired now.
Moira knew the rabbit really had little value for her now and should be delegated to the box. Mustering
strength and firm determination, she laid the rabbit in the box, not daring to look again.
The next few items were easy. Half-filled coloring books, boxes of bluntly worn and broken
colors, a box of trinkets—some freebies from cereal boxes—were tossed into the box. She pulled from the
pile a doll with its head a bit askew, straggly hair and only half dressed. Martha had been her favorite
doll, accompanying her everywhere when she was just 5. Moira felt more than just a twinge of guilt, but
she knew she had no recourse but to add Martha to the discard box.
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Just then, Moira had an idea. An image from a commercial she had seen on television just last
night dominated her mind. It had been an ad for one of the Help the Children funds that showed little
children, all with huge eyes and very sad faces. The ad’s push was for donations for food and medical
help, but her thoughts went elsewhere. There were never any toys. There were fund drives for the
essentials, but she had never seen any for providing the sorts of fun activities that so many children were
able to enjoy. She eyed the discard box. Thinking of what Flops and Martha had meant to her gave her the
project idea she needed. Plastics, paper, and such could be recycled; why couldn’t toys?
Moira ran to tell her mother her idea. She called Tessa and several other friends and MFF
(Moving Fun Forward) was born. For the next week, Moira’s garage was the home of MFF. The group of
friends had each “cleaned house” and had brought all of their once-precious toys to the garage workshop.
Martha and other much-loved dolls were restyled and cleaned. Scuffed trucks were repainted—some even
given racing stripes. Puzzles with missing pieces were resurrected and completed. The missing areas were
traced onto new cardboard and painted to match the rest as closely as possible. Old crayons were
sharpened and new paper was taped around each. Any toy or game that had any possible life remaining
was given a fresh start.
Moira’s mother was so impressed with what the children were doing that she bought each of them
a T-shirt with MFF stamped on the front. All of the parents were supportive and helped supply materials
the reconstructions required. Soon the children had repaired all of the toys they had provided. They
realized that there were so many children in the world who would enjoy having toys that they solicited
neighbors and friends to donate toys that needed some help to be loved again.
Tessa suggested that they needed to get the entire community involved. She said they needed to
advertise and make everyone aware of what MFF was attempting to do. The group agreed and
immediately got to work making posters to put in store windows around town. Moira’s father worked at a
local television station. He arranged for Moira and her friends, along with Miss Anderle, to appear on the
local news program and talk about MFF. The first question that the reporter asked was about the meaning
of MFF. Since it had been Moira’s idea, she explained that MFF stood for Moving Fun Forward. She
went on to tell about the television commercial that first gave her the idea and how the group had worked
to fix and clean used toys in order to give children who needed some happiness and fun in their lives
opportunities to have a little fun. If other products could be recycled, why couldn’t toys?
Donations began pouring in. People in the community wanted to help. Volunteers helped clean,
sanitize, and fix all the toys. Boxes of the repaired toys and games were then mailed off. Moira and her
friends felt so good inside. They hoped that Moving Fun Forward would catch on in other communities.
After all, fun is recyclable, too.
8. Considering Moira’s point of view in the passage, readers learn about Moira’s feelings. Write a
paragraph describing Moira’s negative and positive feelings, using at least four examples from
different parts of the story.
Use details from the text to support your answer.
Answer with complete sentences, and use correct punctuation and grammar.
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Please read both selections below and then answer the questions that follow.
IF
by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
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If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
The Wren and the Tree
A quiet tree by a soft-whispering brook,
A wren considered one particular crook
Amongst the branches, high over the stream
Where dawn through two hills might proudly gleam.
“What think you of this,” the wren asked the tree,
“That you give me shelter in my infirmity,
I’ll build a nest, rest, and grow strong?”
The tree only sighed, loud and long.
“I sing,” said the wren, “I can sing, when I’m well.
When heartache has left me, there are tales I can tell
To make green your leaves, to sweeten your sap,
To make you a bright and blossoming chap.”
Wind shook the tree, gave its branches a shrug
Made the bird long for a nest deep and snug.
Companionship, then, the tree did not want;
The wren trembled sadly, lonely, and gaunt.
“I can go, though my wings are so worn.
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I can live in that bush, if I duck past its thorn.
It would be fine, or so I surmise,
To sing here upon the warming sunrise.”
The tree had its height; it had its high crown.
Its leaves spread in an emerald gown.
It had all it wanted upon the brook’s bank.
The wren could sense this and so its heart sank.
The bird spread its wings, turned to face the harsh wind,
Looked about at the branches, wished it saw there a friend.
But what had it to offer something great as the tree?
What good to a giant could it possibly be?
Just then, the tree spoke and said “Do not go.”
It rustled its leaves. “I’ll help you grow.
I must help small things at their hour of need,
For all trees were once a tiny new seed.”
9. This task has more than one (1) part. Read each part carefully and respond.
Part A
List two themes that both authors explore and share through the poems.
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Part B
Explain how the poems develop these themes in different ways.
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Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
How the Collecting Bug Bites
The first thing I ever collected was a set of old Mark Twain books that cost an astounding 50 cents each at
an antique store near my home. I was only 8 or 9 years old. I had absolutely no idea that Mark Twain was,
you know, Mark Twain . I just thought he was a funny-looking character and that the books were
interesting to hold with their red fabric binding and musty smell. Eventually, I moved on to collecting
classic books by other authors. I decided that if one was good, three or four or ten or thirty was even
better. It was the start of my first collection, but definitely not my last.
People often collect such items as books, stamps, coins, cars, dolls, comic books, and baseball cards.
Sometimes it seems like people collect everything but dryer lint, but I imagine if you look hard enough,
you can find someone with a collection of that too. Many collectors started collecting when they were
young like me.
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The great thing about starting a collection when you are young is that you have an entire lifetime to build
your collection. You can start collecting items that are inexpensive today, but years from now may
become quite valuable. Being a collector also makes it easy on friends and relatives who want to know
what to buy you for a gift. (Don’t make it too easy, though. My sister bought a clown or two and before
she knew it – or wanted it – her room resembled a circus tent. She had to ask people to stop giving her
clowns.)
Below are a few tips to keep in mind if you are planning to start a collection:
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Collect what you like. If you think an item might become valuable someday, great, but only
collect an item if you like it. I have collected more than 300 snow globes from every corner of the
world and from most of the airports and tourist locations in the United States. I purchased some
on trips I took and received others from friends who often traveled. Are the snow globes worth
anything? No. Do I care? Not a bit.
Pay attention to condition. If you decide to collect toys, be sure not to play with them too much or
they may not be worth collecting. If you collect old Star Wars action figures that you dragged
through the sandbox when you were six because it was fun, then do not expect them to be of
value. On the other hand, some items you may decide to collect may be virtually indestructible.
For example, I have a menagerie of the ugliest animal-shaped ceramic planters you can imagine. I
once dropped one. It dented the floor but the planter did not crack. What can I say--some items
survive better than others.
Learn about what you are collecting. Find out everything you can from people who know other
people who collect the same items. Identify the experts in town and around the country and
contact them. You are a kid, and grown-ups love it when kids share their interests. You may be
able to get the world’s foremost expert on marbles or bubblegum cards to give you a tutorial just
because you asked. How cool is that?
Collect something that is already old. Visit flea markets, antiques stores, and yard sales to find
items you like that already have value. Old stuff is interesting and doesn’t have to be expensive if
you shop smart. By the time you are an adult, it will be older and, possibly, more valuable.
Work out an agreement with your parents. Everyone my age knows someone whose mother threw
out his comic book collection. Some of these long-lost collections would have been worth
millions of dollars, but they are now in a landfill somewhere instead. How sad! If you want to
start a collection, make sure your parents are supportive of your endeavor and, if you are
collecting something ugly, smelly or large, make sure that other people are not inconvenienced by
your collection.
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Be curious about other people’s collections. What kinds of things do your parents or grandparents
collect? Ask them about their collections, find out why they started collecting, and ask about the
history behind the items. They will love telling you stories about them, I promise.
People often talk about being “bitten by the collecting bug.” It is a way of saying that they started their
collection with one item and now they have dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of what they collect.
You don’t have to go overboard, but do have a great time building your collection.
10. According to claims made by the author, what condition is required to make an item valuable to
collectors?
A) The item must be something old and in good condition.
B) The item must be something the collector really appreciates.
C) The item must be something for which others will pay a high price.
D) The item must be something with a unique and fascinating history.
11. What is the author’s purpose for writing this article?
A) to show readers how they can collect items and have a great time building their collections
B) to convince parents and grandparents to start collections for their children and grandchildren
C) to explain how collecting makes it easy for friends and relatives to buy collectible items to give as gifts
D) to suggest to readers that they should collect only valuable items for their collections to sell for a profit
12. Part A
Cite four places the author mentions in the article where a collector is able to locate items to collect.
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Part B
Explain the benefits of getting collectible items from these places. Cite details from the article that
support your explanation.
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Read the passage below and answer the question that follows it.
Dear Zeke
464 17th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85021
June 21
Dear Zeke,
I can't believe I've been here a whole week! I can believe I've been away from Macon almost two
weeks, though! The car trip was unbelievably boring. I played checkers with Matt, read books, counted
cows, and rode and rode and rode. I also missed you, Josh, and Jerry. I thought of you jumping in the pool
every day at 11:00 A.M. and wished I were there.
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Since we arrived at Ernie's Saturday night, things have been looking up. I wish you could meet my
cousin Ernie. He is a terrific guy with this great sense of humor. He has outstanding friends whom we
swim with every evening.
We have to swim in the evening because it is actually too hot to swim during the day. It is also very
dry. To help people keep cool, several of the stores mist you every few minutes–like the lettuce at the
grocery store! It's really wonderful and refreshing!
During the day we have been doing the usual parents' pastime, sightseeing. Phoenix and the
surrounding area are so excellent, however, that I don't mind. In the mornings we usually visit something
outdoors. One day we went to the Desert Botanical Garden, where we saw huge cacti, such as the organ
pipe and the barrel. Both of these look exactly like their names. One kind of cactus that grows around
here is the saguaro. It can live two hundred years and may grow to be fifty feet tall!
In the afternoons we go somewhere that is air-conditioned. The best museum is the Heard Museum.
Here, the history and lifestyles of several Native American peoples are shown along with their pottery and
art. The culture of each of these groups is distinct, but they all lived in the Southwest at one time.
We have also visited some Native American ruins. The most awesome of these is Casa Grande, the site
of a large building that stood here in the thirteenth century. It is part of the ruins of a Hohokam village.
The Hohokam people were farmers, who were already irrigating crops in the twelfth century. Their
culture can be traced back to 300 B.C.E.!
On Saturday we will head back to Georgia, so there probably isn't time for you to write me here. I've
had a great vacation, but I'll be glad to get home, too. Ernie says "hi" even though he hasn't met you.
Your friend,
Jake
13. Which of the following sentences is a fact?
A) One kind of cactus that grows around here is the saguaro.
B) The best museum is the Heard Museum.
C) The car trip was unbelievably boring.
D) He has outstanding friends whom we swim with every evening.
Taffy at Torpedo Junction
by Nell Wise Wechter
The horse came to the end of the thicket. Taffy stopped the pony. She stared at the big old gabled
house sitting on a high sand knoll in the edge of the woods. She wondered, as she had dozens of times in
the past, why in the world its old tower was built and what it was used for now. As usual, the windows
were boarded up. There was no appearance of life around the place. The big sign, NO TRESPASSING,
still hung on the high board fence. The gate was securely padlocked. The place had always fascinated
her, ever since she could remember. Like all the Buxton folk, however, she respected the NO
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TRESPASSING sign and kept her distance. She wondered why the owners were so unfriendly. She
remembered hearing that some boys had been peppered with birdshot one night when they had
attempted to climb over the high fence.
Taffy had seen one of the Snyder sons that day three years ago when they took over the old
Wollinson place. "He sure was sassy-looking too," she remembered, and giggled to herself.
Sailor snorted at a sand fly. "Steady, boy," she said to the pony, gently rubbing his flank where the
fly had bitten. She squinted against the sun. "Seems like there's something a little different about the
place this morning, but I can't figure what. Wish I could go inside and look at all the fine things they
must have in there," she thought wistfully.
The brief moment of wistfulness went as quickly as it came. She wheeled Sailor around and galloped
down the sandy trail. She forgot the whole business in her desire for Gramp's check to be in the day's
mail. That was the real important thing.
Used by permission of University of North Carolina
14. The purpose of this part of the story is most likely to
A) describe life on an island before World War II.
B) give information about characters and the plot.
C) show how things looked from the pony's point of view.
D) explain what was going on inside the house.
Read about the friendship between the narrator and Arlo and then answer the questions that follow.
GAINING YARDAGE
by Leo Dangel
The word friend never came up
between Arlo and me – we're farm neighbors
who hang around together, walk beans,
pick rocks, and sit on the bench
at football games, weighing the assets
of the other side's cheerleaders.
Tonight we lead 48 to 6, so the coach
figures sending us both in is safe.
I intercept an underthrown pass
only because I'm playing the wrong position,
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and Arlo is right there to block for me
because he's in the wrong place,
so we gallop up the field, in the clear
until their second-string quarterback
meets us at the five-yard line,
determined to make up for his bad throw.
Arlo misses the block, the guy has me
by the leg and jersey, and going down,
I flip the ball back to Arlo, getting up,
who fumbles, and their quarterback
almost recovers, then bobbles the ball
across the goal line, and our coach,
who told even the guys with good hands
never to mess around with laterals,
must feel his head exploding,
when Arlo and I dive on the ball together
in the end zone and dance and slap
each other on the back.
They give Arlo the touchdown, which rightly
should be mine, but I don't mind,
and I suppose we are friends, and will be,
unless my old man or his decides to move
to another part of the country.
15. What contributed most to the narrator and Arlo completing a touchdown?
A) a series of confused moves
B) a carefully calculated game plan
C) an intercepted, underthrown pass
D) diving onto the ball in the end zone
Read the passage below and answer the question that follows it.
Swimming Against the Odds
As a child, Trudy loved to swim. It seemed as if every time her parents turned around, Trudy was in
the water, happily swimming. It was as if she were born to swim.
Gertrude Ederle, known to her friends as Trudy, was born in New York City in 1906. When she turned
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13, Trudy raced older, more experienced swimmers. The next year, Trudy won a competitive distance
swim. It wasn’t until she turned 15 that she had formal training!
With each new triumph, Trudy set her goals higher. Still a teenager, Trudy won several U.S. National
Championships! Those wins were wonderful, but Trudy kept trying to improve. She decided to try to
make the USA Olympic Team.
Not only did Trudy make the team when she was barely 18, she won three medals, including a gold.
After the Olympics, Trudy made setting a world record her next goal. Trudy did not set just one world
record—she set three! The amazing young woman from New York set world records in the 100-, 200-,
and 400-meter events.
Trudy’s next goal seemed impossible. She wanted to be the first woman to swim across the English
Channel.
The English Channel is a body of water that separates France from England. In 1875, Matthew Webb
became the first person to swim the Channel. After Webb’s triumph, a number of men swam the Channel
successfully. Many more failed, and no woman ever made it across.
Trudy’s first try ended like those of so many men and women before her; she failed. Instead of giving
up on her dream, Trudy spent even more time preparing for her next attempt.
On August 6, 1926, Trudy stood on the shore of France and looked across the thirty-five mile section
of the Channel. She could not see England. What she could see was very high waves and choppy waters.
Trudy did not hesitate. She dove in and began the long, difficult swim. Her trainer and two friends
followed behind her in a boat, in case Trudy needed to be pulled out of the water.
On and on she swam as the hours went by. After twelve straight hours of swimming, her trainer
begged her to give up. Trudy kept going.
It must have seemed like forever, but after fourteen hours and thirty-one minutes, Trudy stepped onto
the shore at Kingsdown, England. She had done it! In fact, Trudy had broken the men’s record for
crossing the Channel by almost two hours.
The first person to meet Trudy on shore was a British official who, as a joke, asked Trudy for her
passport.
Trudy stopped swimming in races, but she never stopped trying to help others. Into her late sixties,
Trudy spent her days teaching deaf children how to swim. Gertrude Ederle was truly a champion.
16. What clue from the passage supports the conclusion that Trudy was a natural athlete?
A) She was a competitive swimmer.
B) Trudy's new goal seemed impossible.
C) It was as if she were born to swim.
D) On and on she swam as the hours went by.
17. How should computers speed be written in the sentence below?
A computers speed is measured in billionths of a second.
A) computer's speed
B) computers' speed
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C) computer speed
D) computers's speed
18. Which interrogative pronoun correctly completes the sentence below?
With _______ did you attend the concert?
A) who
B) whom
C) whose
D) who's
19. Which word BEST fills in the blank in the sentence below?
Most people communicate with a computer by typing, but other people communicate with a computer
by speaking to _______________.
A) them
B) those
C) it
D) you
20. Which word in the sentence is a plural possessive noun?
There were several birds' nests in the tree's branches.
A) birds'
B) nests
C) tree's
D) branches
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Since Beverly knew she would be late to the Larsons' party, she called to let them know.
21. Which word in the sentence above does them refer to?
A) Beverly
B) Larsons
C) party
D) phone
22. In which sentence is an apostrophe used incorrectly?
A) The hiking club's rules are for safety.
B) The boy's want to go for a long hike.
C) One of the hiker's backpacks held food.
D) Jon needed the two hikers' help on the trail.
23. What part of speech is the underlined word in the sentence below?
Wow! I don't have practice today!
A) a preposition
B) an adjective
C) an interjection
D) an article
24. Which answer choice is punctuated correctly?
A) Tomorrow is the first day of school. So I have to get a good night's sleep tonight.
B) Tomorrow is the first day of school so I have to get a good night's sleep tonight
C) Tomorrow is the first day of school, I have to get a good night's sleep tonight.
D) Tomorrow is the first day of school, so I have to get a good night's sleep tonight.
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25. Choose the sentence that is written correctly.
A) Mrs Johnson helps her students, whenever they need it.
B) Whenever they need help Mrs. Johnson is there for her students.
C) Mrs. Johnson is a good teacher, she helps her students whenever they need it.
D) Mrs. Johnson is a good teacher; she helps her students whenever they need it.
26. Choose the sentence that demonstrates correct spelling.
A) Can we go to your house after dinner?
B) Can we go to youre house after dinner?
C) Can we go to you're house after dinner?
D) Can we go to your'e house after dinner?
Use the letter below to answer this question.
Dear Sally,
I had a wonderful time visiting your family. Everyone was so nice, especially your brother Tom. I hope
you can visit me soon.
Very Truly Yours,
Belinda
27. Which of the following contains a capitalization error in the letter above?
A) Dear Sally
B) I had a wonderful time
C) especially your brother Tom
D) Very Truly Yours
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28. What revision should be made to the sentence below?
After school I helped my teacher by erasing the chalkboard, Eddie emptied the pencil sharpener.
A) chalkboard: Eddie
B) chalkboard! Eddie
C) chalkboard Eddie
D) chalkboard. Eddie
29. Which answer choice contains a run-on sentence?
A) The dog bit him and ran away. We had to chase it.
B) The dog bit him, then it ran away, we had to chase it.
C) The dog bit him and then ran away; we had to chase it.
D) The dog bit him. Then it ran away, and we had to chase it.
I saw him at the dance, he was dancing with your old girlfriend.
30. Which is the BEST way to correct this sentence?
A) I saw him at the dance he was dancing with your old girlfriend.
B) I saw him, at the dance he was dancing with your old girlfriend.
C) I saw him at the dance and he was dancing with your old girlfriend.
D) I saw him at the dance, and he was dancing with your old girlfriend.
31. Which answer choice is punctuated correctly?
A) Tomorrow is the first day of school. So I have to get a good night's sleep tonight.
B) Tomorrow is the first day of school so I have to get a good night's sleep tonight
C) Tomorrow is the first day of school, I have to get a good night's sleep tonight.
D) Tomorrow is the first day of school, so I have to get a good night's sleep tonight.
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Read the passage below:
Raising a butterfly can be fun and easy. You'll need a clean jar, some tissue paper, and a rubber band
to make a safe place for your caterpillar to stay. Once you have these items, it is time to catch a
caterpillar.
The best place to find caterpillars is often right in your backyard. They are usually found in flower and
vegetable gardens. However, be careful! Some caterpillars can sting! When you do find one, use a soft
brush to push it gently into the jar. Next, cover the top of the jar with tissue paper and secure it with a
rubber band. Put a sturdy stick in the jar. This will give it something on which to hang its cocoon, or
chrysalis. Then, put the jar in a safe place away from drafts and direct sunlight.
32. Which sentence from the passage above is the topic sentence?
A) Raising a butterfly can be fun and easy.
B) Once you have these items, it is time to catch a caterpillar.
C) They are usually found in flower and vegetable gardens.
D) When you do find one, use a soft brush to push it gently into the jar.
Harriet went camping with her family. First, they set up the tent so that it was facing the lake. They
always liked to face the lake. Mom and Dad cooked dinner on the camp stove. Later on, her little
brother got a fire going to roast marshmallows. They had a great time camping.
33. Which is the main idea of the paragraph above?
A) Harriet's family had a fun time camping.
B) Families should always go camping together.
C) Tents should be set up close to the lake.
D) You should not eat marshmallows after dinner.
Kindergarten and first-grade students run relay races. Second and third graders compete in sack races
and tug-of-war. The upper grades challenge each other in volleyball. All students enjoy the day of fun.
34. Which would be a good topic sentence for the paragraph shown above?
A) School is always a lot of fun.
B) Each spring our school schedules a field day.
C) The fourth and fifth graders have a bitter rivalry.
D) The tug-of-war is the most difficult competition ever.
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Read the passage below:
The campers trudged through the forest wearily. It had been a very long day for all of them. First
they had learned how to pitch their tents and build a campfire, and then they had hiked several miles
with all their gear on their backs. They had done a lot of hiking that day. Now they were returning to
their campsite, and they had to put up their tents again, this time for real. They were required to clean
up after dinner, but then they were promised a break. Mr. Jones had agreed to tell one of his famous
ghost stories while they roasted marshmallows.
35. What is the unifying idea of this paragraph?
A) Learning to camp is hard work.
B) Mr. Jones tells good ghost stories.
C) Camping is enjoyed by the whole family.
D) Roasting marshmallows is the best part of the day.
36. Miesha is writing a report on the human brain. Which research question does NOT relate to the
rest of the questions below and should not be used?
A) What is Sigmund Freud's view of the human brain?
B) What are the main areas of the human brain?
C) What functions are associated with major areas of the human brain?
D) What happens if the human brain is injured?
Skateboarding is a great form of exercise.
37. Which statement could be included in addressing the opposing viewpoint for the topic?
A) Some people think that skateboarding is dangerous.
B) Skateboarding is a popular sport for many young people.
C) To be a good skateboarder, a person has to practice a lot.
D) Children as young as nine years of age sometimes skateboard.
Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
Moxie’s Dilemma
“It can’t be time to get up yet” was all Moxie could think as she heard AUDI’s wheels furiously
roving about her room.
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“Rise and shine, rise and shine. You will be late, Moxie, if you do not rise and shine,” AUDI
repeated as she steamed Moxie’s uniform.
Moxie wanted nothing more than to disconnect AUDI’s automated voice generator from his
central circuitry board and crawl under her covers for the rest of the day.
“Come on, AUDI, just give me 10 more minutes; all I need is 10 more minutes.” Moxie pleaded.
“I am afraid not, Moxie. Your mother wants you in the nutrition room in 30 minutes, so clean
yourself up and put on your uniform,” AUDI answered.
Moxie covered her head with a pillow, muffled a rebellious scream, and then proceeded to plod
out of her slumber chamber. Moxie’s reluctance to wake up had less to do with the virtual reality games
she played with her friends, Larch and Reese, late into the night and more to do with the Two Moons
Dance on Friday. Although she was excited about the dance, Moxie was also terrified. The rules for
attending the Two Moons Dance required that a student from Red Moon I ask a student from Red Moon
II, which meant Moxie had to do the asking. Larch and Reese, who already had dates for the dance, were
urging her to ask Trexor, the best astroball player in their class.
The expectations of her friends weighed heavily on Moxie as she trudged toward the nutrition
room.
“Good morning, starlight, how did you sleep?” Moxie’s mother chirped as she walked in the
room.
“I slept all right, I guess,” Moxie replied.
Her mother, sensing her bad mood, blurted out, “Your dress for the dance just arrived!”
“Argh! Don’t remind me, Mom!” Moxie muttered.
“Why? What’s wrong, Mox?” her mother asked.
“I don’t think I’m going to go now,” she answered.
Her mother acted very surprised by this news.
“Why not, haven’t you asked anyone?” her mother replied.
“Never mind, you wouldn’t understand,” Moxie grumbled as she got up and headed back to her
room.
Moxie shut the door to her room and crawled back into her slumber chamber. Just as she
snuggled back into the sanctuary of the bedding, a gentle tap sounded on the door.
“May I come in, please?” asked her mother.
Moxie did not want to talk about the dance, but she knew her mom was just trying to help.
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“Yes, you may,” Moxie said as she opened the door to her slumber chamber. Her mother came in
and sat down next to her.
“What’s wrong, Mox? Don’t you want to go to the dance?” her mom asked, peering into the
covers cocoon.
Moxie thought for a moment about how to tell her mother the problem. Slowly, turtle-like, she
stretched just her head and shoulders out so she could peer at her mother.
“Well, I want to go to the dance, but I don’t know who to ask. My friends want me to ask
Trexor.”
Her mother recognized the name and said, “He’s the astroball player, right?”
“Yes,” Moxie answered, “but I want to ask someone else.”
“Oh,” responded her mother, “who would that be?”
“Well,” Moxie replied, “his name is Eon and he is in my mind drawing class.”
Mother smiled and said, “Then ask him to the dance!”
“It’s not that simple, Mom,” Moxie muttered.
“It isn’t?” her mother replied.
“He’s not popular and none of my friends know him. I’m sure they won’t approve of my
decision,” Moxie whimpered.
“Oh, so this is about what your friends think,” replied her mother. “Well, that’s a common
dilemma.”
Moxie buried her head in her pillow and grumbled, “You would think by now the scientists
would have come up with an easy solution to this problem.”
Her mother roared with laughter. “No matter how advanced we become, Moxie, I’m afraid
science will never find an easy solution to this dilemma.”
Moxie looked up at her with tears in her eyes and replied, “Well, then what do I do, Mom?”
Mother placed her hand under Moxie’s chin and said, “Look, Mox, it’s never easy to make an
unpopular decision, but do you remember when I told you the meaning of your name?”
Moxie wiped the tears from her eyes and replied, “Yes, you said that to have moxie meant to have
a lot of courage.”
“That’s right,” her mother said. “Your father and I knew from the moment we saw you that you
had a lot of courage.”
Moxie started to smile and said, “You did?”
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“Absolutely,” her mother replied.
With this Moxie took a deep breath, hugged her mother tightly and said, “I’m going to ask Eon to
the dance.”
38. Write a conclusion to the story in narrative style that tells what happens after Moxie decides to
ask Eon to the dance. The conclusion should describe Moxie’s thoughts and actions, and should
relate to the events in the story.
Use details from the text to support your answer.
Answer with complete sentences, and use correct punctuation and grammar.
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39. Carmen is using the Internet to do research for her report on the inventory practices of grocery
stores. Which search topic would lead her to the most helpful information?
A) history
B) social studies
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C) news and media
D) business and economy
40. Which World Wide Web site would be a good source of information for a paper on the history
of Georgia?
A) www.atlanta.com
B) www.europe.com
C) www.travel_georgia.com
D) www.georgia_history.com
Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
Bat Facts
For many years, bats have been commonly misunderstood and despised. Many people are scared of bats
and believe that bats are filthy and nasty creatures that like to chase humans. Others believe that bats are
harmful to the environment and should be eliminated. Much of what people seem to believe about bats is
incorrect based on misinformation, misconceptions, and tall tales.
Description
Bats are small mammals that can fly. In fact, bats are the only mammals that can fly. They belong to an
order called “Chiroptera,” meaning hand-wing. The structure of a bat’s wing resembles that of a human
hand. A bat has four long, finger-like appendages on each wing. They have a thin membrane of skin
stretched between each finger. Bats have a smaller thumb-like appendage on each wing with a nail on it.
The nail aids the bats in crawling, grooming, and gripping food. Their thin wings are strong and pliable,
but they have fur instead of feathers. Their fur can be a variety of colors, including brown, gray, orange,
white, yellow, black, or red.
There are more than 1,100 different species of bats in the world today. Depending on the species, they can
range in size from very small (similar in size to a bumblebee) to large (similar in size to a goose). Most
bats have small eyes and ears, but some varieties of bats do have larger eyes and ears used to help the bats
pinpoint food. Bats have flat noses similar to a pig’s nose. Fruit-eating bats enjoy a keen sense of smell
that helps them locate food. Their feet have claws that allow the bats to hang upside down.
Habitat
Bats roost upside down in many places, such as caves, trees, buildings, rock crevices, under bridges, and
in manmade bat houses. Most bat species prefer to dwell in groups called “colonies”. Some small colonies
may contain a few hundred bats, while large colonies may contain several thousand bats. Bat species that
do not live in colonies tend to inhabit trees.
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Food supply often affects the area a bat inhabits. When food supplies are low, some bat species will
hibernate, some will migrate to warmer climates, while still others will do a combination of the two.
During hibernation, a bat’s heartbeat and breathing slow down considerably, allowing the bat to conserve
energy.
Behavior
Bats are small, shy creatures that sleep upside down during the day and fly searching for food at night.
Bats typically try to stay clean. They tend to groom themselves often when not eating or sleeping in order
to keep their fur clean. Many bats have a keen sense of hearing that allows them to use a system of
echolocation to find their way in the dark and locate food. Using echolocation, bats can tell the speed and
direction of insects flying around them. This allows them to locate insects even in complete darkness.
Bats can also make sounds through their mouths or noses, which they may use to communicate with each
other.
Female bats typically have one offspring per year called a “pup”, but occasionally, bats have multiple
pups. The male bats do not help to raise their young; however, the females prefer to organize nurseries
within colonies where the females can give birth to and care for their young. Some females will even
adopt orphan bats.
Most bat species live between 10 and 20 years. However, some species can live for 30 or more years.
Unfortunately, many species of bats are in decline. Some bat species are already on the endangered
species list.
Diet
The diet among bat species varies to include insects, fruit, nectar, fish, small reptiles, rodents, birds, and
blood. The majority of bat species eat insects, including flies, mosquitoes, termites, beetles, and moths.
Insect-eating bats catch their food at night while in flight. A single bat can consume several hundred
insects in one night.
Helpful
Bats are helpful to the environment in many ways. Bat excrement, also known as guano, can be used as
fertilizer, and the saliva from vampire bats can be used to improve some consumer products such as
medications for heart and stroke victims. Insect-eating bats consume bugs that destroy trees and crops.
Nectar-eating bats help to pollinate plants, helping them to multiply. Fruit-eating bats disperse seeds,
allowing plant growth in new areas. Bats are responsible for the pollination and seed dispersal of many
fruits and nuts that humans consume, such as bananas, peaches, mangoes, cashews, almonds, and dates.
Almost 40% of the American bat population is either in decline or listed as endangered or threatened.
Educational opportunities for people to learn more about bats and how they benefit the environment may
be the way to save these incredible but misunderstood creatures.
41. Write a concluding paragraph in which you use information from the article to convince people
to save bats. In your paragraph, explain why bats are misunderstood and why people should try to
save them.
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Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
The Tall Rock
“I get to climb first!” Nick said as soon as Dad told us we were on Grandpa’s road. “I call first on
Mountain Rock!”
“Whatever,” I said, rolling my eyes. It was what seemed like the millionth time this trip that he
had called “first climb on the rock.” I think he wanted me to argue about it like when we were little.
Instead, I just looked out the windows at the trees and some of the houses you could see here and there
through the branches. It had been a long time, but everything was pretty much like I remembered.
“You kids and your rock,” said Mom, with a little shake of her head. She’d said that a million
times too, since she said it every time Nick brought the rock up. But the halfway smile she had and the
nice way that she said it made me feel kind of bad about not being more patient with Nick. I mean, he was
still just a kid, only in third grade and not already in middle school like me.
“One more curve in the road, and we’ll be at the top of the hill,” said Dad. “Then you can climb
to your heart’s desire. Only don’t you think it might be nice to say hello to your grandma and grandpa
first?”
“Yeah, I guess,” said Nick. But you could hear in his voice that he wasn’t so sure. After all, we’d
seen our grandparents last fall for Thanksgiving, when they’d spent the whole week with us. But we
hadn’t been to their house—and he hadn’t climbed the rock—in more than three years.
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Dad laughed and brought the car around the curve of the road to the top of the hill Grandma and
Grandpa lived on. Nick pushed against his seatbelt, trying to make himself taller to be able to see around
Dad’s seat in front. I have to admit I did the same thing from behind Mom’s seat, too. After six hours in
the car, it was always something to see the first glimpse of that big white house with the wide gravel
drive. Even though I was three years older than last time, I did feel kind of a lump in my throat when I
saw the great big boulder we called Mountain Rock next to the driveway up ahead.
Every summer vacation and every winter break and on a whole lot of three-day weekends from
the time I was three until the time I was seven, we’d made the trip to our grandparents’ house to visit.
Mountain Rock was the first thing you could see of their property, because the curve of the hill and a big
stand of bushes hid the house until you got all the way up on the crown of the hill itself. At first,
Mountain Rock was mine, since Nick was just a baby. But later, when he was three, then four, then five,
Nick and I would spend the last hour of the drive fighting over who would get to climb it first.
“There it is—there it is!” Nick shouted now, bouncing up and down enthusiastically in his seat.
“Dad, stop!”
Dad looked at Mom, who said, “Oh, go ahead. But honk the horn and let your folks know we’re
here.”
I opened my door and got out to stretch my legs, while Nick pretty much exploded out of his side
of the car and rushed over to the boulder to begin his climb.
Mom and Dad got out of the car, too, and leaned against the front fender watching Nick up on the
rock, where he kept turning and looking out over the hillside. Dad put his arm around Mom.
I stuck my hands in my pockets. The rock just looked so much . . . smaller.
I knew it would—I remembered being disappointed the last time we’d visited. The rock was way
above my head back then and seemed smaller now, though I knew it was me growing, not the rock
shrinking. It would never be a mountain to me again, not like when I was tiny and Grandpa had to help
me up to the top.
But suddenly there was a shout behind me, and I turned and saw Grandpa hurrying across the
wide yard from the house and Grandma waving happily to us from the porch behind him. My grandpa is a
big, strong guy and he was laughing and grinning as he came. Before I knew it, he’d rushed across the
driveway, grabbed me under the arms, and swung me up through the air, just as easy as when I was a
baby.
The whole hill spun around me. The air was blue and bright, and the trees everywhere looked
green and enormous.
“Whew!” Grandpa exclaimed, lifting me up on the boulder by my brother. “You’re getting
heavy!”
There was barely room up there for me and Nick together, and I was still dizzy from spinning
around. I wobbled before I caught my balance. For a minute, just a minute, it seemed like a really long
way down to the ground. But I wasn’t scared of falling—even though it didn’t seem to be as far down as
it used to be because I was taller, Grandpa was right there, and I knew he’d catch me if I slipped.
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All at once, I had a thought, looking at Grandpa as he grinned up at me: no matter how big, tall,
or old I got, this would always be the tallest place in the world.
So I put one arm around Nick and looked around with him at our family below us, at Grandpa’s
hill, and at all the hills beyond it.
42. Write a conclusion to the story told from the narrator’s point of view twenty years later. Your
narrative should describe the narrator’s conclusions about the childhood experiences with
Mountain Rock but now from the perspective of an adult.
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Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
A Horse Named Lightning
The next thing the boy knew, he was hurtling through the air like a white-hot missile, landing in
the dirt with an explosive thud.
“I told you, son, no one can ride that wild horse,” said the grizzly-bearded old man with a gaptoothed grin. “He’s untamable. That’s why they call him Lightning.” The old stable foreman spit on the
ground and shuffled away chuckling. Kurt picked himself up and brushed the dirt off his jeans. His only
injury was his pride. Then the twelve-year-old watched as the mahogany-colored stallion pranced
defiantly around the corral, its saddle crooked, and its reins dragging on the ground. Kurt looked at the
horse and thought, “I’ll ride you yet, Lightning.”
Kurt was spending the summer on his uncle’s horse ranch in western Iowa. His parents had
thought a few months of open skies and endless horizons would be good for the rebellious boy. Kurt had
few friends at school and there had been some inappropriate incidents that had landed him in the office of
the counselor, who said the boy just needed to build self-confidence. Now, here he was, isolated in the
middle of this dismal place, with nothing for miles but hay fields, hills, and a distant apple orchard.
Kurt’s uncle Bob intended to sell Lightning to the first buyer foolish enough to purchase the
unrideable horse. To Kurt, that sounded like a challenge, and he was never one to back down from a fight.
Kurt spent the next week helping Mr. Stedman groom the horses by brushing them down and
combing their tails and manes each day. He was also responsible for raking out the stables and supplying
the horses with plenty of hay, oats, and water. Most of the two dozen horses accepted their daily
grooming with a privileged indifference, like movie stars fending off irritating autograph hounds. But
Lightning was different. He stood calmly while being groomed, occasionally snorting and gently
stomping a hoof on the sawdust floor of the stable. He even accepted a saddle and bridle with a dignified
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resignation. However, this was a charade – a trap set for the uninitiated. As soon as he was mounted,
Lightning would begin to buck and bray until the rider was dispatched to the ground.
Over the following month, Kurt tried several times to mount the wild stallion. He would put a foot
cautiously in the stirrup, hold the reins gently, and then reach up to the saddle horn, bounding upwards
onto the saddle. Immediately, he would find himself astride an earthquake that heaved and thrust as he
hung on courageously.
“I told you, son,” the old foreman would invariably chortle, as Kurt lay crumpled on the soft earth
of the corral, “he can’t be ridden. You’re just wasting your time.” This only made Kurt more determined.
It was early afternoon in late July when Kurt tried yet again to mount the defiant horse, as Mr.
Stedman watched with obvious amusement.
“Okay, buddy,” said Kurt, warily approaching the stallion, “let’s try this one more time.” Kurt
slowly put a foot in the stirrup and slung himself up and over the saddle. Suddenly, Lightning erupted into
a fit of kicks, rearing back violently and snorting angrily. “Steady, Lightning!’’ Kurt shouted as he
gripped the saddle horn and pulled back on the reins. Suddenly, the massive beast charged toward the
fence where Mr. Stedman stood. “No, Lightning!” Kurt shouted as the foreman threw himself on the
ground just as the horse bounded over the railing.
Lightning galloped feverishly through the pasture toward a distant grove of trees. Kurt leaned
forward and wrapped an arm around the stallion’s heaving neck, holding on with every ounce of strength.
Then it hit Kurt: The horse was racing straight for the trees. Kurt had heard that wild horses sometimes
knocked unwanted riders off their backs by running under low tree branches. “Whoa, Lightning!” Kurt
bellowed as he heaved back the reins. But the horse kept galloping. Kurt knew that leaping from a
runaway horse was dangerous, but he wondered whether injury might be preferable to the fate that
awaited him.
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Kurt shouted and leaned in low against the horse as it barreled toward the trees. Suddenly, just
moments before impact, Lightning halted, hurling the boy forward in the saddle. Realizing he was unhurt,
Kurt cautiously raised himself up and saw that Lightning was peacefully eating an apple from a lowhanging branch. Kurt shook his head and laughed with a shudder of relief. “That’s what you wanted!
Apples!” He heard Mr. Stedman shouting as he ran frantically through the grass, hobbling as fast as his
exhausted legs would carry him. Kurt waved to the foreman to signal he was unharmed.
During the weeks that followed, Kurt began to pick apples to entice and reward Lightning. Soon
the horse began following the boy around the stable yard like a two-ton dog. Kurt would hold out an
apple, cautiously mount the horse, then lean forward and feed the horse the crisp red fruit. Kurt would
sometimes set an apple at the far end of the corral, saddle up, and then guide the horse to the waiting treat.
All the while, Mr. Stedman watched the boy train Lightning with growing admiration.
By summer’s end, Kurt and Lightning were circling the corral like a one-horse parade. On Kurt’s
last day at the ranch, Mr. Stedman patted the boy on the back and said, “A horse knows if you’re afraid,
son. And you weren’t. You’ve done real good.” Kurt’s uncle promised not to sell Lightning. Instead, he
invited Kurt to come back to the ranch the following summer to work with Lightning and train new
horses.
The day Kurt left, he visited Lightning one last time. He stroked the horse’s velvety muzzle.
Lightning snorted quietly and gently pawed the ground. “I’ll be back next summer, boy. Meantime, here’s
something to remember me by.” Kurt held out a gleaming red orb, which Lightning gobbled down
quickly, nuzzling Kurt’s hand gently.
43. What did the author most likely mean by “this was a charade – a trap set for the uninitiated”?
A) If Kurt hadn’t been careful, his foot might have gotten caught in the stirrup.
B) The horse and the boy might be playing a friendly game with one another.
C) Lightning’s calmness while being groomed could make him seem tame.
D) Lightning was probably feeling trapped when Kurt tried to ride him.
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Read the passage below and answer the question that follows.
Spring
By: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
In all climates spring is beautiful. The birds begin to sing; they utter a few joyful notes, and then wait for
an answer in the silent woods. Those green-coated musicians, the frogs, make holiday in the neighboring
marshes. They, too, belong to the orchestra of nature, whose vast theater is opened, though the doors have
been so long bolted with icicles, and the scenery hung with snow and frost like cobwebs. This is the
prelude which announces the opening of the scene. Already the grass shoots forth, the waters leap with
thrilling force through the veins of the earth, the sap through the veins of the plants and trees, the blood
through the veins of man. What a thrill of delight in springtime! What a joy in being and moving. Men are
at work in gardens, and in the air there is an odor of the fresh earth. The leaf buds begin to swell and
blush. The white blossoms of the cherry hang upon the boughs like snowflakes; and ere long our next
door neighbor will be completely hidden from us by the dense green foliage. The May flowers open their
soft blue eyes. And at night so cloudless and so still! Overhead bends the blue sky, dewy and soft, and
radiant with innumerable stars, like the inverted bell of some blue flower sprinkled with golden dust and
breathing fragrance. Or, if the heavens are overcast, it is no wild storm of wind and rain, but clouds that
melt and fall in showers. One does not wish to sleep, but lies awake to hear the pleasant sound of the
dropping rain.
44 The May flowers open their soft blue eyes is an example of
A) hyperbole
B) metaphor
C) personification
D) simile
This sunset is breathtaking!
45. In the sentence above, what part of speech is the underlined word?
A) adverb
B) pronoun
C) adjective
D) interjection
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46.Which word is the adjective in the sentence?
Sam works in the museum at the wildlife refuge every summer.
A) Sam
B) works
C) museum
D) wildlife
47. Which sentence contains an indefinite pronoun?
A) The student ran the mile in seven minutes.
B) That is the way to the local grocery store.
C) Someone ran the mile in seven minutes.
D) Which way to the local grocery store?
48. What is wrong with the sentence below?
Julia ran quick to get to school on time.
A) ran should be run
B) quick should be quickly
C) get should be got
D) ontime should be timely
He did not want to go to school because he was not feeling well.
49. What kind of sentence is this?
A) simple
B) run-on
C) complex
D) compound
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Your behavior is not _____ in this classroom.
50 .Choose the correctly spelled word that completes the sentence.
A) acceptible
B) acceptable
C) accetable
D) aceptable
51. Which noun is an abstract noun?
A) mice
B) Tom's
C) beauty
D) committee
52. Which correctly fills the blanks in the sentence below?
He ____ to swim in the large lake because he knew if he ____ across it, he may become famous.
A) chose/swum
B) choosed/swum
C) chose/swam
D) choose/swam
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th
6 Grade
Social Studies
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1. Which of these factors best helps to explain why a strong navy and a large fleet of trading
ships have been an important part of Great Britain's history?
A) its form of government
B) its large population
C) its type of climate
D) its geographic location
2. Which term best describes an economic system in which the people—not the government—
own land, factories, and businesses?
A) communism
B) market
C) command D) traditional
3. Which word has the same meaning as the economic term "tariff"?
A) tax
B) savings
C) debt
D) money
4. When a country has a market economy, which of these statements correctly defines this
system?
A) Workers are guaranteed a pay raise every year.
B) The government controls most of the businesses in the country.
C) Basic goods in the country are provided to all people without charge.
D) Companies produce goods of their choice and consumers decide whether to buy the goods.
5. In a traditional economic system people usually exchange goods or services rather than use
money. Which of the following is an example of this exchange process?
A) charging goods on a credit card
B) bartering with a seller
C) paying for services by check
D) using currency to pay
6. After 1986, Chernobyl, Ukraine, was abandoned. What caused the people to abandon this
city?
A) The nuclear power plant exploded and radiation levels were unsafe.
B) The people were being persecuted by soldiers of the Soviet Union.
C) The Chernobyl River was diverted so there was no drinking water.
D) The area was under water because of the construction of a dam.
7. Which type of government would most likely abolish all opposing political parties, the direct
election of leaders, and free speech?
A) republic
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B) constitutional monarchy
C) autocratic D) representative democracy
8. In which system of government does the legislature elect the executive leader of the
government?
A) presidential democracy
B) communist
C) parliamentary democracy
D) dictatorship
9. Which country had the most significant impact on the language and religion of Latin America?
A) Britain
B) France
C) Spain
D) Portugal
10. After a ten-year struggle, Haiti was the first nation in Latin America to gain independence in
1804. How did Haiti win its independence from France?
A) in a revolution started by Simón Bolivar
B) when the British defeated Napoleon at Waterloo
C) in a revolt led by the former slave, Toussaint L'Ouverture
D) as part of the treaty at the end of the French and Indian War
11. What is a basic way citizens of a democratic nation can influence the government?
A) voting
B) working
C) obeying laws
D) consuming goods
12. A book about the history of Latin America during the 1800s featuring Toussaint L'Ouverture,
Simon Bolivar and Miguel Hidalgo, would most likely have which title?
A) The Rise of Communism in Latin America
B) Independence Movements in Latin America
C) United States Colonies in Latin America
D) The Rise of the Slave Trade in Latin America
13. Mexico has a president who is elected by the people. The powers of the central government
are restricted and regional authorities retain a degree of self-government. Ultimate power rests
with the voters who choose their governmental representatives. Which of the following terms
BEST describes Mexico's form of government today?
A) Military Dictatorship
B) Federal Republic
C) Constitutional Monarchy
D) Parliamentary Democracy
14. In the 1800s, Miguel Hidalgo helped to inspire the people of Mexico to rise up against which
country to eventually gain independence?
A) England
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B) France
C) Russia
D) Spain
15. Which best describes how a parliamentary democracy differs from a presidential democracy?
A) The legislature consists of two houses.
B) There are usually two major political parties.
C) There are state as well as national governments.
D) The head of the government is a member of the legislature.
16. Cuba has a type of government in which the ruler has absolute power and is not restricted by
a Constitution, laws, or the citizens. Name the type of government.
A) Federal-Republican
B) Dictatorship
C) Parliamentary democracy
D) Presidential democracy
17. The African slave trade grew because European nations wanted the captured Africans
A) to work in the new factories.
B) to replace the labor of the serfs.
C) to work on the plantations in their colonies.
D) to increase the number of soldiers in their armies.
18. Spain colonized many countries in Latin America. How is Spain's influence still seen in these
countries today?
A) No Native American customs and languages have survived.
B) The king of Spain is still the head of state of most of these countries.
C) Most of the people in these countries are Roman Catholic.
D) Most of these countries have a strong democratic tradition.
19. In the 1500s, the Incan civilization was conquered by Spanish soldiers led by
A) Ferdinand Magellan.
B) Francisco Pizarro.
C) Montezuma.
D) Vasco da Gama.
20. In the 1500s the Aztec Empire in Central America was conquered by Spanish soldiers led by
A) James Cook.
B) Montezuma.
C) Hernando Cortés.
D) Christopher Columbus.
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21. Cortes and Pizarro were able to conquer the Aztecs and the Incas because
A) the Native Central Americans were peaceful and refused to fight the Spanish soldiers.
B) the Aztec navy was quickly defeated by the superior Spanish Armada.
C) the Aztecs and Incas were at war with each other, making them weaker.
D) European diseases killed many Native Central Americans who might have fought the
Spanish.
22. "The Liberator" who led Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador in their successful
fight for independence from Spain was
A) Simon Bolivar.
B) Miguel Hidalgo.
C) Jose de San Martin.
D) Toussaint L'Ouverture.
23. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was designed to promote free trade
between the United States,
A) Canada, and Mexico.
B) the United Kingdom, and Russia.
C) Canada, and the United Kingdom.
D) Mexico, and the islands of the Caribbean.
24. The economic system of communist countries is most closely related to which of the
following?
A) command
B) market
C) traditional
D) supply and demand
25. The ecology of Brazil's rain forest is most threatened by which of these human activities?
A) building dams
B) drilling for oil
C) cutting down trees
D) draining swamps
26. Which poses the greatest threat to the rain forest in Brazil?
A) drilling for oil
B) pollution of rivers
C) logging in the rain forest
D) growth of large industries
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27. A market economy is very different from a command economy. Which of the following is
found in a market economy?
A) competition
B) guaranteed yearly pay raises
C) government control of industry
D) government control of agriculture
28. Which of following best describes a market economy?
A) A person can start any legal business and charge any price.
B) The government provides food and housing to all workers.
C) The government provides services, such as telephones and television.
D) National businesses, such as airlines, are owned by the government.
29. Use the information in the box below to answer this question.
In order to produce a good or a service, four factors of production are needed. A sixth-grade
class decides to open a popcorn stand. The stand and the popcorn popper are examples of which
factor of production?
A) natural resources
B) human resources
C) capital resources
D) entrepreneurship
30. A country's parliament votes to increase tariffs upon goods from another country. This is an
example of
A) a monarchy encouraging free trade.
B) a representative democracy restricting trade.
C) a socialist congress preventing free enterprise.
D) a communist government allowing freedom of speech.
31. What is the purpose of free trade partnerships like the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Canada, and Mexico?
A) to increase trade by doing away with tariffs.
B) to allow countries to get needed goods without having to pay for them
C) to keep the countries from trading with Europe or Asia
D) to help the countries produce everything they need for themselves
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32. What is the purpose of a tariff, such as a protective tariff?
A) to increase the prices of imported goods and protect a country's own industries from foreign
competition
B) to decrease the prices of imported goods so a country's people can buy what they need for the
lowest cost
C) to increase the prices of exported goods so a country's own businesses are less likely to send
their products to other nations
D) to decrease the prices of exported goods so people in other countries will buy the foreign
nation's product over one from home
33. Canada and Mexico are SIMILAR in that lowering trade barriers between these two nations
has resulted in both nations experiencing
A) growth in their economies.
B) increases in unemployment.
C) increases in the prices of consumer goods.
D) decreases in the quality of consumer goods.
34. How did Canada achieve independence from Britain?
A) by a war for independence
B) as a result of the American Revolution
C) as a result of the British defeat of the French
D) by means of negotiations over a period of time
35. How has the European Economic Community/European Union been a benefit to the
countries that have joined it?
A) The use of tariffs has increased trade.
B) Trade among member nations has decreased.
C) More people now make full use of their country's resources.
D) The exchange of goods among the members has become easier.
36. Russia has a type of government in which power is formally divided between one central
authority and several regional authorities. Name the type of government.
A) Federation
B) Dictatorship
C) Oligarchy
D) Constitutional Monarchy
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37. The European Union (EU) was established in the 1990s. Which of the following is a goal of
the EU?
A) to create a single European currency
B) to endorse a single European language
C) to provide military aid to European countries experiencing civil war
D) to protect western European countries from formerly communist countries
38. What is one of the goals of the European Union (EU), which was established in the 1990s?
A) It is a special stock market for European businesses.
B) It provides better training for people wanting to run businesses.
C) It provides its members with military protection from foreign attack.
D) It is a system to remove tariff barriers and open trade between countries.
39. Today, some citizens and elected leaders of Québec believe their province should take which
action?
A) refuse to trade with the United States
B) close its borders to all new immigrants
C) withdraw from the United Nations
D) become an independent country
40. Which of the following best explains why the United States is Canada's largest trading
partner?
A) climate
B) population distribution
C) location
D) Gross Domestic Product
41. The leader of the Parliament in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom
is called the
A) speaker.
B) president.
C) chairman.
D) prime minister.
42. Canada is the world's second largest country in terms of land area. However, about 75
percent of Canada's population lives within 100 miles of its southern border. Which statement
does not provide a reason why so many Canadians live in their country's southern region?
A) More jobs are available in Canada's southern region.
B) Canadian law encourages people to live in its southern region.
C) Much of Canada's northern region is tundra.
D) Canada's southern region has a milder climate than its northern region.
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43. Today, some Canadian citizens are called "separatists" because they believe that one
Canadian province should become an independent nation. In which Canadian province would a
separatist most likely live?
A) Ontario
B) Manitoba
C) Alberta
D) Québec
44. Which statement about the United Kingdom's parliamentary system is correct?
A) Members of both houses of Parliament are elected for life.
B) The queen decides which laws Parliament will debate.
C) Members of Parliament do not belong to political parties.
D) The prime minister is not directly chosen by voters.
45. Most democracies have a government with three branches: executive, legislative, and
judicial. In Canada, the executive branch is the
A) Parliament.
B) Supreme Court
C) Prime Minister.
D) Senate.
46. This group was created in 1993 for the purpose of creating a single economic market in
which there are no barriers to trade, services, or capital among the member states.
A) Warsaw Pact
B) European Union
C) North Atlantic Treaty Organization
D) South East Asian Treaty Organization
47. Which of these is MOST LIKELY to be classified as a reason for Canadians' concern about
pollution of the Great Lakes?
A) The Great Lakes are a favorite Canadian tourist destination.
B) The Great Lakes are a major source of Canada's drinking water.
C) Canadians prefer the beaches along the Great Lakes to those along the coast.
D) Diving on shipwrecks is a growing Great Lakes sport which attracts divers from around the
world.
48. Canada and Mexico are SIMILAR in that lowering trade barriers between these two nations
has resulted in both nations experiencing
A) growth in their economies.
B) increases in unemployment.
C) increases in the prices of consumer goods.
D) decreases in the quality of consumer goods.
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49. Canada gained its independence from Britain by
A) winning the war against Britain.
B) buying the land from Britain.
C) peaceful means.
D) going to war.
50. Who were the first inhabitants of Australia?
A) prisoners from Britain
B) Europeans looking for spices
C) people who migrated from Asia
D) sailors from Captain Cook's ships
51. Australia's government power is divided between one central and several regional authorities.
Name the type of government.
A) Unitary
B) Confederation
C) Federal
D) Autocratic
52. The leader of the Parliament in countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom
is called the
A) speaker.
B) president.
C) chairman.
D) prime minister
53. In which economic system are the production and distribution of goods owned by private
individuals or corporations?
A) traditional
B) feudalism
C) market
D) command
54. In the late 1700s the British government used the colony of Australia as
A) a location in which to build new factories.
B) a prison to which criminals could be sent.
C) a military base to replace the African colonies.
D) a source of resources like coal and iron.
55. The first Australians were nomadic hunters and gatherers. When Europeans reached
Australia, they called the dark skinned people they encountered
A) Maoris.
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B) Inuits.
C) Aztecs.
D) Aborigines.
th
6 Grade
Math
____1. Faith paid $25.10 for a newspaper ad. The newspaper charged $5.02 for 3 lines of print.
How many lines was the ad?
A)5 lines of print B)15 lines of print C)25 lines of print D)75 lines of print
____2. Danielle has $35 to spend on birthday presents for 2 of her friends. She has already
spent a total of $6 on the cards. If she wants to spend the same amount on each friend,
how much can she spend on each present?
A)$29.00
B)$23.00
C)$17.50
D)$14.50
____3. Which of the following is a prime factor of 27?
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A)1
B)3
C)9
D)54
____4. Kelly's three-point shooting average is 40%. How many shots should she shoot if she
wants to make 12 three-point shots? A)4.8
B)14.4
C)24
D)30
____5. Julie and Lynn each have a photo album that holds 100 pictures. Julie's photo album is
2/5 full, and Lynn's photo album is ¾ full. How many more photos does Lynn have in her
photo album than Julie?
A)30
B)35
C)40
D)75
____6. While Teresa listened to the radio, there were 9 minutes of commercials, 12 minutes of
talk, and 29 minutes of music. What percent of that time was music?
A)58%
B)59%
C)64%
D)65%
____7. Which of the following is the greatest number? {43.26, 4.326, .4326, 432.6}
A) .4326
B) 4.326
C) 43.26
D) 432.6
____8. Omar has ¼ of a pizza. He wants to eat 2/3 of this amount. How much of the pizza will
Omar eat?
A) 1/6
B) 3/8
C) 3/7
D) 5/8
____9. Based on this table, what is the cost to buy 10 of each
different type of reed?
A)$18.50
C)$71.47
B)$26.92
D)$98.35
____10. Patti answered 12 of the 15 questions on her test.
What percent of the questions did Patti answer?
A)60%
B)75%
C)80%
D)84%
____11. The Wheelers' bill at a restaurant is $63.00. How much money should Mr. Wheeler
leave as a tip if he plans to tip 15%? A)$78.00
B)$72.45
C)$9.45 D)$5.00
____12. Which of these represents the prime factorization of the number 990?
A)52 × 92
B)2 × 32 × 5
C)2 × 5 × 92
D)2 × 32 × 5 × 11
____13. Which is the greatest common factor of 20 and 36?
A)1
B)2
C)4
D)6
____14. A company packages exactly 8 basketballs in every box. The company ships the
basketballs by the box. Jennifer ordered basketballs from the company. Which could be
the number of basketballs in Jennifer's order? A)20
B)58
C)104
D)116
____15. A store sells markers in packs of 14 and pencils in packs of 5. Blaine wants to buy an
equal number of markers and pencils. What is the MINIMUM number of markers Blaine
would have to buy? A)28
B)42
C)70
D)140
____16. A truck driver drove 5,680 miles last year. She took a total of 20 trips. What is the
average length, in miles, of one of her trips? A)234
B)284
C)5,660
D)5,700
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____17. The table shows the names and times of the first-place swimmer and second-place
swimmer in the men’s 100 meter (m) backstroke. The total time for each swimmer is the
sum of the two parts. How much faster did the
first-place swimmer swim than the second-place
swimmer? A)0.24 seconds C)0.76 seconds
B)0.66 seconds D)0.84 seconds
____18. Zahra needs to paint the top and the sides of a
treasure chest box. She does not need to paint the
bottom of the treasure chest box. The dimensions
of the treasure chest box are shown in inches.
What is the total surface area that Zahra needs to
paint? Round your answer to the nearest whole
number. A) 287 in.2 B) 390 in.2
C) 505 in.2
D)717 in.2
____19. Gabriel is 2 years older than his sister, Leeann. Which of the following graphs correctly
represents the relationship between Gabriel's age and Leeann's age, in years?
A)
B)
C)
D)
____20. In a box of blocks, there are r red blocks, b blue blocks, and y yellow blocks. Which
fraction expresses the ratio of blocks?
A)
B)
C)
D)
____21. What is the ratio of the length of a side of an equilateral triangle to its perimeter?
A)3 : 1
B)1 : 1
C)1 : 2
D)1 : 3
____22. Darnell caught 4 fish in 2 hours. At that rate, how many fish will he catch in 6 hours?
A)4 fish
B)8 fish
C)10 fish
D)12 fish
____23. Find the next number in the pattern. 8, 64, 512,____ A)568 B)960
C)1,024
D)4,096
____24. If $55 of a $220 budget is spent on clothes, what percent of the budget is spent on
clothes? A)25%
B)55%
C)85%
D)95%
____25. In Mr. Simpson's barn, all the animals have either two wings, four paws, or four
hooves. If there are 40 wings, 20 paws, and 80 hooves in Mr. Simpson's barn, how many
animals are there? A)35
B)45
C)140
D)150
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____26. The first three figures in a pattern are shown below. How
many cubes should be used to make the seventh figure?
A)21
B)28
C)36
D)119
____27. The graph shows the time it took Hannah to walk a certain
distance. What was Hannah's constant of variation?
A)100 feet per minute
C)500 feet per minute
B)200 feet per minute
D)1000 feet per minute
____28. Jeanette's car uses 15 gallons of gas for every 360 miles she
drives. How far can Jeanette's drive with 6 gallons of gas?
A)17 miles
B)25 miles
C)72 miles
D)144 miles
____29. Which expression correctly uses the distributive property to rewrite the expression
7(y +5)?
A) 5 + 7y
B) 5(7 + y)
C) 7y+ 35
D) 12(7 + y)
____30. Jerry had k pencils. Darcy and Leonard then gave Jerry an additional x pencils each.
Which expression could represent the number of pencils Jerry has now?
A)k+ x
B)k+ 2x
C)2k+ x
D)2(k+ x)
____31. If
A)
=4
what is the value of
B) = 6
?
C)
=8
D)
= 14
____32. What is the value of the expression?
A)25
B)30
C)120
D)145
____33. Which equation could be used to evaluate n – 8 = 2?
A)n + 2 = 8
B)n = 8 – 2
C) 2 – 8 = n
____34. What is the value of this expression?
A)5
B)13
C)23
D)n = 2 + 8
2 + 3×6 – 7
D)37
____35. The formula
can be used to determine f, the total braking distance, in feet,
that a car moving at n miles per hour will travel after the driver applies the brakes. Using
this formula, what is the total braking distance that a car moving at 60 miles per hour
will travel after the driver applies the brakes?
A)6 feet
B)60 feet
C)180 feet
D)1800 feet
____36. Keith makes $8 per hour cutting lawns. He charges a one time set-up fee of $15 per
customer. It takes him 3 hours to cut a new customer's lawn. Which expression should
he use to determine his price?
A) 15 + 8 + 3
C) 8 + 3 × 15
B) 8 × 3 + 15
D) (8 × 3) ÷ 15
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____37. In which of the following tables does each pair of numbers (x, y) satisfy the equation
shown below?
A)
B)
C)
D)
____38. Joanne needs $3000 to buy a car. She can save $189 per month. Approximately how
many months will it take her to save the money?
A)10
B)15
C)20
D)25
____39. If a = 5, b = 3, and c = 2, what does
equal?
A) 2
B) 4
C)10
D)30
____40. What is the value of this expression? 6 + 5 x (10 – 8)
A)16
B)22
C)56
D)102
____41. At her job, Alexa is paid $12.00 per hour. When she drives her car for work, she is paid
an additional 32.5 per mile. The expression below can be used to find the amount she is
paid, in dollars, when she works for h hours and drives m miles in her car.
12h + 0.325m
How much is Alexa paid on a day when she works 3 ½ hours and drives 218 miles in her
car? A)$74.50
B)$112.85
C)$230.00
D)$233.33
____42. Which ordered pair below will be a point on the graph of the equation y = 2x + 3?
A) (2, 3)
B) (5, 1)
C) (3, 9)
D) (1, -1)
____43. A car rental company will rent out a sport utility vehicle for $22.50 per day plus $0.50
per mile driven. Gloria rented this vehicle for three days and was billed $200. How many
miles did Gloria drive? A)211.25 miles
B)223 miles C)265 miles D)272.5 miles
____44. Betty and John were both trying to solve the equation 4x = 12. Betty multiplied both
sides of the equation by the reciprocal of 4. John divided both sides of the equation by
4. Who solved the equation correctly?
A) only Betty
B) only John
C) both
D) neither
____45. Rick bought a comic book for $2.70 during a sale. The price he paid was 3/5 of the
original price. How much money did Rick save?
A)$1.62
B)$1.80
C)$2.80
D)$4.05
____46. What is the area of a right triangle with legs of length 9 cm and
12 cm and a hypotenuse of length 15 cm?
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A)36 cm2
B)54 cm2
C)90 cm2
D)108 cm2
____47. Look at the quadrilateral below. What is the area of the figure?
A)14 square meters
C)34 square meters
B)28 square meters
D)42 square meters
____48. If the volume of a rectangular prism is 420.75 cubic centimeters and the area of the
base is 49.5 square centimeters, what is the height of the prism in centimeters?
A)4.5
B)8.5
C)11.0
D)15.5
____49. Tobi works in a print shop. She needs to
fit as many rubber stamps into a box as
possible. Each rubber stamp is a 1-inch
cube. How many more rubber stamps
can Tobi fit into Box B than into Box A?
A)500 B)522
C)648
D)1,170
____50. Ms. Randall bought a large fish tank for her
classroom. What is the volume of her new tank?
A)12.5 ft3
B)52.5 ft3 C)60.0 ft3 D)105.0 ft3
____51. Which of the following is equivalent to the expression? (39-51)3
A) │51-39│3
B) -(39-51)3
C) (51-39)3
D) -│39-51│3
____52. If a point had a negative x coordinate and a negative y coordinate, what quadrant
would it be located in? A)quadrant I
B)quadrant II
C)quadrant III D)quadrant IV
____53. What is the value of the expression
A)–16
B)–8
C)12
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?
D)16
____54.
pairs?
A)
Which is a graph of a line that contains all the points in this table of ordered
B)
C)
D)
____55. Daphne wrote the fractional part of the quizzes she answered
correctly. Which lists these quiz scores in order from least to
greatest?
A)
C)
B)
D)
____56. If (s,t) denotes the coordinates of the point shown in the graph below, which of the
following must be true?
A)s> 0 and t> 0
C)s< 0 and t> 0
B)s> 0 and t< 0
D)s< 0 and t< 0
57. Company 1 and Company 2 are both online marketing companies that offer discounts on
goods and services. Each company offers customers discounts of at least 50%. Data was
gathered about 200 recent offers from both of the companies. The box plots below show the
results.
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Part A: Describe the shape, center, and spread of the data for Company 1. What does this mean
for the customers in terms of the discounts they can expect?
Part B: Describe the shape, center, and spread of the data for Company 2. What does this mean
for the customers in terms of the discounts they can expect?
Part C: Compare the distributions of the two companies. Which company seems to offer better
discounts? Defend your answer.
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th
6 Grade
Science
____1. An astronomer observes a neutron star that has formed after a supernova. It is spinning
rapidly and emitting radio waves. This star is a…..
A)supergiant.
B)black hole.
C)nova.
D)pulsar.
____2. The asteroid belt is located between….
A)the Sun & Earth.
B)Mars & Jupiter.
C)Neptune & Pluto.
____3. A comet is largely made up of… A)iron & nickel. B)rock.
D)Saturn & Uranus.
C)petroleum. D)water & ice.
____4. When a star like the Sun runs out of hydrogen in its center, it evolves into a ……
A)red giant. B)blue straggler.
C)supernova.
D)yellow dwarf.
____5. Which is made primarily of pieces of rock or iron that enter Earth's atmosphere?
A)asteroids
B)comets
C)solar flares
D)meteorites
____6. Imagine you are an astronomer who just observed a huge burst of light from an
exploding star. What did you most likely observe?
A)a pulsar
B)a black hole C)a supernova D)a meteor
____7. What characteristics do scientists measure to determine the temperature and
composition of stars?
A)the positions of the stars in the galaxy
C)the proximity of the stars to each other
B)the light radiated from the stars
D)the speed at which stars are moving
____8. Many scientists used to accept the model that all objects in the universe revolved
around the Sun. What did they learn that made them change this model?
A)Stars do not revolve around the Sun.
C)Comets do not revolve around the Sun.
B)Planets do not revolve around the Sun. D)Asteroids do not revolve around the Sun.
____9. Below is a summary of three historical scientific theories that model and explain our
Solar System.
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The geocentric solar system places the Earth at the center of the Universe with all other
heavenly bodies orbiting the Earth.
The heliocentric solar system places the Sun at the center of the Solar System with all planets
orbiting the Earth.
The Big Bang theory suggests the Universe was created with a single cosmic explosion. The
Universe continues to expand at an increasing rate as a result of this explosion.
Which action could prove the heliocentric model over the geocentric model?
A) Calculate the precise length of a lunar cycle.
B) Calculate the total energy remaining after the Big Bang.
C) Mathematically measure and map the precise orbits of the planets in our Solar System.
D) Calculate & compare the lengths of the planet's days based on the rise & set of the Sun.
____10. Venus has the highest surface temperature of all the planets in our solar system. Which
is the best explanation for this?
A)Venus rotates on its axis very slowly.
B)Venus is very close to the Sun.
C)Venus revolves around the Sun relatively quickly.
D)Venus's atmosphere has thick clouds & carbon dioxide.
____11. Artificial satellites are grouped into all of the following categories except….
A)commercial.
B)meteor.
C)scientific.
D)secret military.
____12. Astronomers usually measure the distance from Earth to the Moon in…..
A)meters.
B)kilometers.
C)light-years.
D)fathoms.
____13. A characteristic of gaseous planets is that they have…..
A)no density.
C)a density the same as Earth's.
B)a density greater than Earth's.
D)a density less than Earth's.
____14. The reason that a student does not feel the gravitational pull of the Sun is because…….
A)the Sun has no gravitational pull.
C)the Sun is very far away.
B)the mass of the Sun is very small.
D)Earth is so much smaller than the Sun.
____15. Why does the amount of daylight change during the course of a year?
A)The amount of light and heat radiated by the Sun changes at different times of the year.
B)The distance between the Sun and Earth changes from summer to winter.
C)The North Pole points more toward the Sun at one time of the year than another.
D)Earth rotates at different speeds at different times of the year.
____16. We can be sure that the Milky Way galaxy we live in is a spiral galaxy rather than an
elliptical galaxy because….
A)it has curved arms.
C)its stars are all about the same age.
B)it does not show any rotation.
D)new stars are no longer forming.
____17. How does the gravity on the Moon compare to the gravity on Earth?
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A) Gravity is the same wherever you are.
B) There is less gravity on the Moon.
C) There is more gravity on the Moon.
D) Gravity depends on each person.
____18. Why does the Moon orbit Earth instead of the Sun?
A)Gravity depends on distance and the Moon is closer to Earth.
B)Only large objects orbit around the Sun and the Moon is too small.
C)The Moon used to be part of Earth so it must orbit Earth.
D)The Moon is moving too fast and cannot change its orbit.
____19. Objects in an orbiting space shuttle float because…
A)the space shuttle slows down when it reaches orbit.
B)Earth's gravity has less effect on objects as they get farther away from Earth.
C)the mass of the object is less in space.
D)the space shuttle's engines cause too much vibration for objects to remain still.
____20. Earth is made of solid materials. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are all made of
gas. Which is true about the density of these planets?
A)They are more dense than Earth.
C)They are less dense than Earth.
B)They have no density.
D)They have the same density as Earth.
____21. The dark, lava-covered lowlands of the Moon are called…..
A)mountains.
B)volcanoes.
C)valleys.
D)maria.
____22. Which accounts for the fact that a compass can be used to find north on Earth?
A)Earth has a magnetic field.
C)Most of Earth is covered by water.
B)Earth has only one moon.
D)Earth's temperature is not constant.
____23. The chart shows the average distance of each
planet from the Sun and the speed each planet
travels in its orbit. Which conclusion should be
drawn from this chart?
A) The planets closer to the Sun travel around the
Sun faster.
B)The planets closer to the Sun absorb the Sun's energy and therefore move faster.
C)The outer planets move slower because they are larger.
D)The outer planets move slower because they have many moons.
____24. The ozone layer in Earth's upper atmosphere is important to living organisms because
it…. A)absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
B)breaks down harmful pollutants into normal atmospheric gases.
C)supplies the oxygen living organisms require to carry on respiration.
D)traps heat close to Earth's surface to maintain temperatures necessary for life.
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____25. Scientists have concluded that the universe is expanding, by observing a red shift in the
light coming from other galaxies. Which instruments allow scientists to observe the red
shift? A)space probes
B)Geiger counters
C)telescopes D)spectroscopes
____26. Footprints made by astronauts on the Moon years ago are still there. Which reason
explains this? A)The Moon has no wind or rain.
B)Time passes much slower on the Moon.
C)The dust on the Moon hardened into stone.
D)The heavy astronauts left very deep footprints in the Moon's dust.
____27. If you were to watch the stars all night, they would seem to….
A)stay in exactly the same place in the sky.
B)move across the sky at night, as the Sun does during the day.
C)go in circles around the point straight up from where you are.
D)move across the sky at night, in the opposite direction that the Sun moves during the day.
____28. When the Moon goes through Earth's shadow, we see a……
A)solar eclipse.
B)lunar eclipse.
C)total eclipse.
D)planetary eclipse.
____29. A planet has twice the mass of Earth and the same radius as Earth. If you were standing
on this planet, the force of gravity would be…..
A)twice that on Earth.
C)the same as on Earth.
B)half that on Earth.
D)four times greater than Earth's.
____30. Earth is tilted 23.5° on its axis as shown below. What
angle would Earth's tilt need to be in order for there to be
no seasons on Earth?
A) 0°
C)60°
B)45°
D)Earth's tilt does not offset the seasons.
____31. Middle school science students in Georgia recorded the Sun's location in the sky every
day at noon during September and February. Which of these MOST LIKELY describes
what the students observed?
A)The size of the Sun changed.
C)The force of gravity from the Sun changed.
B)The color of the Sun changed. D)The position of the Sun in the sky changed.
____32. How does the number of hours of daylight compare to the number of hours of
darkness on March 20, the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere?
A)The hours of daylight and darkness are the same.
B)There are more hours of darkness than daylight.
C)There are more hours of daylight than darkness.
D)The number of hours of daylight and darkness cannot be predicted in advance.
____33. Which planet is characterized by polar ice caps, a pink sky, a rust-colored surface, large
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volcanoes, and surface channels?
A)Uranus
B)Pluto
C)Mars
D)Saturn
____34. Which picture demonstrates rotation?
A)
B)
C) D)
___35. Which lists the first four planets
in order of INCREASING mass?
A)Earth, Mars, Mercury, Venus
B)Mars, Earth, Mercury, Venus
C)Mars, Venus, Mercury, Earth
D)Venus, Mercury, Mars, Earth
____36. A solar eclipse occurs when…
A)Earth blocks the Moon from the Sun.
B)the first four planets are in a line.
C)the Moon blocks Earth from the Sun.
D)the last four planets are in a line.
____37. Solar eclipses rarely occur because…..
A)the moon usually travels directly between Earth and the sun.
B)the moon's orbit is tilted in relation to the Earth's orbit.
C)the moon usually travels directly behind Earth.
D)the moon is too close to the earth.
____38. You observe the moon one night at midnight while
camping, as seen in the image. Predict the location of
the Moon in the diagram based on this observed moon
phase.
A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
____39. It is about 28 days from one full moon to the next. This
is because 28 days is about the time it takes for one…..
A)revolution of the Moon around Earth.
B)revolution of Earth around the Sun.
D)rotation of Earth.
C)rotation of the Sun.
____40. What technology is used to measure the depth of the ocean?
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A)submarines
B)radar
C)telescopes
D)sonar
____41. The map shows ocean currents in the northern Atlantic
likely has the warmest climate?
A)location A
C)location C
B)location B
D)location D
Ocean. Which location most
____42. On most ocean shorelines, the water rises slowly and covers
Then it slowly falls back. What is this movement called?
B)wave
C)tide
D)drift
the land twice a day.
A)current
____43. Ocean water differs from freshwater in that it has……
A)a higher temperature.
C)a higher concentration of sodium chloride.
B)a lower temperature.
D)a higher concentration of silicon dioxide.
____44. During the water cycle, when water vapor changes to liquid water, it is called…..
A)evaporation.
B)condensation.
C)freezing.
D)boiling.
____45. Which two physical changes are essential processes in the water cycle?
A)oxidation and reduction
C)mixing and separating
B)evaporation and condensation
D)ebbing and flowing
____46. Which of these BEST describes the cause of waves in the ocean?
A)high and low tides
C)wind blowing across the surface of the ocean
B)evaporation of water
D)ridges and trenches on the bottom of the ocean
____47. Which contains the greatest amount of Earth's freshwater?
A)groundwater
B)oceans & seas
C)lakes & rivers D)glaciers & polar ice cap
____48. One way the North Atlantic Ocean is different from the South Pacific Ocean is that the
North Atlantic has
A)a greater average depth.
C)a larger average concentration of salt.
B)a higher average pressure.
D)a lower average temperature.
____49. The salts in the sea come from….
A)weathering and erosion of rocks.
B)acid rain.
C)particles falling from space.
D)organisms that live in the sea.
____50. Which term refers to the area at the seashore that is underwater during high tide and
exposed during low tide?
A)intertidal zone
B)neritic zone
C)open-ocean zone D)mid-ocean zone
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____51. There are three major zones in the ocean: the surface, the middle, and the ocean floor.
Which form of ocean life lives mainly in the middle zone?
A)plankton
B)coral
C)nekton
D)benthos
____52. Why are tides continually rising and lowering every day?
A)because deep ocean currents are constantly changing
B)because the position of the Moon is constantly changing
C)because rates of evaporation and precipitation are constantly changing
D)because the direction of the wind over the ocean is constantly changing
____53. Ocean waves are created by all of the following except one. Which factor creates
currents, not ocean waves?
A)the wind B)earthquakes C)the moon's gravity D)density differences
____54. On a summer day which clouds are most likely to bring rain?
A)thin, fluffy clouds
C)thick, dark-gray clouds
B)red clouds at sunset
D)clouds that look like white sheep
____55. Dew is formed by…
A)the condensation of water vapor.
B)frost melting just before sunrise.
C)groundwater being pulled to Earth's surface.
D)transpiration performed by plants.
____56. In cold climates rocks are broken into pieces by the action of water. This process that
breaks down rocks and helps form soil can best be explained as
A)leaching of minerals from the rock.
B)decomposition due to the action of ice crystals.
C)chemical weathering due to water reacting with calcite.
D)mechanical weathering due to alternate freezing and thawing.
____57. Chemical weathering of rocks occurs and helps to form soils. Which of the following is
an agent of chemical weathering?
A)acid rain
C)tree roots growing through rocks
B)freezing and thawing
D)rocks tumbling in a stream or river
____58. What are the two dominant elements in Earth's atmosphere?
A)oxygen and carbon dioxide
C)nitrogen and oxygen
B)hydrogen and helium
D)silicon and hydrogen
____59. Large, dark clouds that produce thunderstorms are called….
A)stratocumulus clouds.
C)altocumulus clouds.
B)cirrostratus clouds.
D)cumulonimbus clouds.
____60. Because of the long drought, hay is in short supply and Farmer Brown is letting his
cattle over-graze his pastures. Because of the over-grazing, what should he predict will
happen?
A)The soil will become more fertile.
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B)The grass in the pasture will grow faster.
C)The soil will be eroded by wind and water.
D)The soil will become water soaked in the spring.
____61. The surfaces of old concrete statues are often covered with small holes or pits. Which
of these MOST LIKELY causes these holes or pits?
A)Long exposure to sunlight causes the pits to form.
B)The concrete is chemically weathered by acid rain.
C)The concrete is chipped away by sand particles blown by strong winds.
D)The concrete becomes pitted as water freezes in small cracks in the statue.
____62. Humid, tropical air rises over the Atlantic Ocean near the equator. As the air rises it
begins to circulate counterclockwise. A low pressure system develops and the storm
soon has winds reaching over 120 km/hour. What is this storm system called?
A)cyclone
B)tornado
C)tsunami
D)hurricane
____63. The sun warms a large area of an ocean. This causes a large amount of water to evaporate into
the air. Which weather event might occur?
A)tornado
B)hurricane
C)tidal wave
D)freezing rain
____64. Which event will occur next in this series of meteorological events at an oceanfront
town? 1. Bright, sunny day
2. Night falls
3. Land and ocean begin to lose stored heat from sun
4. One (land or ocean) first reaches a temperature that is equal to the one of its
surrounding
5. High pressure front moves in over the land
A)cool land breeze B)cool sea breeze
C)warm land breeze D)warm sea breeze
____65. El Niño is an ocean current that is warmer than normal and recurs every few years in
the Pacific Ocean. What effect would warmer waters have on weather along the Pacific
Coast of the United States?
A)The wind speeds over water would decrease.
B)The air temperatures over land would decrease.
C)Less water would evaporate into the atmosphere and cause a drought.
D)More water would evaporate into the atmosphere and lead to more rain.
____66. In some years there are more hurricanes than usual. This is probably because
A)the ocean is warmer than usual. C)there are more windy days than usual.
B)the ozone layer is very thin.
D)the gravitational pull of the Moon is stronger.
____67. At the seashore late in the afternoon on a hot, sunny day, a person often feels a strong
breeze coming in from the ocean. Which of the following is the reason for the breeze?
A)The pounding waves generate air currents.
B)The warm air over the ocean rushes in to replace the cool air that rises over the land.
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C)The heavy, cool air over the ocean rushes in to replace the warm air that rises over the land.
D)There are no clouds to block the wind coming in from the ocean.
____68. Janet designed an experiment to determine whether the depth of water in a container
had an effect on how quickly the water evaporated. In order to carry out her
experiment, which variable would Janet need to change?
A)the amount of water in the container
C)the location of the container
B)the width of the container
D)the material the container is made of
____69. Which is the warmest climate zone?
A)Arctic Zone
B)Temperate Zone
C)Tropical Zone
D)Intermediate Zone
____70. Cold air masses that form at high latitudes are called _______ air masses.
A)polar
B)continental
C)warm
D)maritime
____71. As residents of Georgia, our weather is often influenced by air masses that start over
the Gulf of Mexico. What type of air masses should we expect from the Gulf of Mexico?
A)hot & dry air
B)warm & dry air
C)warm & humid air
D)cool & humid air
____72. It is a warm summer night. The relative humidity is 100%. From dusk until dawn, the air
temperature drops from 32oC to 18oC. What would you expect to see in the morning?
A)dew
B)frost
C)clouds
D)thunderstorms
____73. What two conditions are necessary for frost to form?
A)The air is saturated with water and the temperature drops quickly.
B)The air is saturated with water and the temperature is 0oC or less.
C)The air is saturated with water and the temperature is 0oC or above.
D)The air is saturated with water and the temperature is gradually warming up.
____74. Nearly 100 years ago, a large volcano erupted in the South Pacific. The following year,
some northeastern cities in the United States recorded measurable snowfall every
month of the year. Most of the Northern Hemisphere experienced a cold summer.
Which explains how these events were related?
A)The eruption temporarily intensified the greenhouse effect.
B)Thermal energy released during the eruption caused a decrease in Earth's total heat energy.
C)The eruption damaged the ozone layer, causing a decrease in the amount of solar energy reaching Earth.
D)Atmospheric dust from the eruption caused a decrease in the amount of solar energy reaching Earth.
____75. Which statement describes uniformitarianism?
A)In an undisturbed layer of rock, older rocks lie at the bottom and younger rocks lie at the top.
B)The forces that act to change Earth's surface today are the same forces that acted upon Earth's surface
in the past.
C)The continents at one time were all part of a large landmass, but then they separated and moved apart.
D)Layers of sedimentary rock contain more fossils than layers of metamorphic or igneous rock.
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____76. Which factor is MOST important in determining how much groundwater can be stored
in underground rock? A)the rock's location
C)the rock's hardness
B)the rock's porosity
D)the rock's geologic age
____77. Which type of rock is most likely to be formed by the cooling of magma underground?
A)sandstone
B)limestone
C)granite
D)shale
____78. Limestone is a sedimentary rock found in South Georgia and North Florida. Limestone
is easily weathered and eroded because the main mineral found in limestone reacts acid
rain and ground water. What type of mineral likely makes up limestone?
A)calcite
B)gypsum
C)quartz
D)silica
____79. When limestone is exposed to enough heat and pressure, it goes through physical
changes. These changes can turn limestone into a different kind of rock called marble.
Which of these BEST describes marble?
A)It is an igneous rock.
C)It is a sedimentary rock.
B)It is a synthetic rock.
D)It is a metamorphic rock.
____80. Rocks found on Earth are generally classified as sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous.
On which basis are these classifications made?
A)where the rocks are found
C)the color and shape of the rocks
B)how the rocks were formed
D)the chemical composition of the rocks
____81. Cleavage of a mineral is related to a mineral's…
A)chemical composition.
B)streak color. C)luster.
D)crystalline structure.
____82. Which kind of rock is formed when volcanic lava cools?
A)sedimentary
B)metamorphic
C)igneous
D)magma
____83. When Joe saw the Rocky Mountains for the first time, he exclaimed, "These mountains
are much younger than ours back East!" Which feature supports his conclusion that the
Rockies were relatively young mountains?
A)They have rounded tops.
C)Weathering has not yet hardened the rock.
B)Their sedimentary layers are still exposed.
D)They have sharp peaks.
____84. The contour lines on this map indicate…..
A)elevation.
C)soil composition.
B)climate.
D)rainfall.
____85. A boundary where two tectonic plates come together, or
collide, is called a ___________ boundary.
A)divergent B)convergent C)transform D)transfer
____86. Which accurately describes the relationship between earthquakes and volcanoes?
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A)Earthquakes usually cause volcanoes to erupt.
B)Volcanic eruptions usually cause severe earthquakes.
C)Earthquakes and volcanoes often are located where tectonic plates meet.
D)Earthquakes and volcanoes are not related in any way.
____87. Earth's core is mainly composed of….
A)iron & aluminum. B)silicon & hydrogen.
C)iron & nickel.
D)silicon & oxygen.
____88. Ridges, tectonic plate boundaries, and hydrothermal vents are physical features found
on our planet. Where are these features found MOST OFTEN?
A)in the middle of huge lakes
C)at the bottom of Earth's oceans
B)around the edges of deserts
D)on top of mountains on continents
____89. The San Andreas Fault in Mexico and California is watched carefully for signs of an
earthquake. Why do scientists think an earthquake might happen there?
A)The chances of a major earthquake in California have increased greatly because there
has been so much construction there.
B)Everyplace on Earth's crust has a probability of earthquakes and the San Andreas Fault
has never had one.
C)The San Andreas is a known major fault where pressure for lateral movement has
been building for many years.
D)The San Andreas Fault is the line that divides the part of California that is sinking into
the Pacific Ocean.
____90. Which of these statements about Earth's crust is true?
A)It is a layer of solid rock that remains the same throughout time.
B)It includes the continents, but not the ocean floor.
C)It is a changing, moving surface with the same thickness everywhere.
D)It is a system of large masses called plates that slowly move together or apart.
____91. The pie section shows Earth's composition from the center to
the surface. Section IV is most likely composed of…..
A)molten iron. B)granitic rock. C)solid iron. D)basalt.
____92. High temperatures inside Earth form….
A)melted rock.
B)fossils. C)soil.
D)minerals.
____93. Areas on Earth's surface that lie above the borders of tectonic
plates are characterized
by A)frequent earthquake activity.
C)stable temperate
climate conditions.
B)lengthy formations of sea arches.
D)a lack of plant and animal life.
____94. What are mid-ocean ridges?
A)They are areas where tectonic plates meet.
B)They are narrow valleys that run along the bottom of the oceans.
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C)They are areas underwater where thick layers of sediment have accumulated.
D)They are areas of underwater mountain chains located near many active volcanoes.
____95. What landform is created when two continental plates collide?
A)mountain range
B)ocean basin
C)volcano
D)canyon
____96. Most earthquakes and volcanoes occur in areas of the Pacific Ocean called "The Ring of
Fire." What is the main reason for this?
A)Large numbers of people live in this area.
B)That area of the Earth is hotter than any other area.
C)Lithosphere plate boundaries are found in that area.
D)The weight of the ocean water forces magma to the surface.
____97. The average density of one of the continental crusts is 2.8 g/cm3 and the average
density of one of the oceanic crusts is 3.2 g/cm3. If these two plates came together, what could
be expected to happen?
A)The two plates would push apart and form a rift zone.
B)The oceanic plate would rise up over the continental plate.
C)The oceanic plate would be pushed under the continental plate.
D)The two plates would meet head on and rise up to form mountains.
____98. In December, 2004, an earthquake registering 9.0 on the Richter scale was recorded off
the far off the coast of Sumatra. What is a common secondary effect of this type of
earthquake? A)a tsunami B)a tornado C)global warming
D)volcanic activity
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