- What is the author's main purpose in writing this passage?
Answer: To explain how aluminum is made and why recycling it can save energy and resources.
The passage first walks through how aluminum is made from bauxite, then explains that recycling saves energy and resources because it skips many early steps. The best choice names both of those ideas, which matches the whole passage. One choice describes the steps correctly but then says recycling wastes energy, which is the opposite of what the text says. Another choice starts right but claims mining new aluminum is always better, even though the passage says recycling really helps and saves power. The last choice turns the passage into a story about a young miner and his adventure, but this is an informational text with facts, not a made-up tale. So only the choice that covers both making aluminum and saving resources through recycling fits the author's real purpose.
- Based on the passage, what caused the fish to struggle in the lake?
Answer: Warm water and the oxygen being used up as algae broke down together lowered the oxygen.
The passage says warm water holds less oxygen, and when algae die, bacteria use up even more oxygen, so both together lowered the oxygen the fish needed. Choice C names both causes, so it is correct. Choice A says the lake got colder, Choice B says too much oxygen entered, and Choice D says grasses added fertilizer, none of which the passage states.
- Based on the passage, why did some residents likely accept higher taxes even if they did not like them?
Answer: They believed paying more could help prevent disease and protect the whole community.
The passage says some people argued that public health was a shared job, and that after the changes fewer people got sick during outbreaks. This supports the idea that residents accepted higher taxes because paying more could help prevent disease and protect the whole community. The choice about taxes forcing factories to leave is wrong because the passage says factories offered jobs and never says people wanted them gone or that taxes could remove them. The choice about paying to remove the water plants reverses the passage, which explains that cities built water plants to clean water, not that people wanted them taken away. The choice about trash rules applying mostly to factories misreads paragraph 3, which says the rules were about where waste could be stored for everyone, not only factories. Only the first choice matches the reason the passage gives.
- What conclusion can be drawn from the passage about why satellites stay in orbit?
Answer: Satellites stay in orbit because their speed balances the pull of gravity on them.
The passage says that when an object moves fast enough, it keeps "falling around" a planet instead of crashing into it. That means a satellite's speed works together with gravity to keep it curving in orbit, which is why the answer about speed balancing gravity is correct. The choice saying gravity pulls a satellite down until it stops is wrong because the passage explains that gravity pulling too hard would make an object fall, not stay in orbit. The choice about traveling in a straight line far from Earth is wrong because the passage says an object without gravity's pull would drift away in a straight line, not stay in orbit. The choice saying satellites move too slowly is wrong because the passage states that moving too slowly lets gravity pull an object down; satellites must move fast enough to keep orbiting.
- What is the relationship between storms and city lights in the passage?
Answer: Storms already make flying hard, and city lights can add confusion that raises the risk for migrating birds.
The passage says the problem "gets worse during storms" because wind and rain already make flying hard, and then lights add another challenge on top of that. The best answer shows both troubles piling up and raising the danger for birds. The choice that calls them two separate problems for different seasons is wrong because the passage describes them happening at the same time, making things worse together. The choice that says lights help birds land safely is wrong because the passage says lights confuse birds and lead them to unsafe places like busy streets. The choice that says storms turn lights off is wrong because it is people in the "lights out" plan who turn lights off, not storms, and the passage never says storms make migration easier.
- How is the information in this passage organized?
Answer: It describes each of the three branches by explaining its role and how the branches work together.
The passage takes the branches one at a time, tells what each one does, and then explains how they limit and depend on each other. That is a describe-and-connect structure, which is exactly what the correct choice names. The choice about listing steps in order for passing one law is wrong because the text never gives a start-to-finish set of directions; it explains ongoing jobs, not a single procedure. The choice about following one leader through time is wrong because there is no person's life story here—no childhood, no single person's timeline. The choice about building a case for one branch is wrong because the passage never argues that any branch should have more power; it shows the branches balancing and sharing power. Only the first choice matches how the text is actually built.
- As used in paragraph 2, what does the word considerable most nearly mean?
Answer: Large enough to matter a lot.
The passage says a magnitude 6 earthquake makes waves ten times larger than a magnitude 5, and that the energy rises fast, so the difference in damage is big. That matches "large enough to matter a lot." "Slight and barely worth noticing" is the opposite of a big difference, so it does not fit. "Simple to compare against something else" mixes up "considerable" with the idea of comparing, but the word describes size, not ease of comparing. "Possible to argue or debate about" confuses "considerable" with the different word "debatable"; nothing in paragraph 2 is being argued about. Only "large enough to matter a lot" describes how big and important the difference really is.
- As used in paragraph 2, what does the word constraints mean?
Answer: Boundaries that hold back what the design is allowed to do.
In paragraph 2, constraints are described as "limits, such as a budget or the materials they can use." That means constraints are boundaries that hold back what the design is allowed to do, so the answer about boundaries is correct. The choice about goals the design should reach describes criteria, which the passage lists as a separate idea, not constraints. The choice about problems that appear after testing mixes in the model step from paragraph 3, but constraints are set earlier and are not test failures. The choice about how the bridge should look points back to picking paint colors, which the passage says engineers do NOT start with, so it is not a constraint. Only the boundaries choice matches the meaning of limits on what can be done.
- How does the last paragraph relate to the rest of the passage?
Answer: It offers ways to fix a problem explained earlier, since soil can be lost through erosion.
An earlier paragraph explains a problem: heavy rain and wind can carry topsoil away, so soil is lost through erosion. The last paragraph answers that problem with fixes like cover crops, leaving plant material on the ground, and terraces. That is why the choice about offering ways to fix the erosion problem is correct. The choice about how topsoil and subsoil form describes the layers paragraph, not the last one. The choice about the weathering steps that break rocks apart describes the paragraph on how soil is made, not the ending. The choice about listing ways wind and rain carry soil away describes the problem paragraph itself, but the last paragraph presents solutions, not more examples of the problem. Only one choice names what the final paragraph actually does: it responds to the erosion problem with methods to slow it.
- Based on the passage, why might a town decide to move buildings farther from the river instead of building a wall?
Answer: Because moving buildings can avoid causing faster erosion in other places downstream.
The passage explains a trade-off: a wall may protect one spot but speed up erosion downstream. Moving buildings avoids causing that faster erosion somewhere else, so the choice about protecting other places downstream is correct. The choice about costing less money is wrong because the passage says moving buildings takes planning and money, not less of it. The choice about floodplain soil is wrong because rich soil helps farmers grow crops, not decide where to put buildings. The choice about slowing the river until it stops is wrong because the passage clearly states no plan can stop a river completely. Only the first choice matches the real reason the passage gives for moving buildings instead of building a wall.
- Which detail from the passage best supports the idea that voting is important but not enough by itself?
Answer: Casting a vote matters, but by itself it cannot show leaders everything the people actually need.
The best answer says voting matters but by itself cannot show leaders everything people need. That is exactly the idea in the stem: voting is important, yet it is not enough on its own. The choice about taking time and people disagreeing is true from the passage, but it is about the effort of participating, not about voting being incomplete. The choice about choosing leaders and deciding issues only tells what voting does; it never says voting falls short. The choice about every citizen having a voice is a broad opening idea about democracy in general, not a detail about the limits of voting. Only the first choice supports both parts of the stem's idea, so it is correct.
- How is the information in the passage mainly organized?
Answer: Sequence and cause-effect, showing how canals work and how they changed settlements and trade.
The best answer is sequence and cause-effect. The passage uses time-order words like "First," "Next," and "Finally" to explain how a lock works, and it also shows causes and effects, such as towns growing because canals brought jobs, shops, and trade.
The choice about compare and contrast between canals and rivers is wrong because the passage does not weigh their good and bad points side by side; it mostly explains and traces effects. The choice about problem and solution focused only on railroads is wrong because railroads are just one small point at the end, not the whole passage's plan. The choice calling it description of a lock's parts with no order is wrong because the passage clearly uses step-by-step order and gives reasons for what happens, which plain description does not do.
- Which statement best summarizes the passage?
Answer: Maize traveled to new continents, and it changed farming and trade, but it also created risks when people depended on it too much.
The best summary covers the whole passage: maize moved to new continents, changed how people farmed and traded, and also brought danger when a community leaned on it too much. The choice that says this captures every main idea, so it is correct.
The choice claiming leaders forced maize everywhere and that it always made places richer and safer is wrong, because the passage says leaders pushed maize only in some places and that depending on one crop made communities LESS ready for droughts and diseases.
The choice saying maize fully replaced European grains goes too far. The passage only says maize could grow where other crops struggled, not that it wiped them out. It also focuses on one detail instead of the whole passage.
The choice about cities and selling food uses true details but then claims moving crops "always" makes life better for everyone. The passage ends by saying the benefits were not equal everywhere, so that word makes this choice wrong. A good summary must match the whole text, not just one part or an idea the text never states.
- Which statement best summarizes the passage?
Answer: The water cycle moves water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, and the runoff can also change the land.
A summary has to name the main steps of the whole cycle, not just one part of it. The best answer tells how water evaporates, condenses, and falls as precipitation, and adds that runoff can reshape the land — that covers the passage from start to finish. The choice about vapor rising, gathering on dust, and falling as precipitation is true, but it only describes the middle steps and skips evaporation and how water changes the land. The choice about the Sun, plants, and transpiration picks a couple of real details but makes transpiration sound like the reason the whole cycle keeps going, which the passage never says. The choice about fast runoff wearing away soil and forming new land is accurate, but it only summarizes the last part of the passage, not the entire cycle. Only one answer captures the big picture instead of a single piece.
- What is the main idea of the passage?
Answer: Westward migration happened for different reasons and was shaped by geography, technology, and the need to cooperate.
The passage covers several parts of the move west: settlers had different reasons for going, the land shaped their routes, new tools changed the trip, and people had to cooperate. The correct answer pulls all of these together, so it names the true main idea. The choice about new tools being the single most important reason takes one detail and overstates it—the passage says settlers moved for farmland and business, not because of tools. The choice about historians studying journals, maps, and photos is true, but it only describes the last paragraph, not the whole passage. The choice about rivers, mountains, and passes being the 'only' things that decided where settlers went is too extreme; geography was one factor, not the only one. Only the answer that combines reasons, geography, technology, and cooperation captures the whole passage.
- Read the passage, then answer the question.
Turning Sunlight into Sugar: Photosynthesis
Plants cannot walk to find food, so they make their own. The process is called photosynthesis (using sunlight to make sugar). Although it sounds like magic, it is a set of chemical steps that happen mostly in leaves.
First, a plant takes in carbon dioxide from the air through tiny openings. It also pulls water up from the soil through its roots. Inside the leaf, a green substance called chlorophyll captures light energy. This energy helps the plant combine carbon dioxide and water into sugar.
Sugar is important because it stores energy. The plant can use that energy to grow new leaves, build roots, or produce flowers. Some of the sugar may be stored for later, like saving money in a bank. In addition, oxygen is released during photosynthesis, which is one reason animals can breathe.
However, photosynthesis does not happen equally fast all the time. If a plant does not get enough light or water, the process slows. Temperature also matters, because chemical reactions often work best within a certain range. When conditions improve, photosynthesis can increase again.
Scientists measure photosynthesis to understand ecosystems, which are communities of living things and their environment. When plants make more sugar, they can support more insects and animals. Consequently, a change in sunlight or rainfall can affect many living things, not just the plants.
Which detail best supports the idea that photosynthesis affects more than just plants?
Answer: Oxygen is released during photosynthesis, which is one reason animals can breathe.
The claim you must support is that photosynthesis affects more than just plants. The best answer explains that oxygen is released during photosynthesis, and that this oxygen is one reason animals can breathe. That directly connects the process to living things beyond the plant itself.
The temperature choice sounds broad, but the passage says temperature affects the chemical reactions of photosynthesis in the plant, not reactions inside animals, so it misstates the text. The choice about plants not walking talks only about how a plant feeds itself; it does not show any effect on other living things, and the passage never says nearby animals make their own sugar. The carbon dioxide choice describes something the plant takes IN to run photosynthesis; even though it mentions animals breathing out, it explains an ingredient the plant uses, not an effect the process has on others. Only the oxygen detail shows photosynthesis reaching beyond the plant, so it is the single best answer.
- Based on the passage, what can you infer about the settlers' early farming attempts?
Answer: They struggled at first because they used farming methods that did not fit the rainy, coastal land.
The passage says the newcomers planted crops that needed dry fields, but heavy rain flooded the rows for several hard seasons. From this you can infer their first methods did not fit the wet, coastal land, which is the correct answer. The choice about surviving mostly by fishing is wrong because the passage shows they kept farming and later learned to grow food in new ways. The choice about copying raised mounds right away is wrong because they only learned that method after watching local communities through several hard seasons. The choice about good harvests from the start is wrong because the passage says the soil, rain, and seasons were different, so their old methods did not work well.
- As used in paragraph 2, what does the word proposal mean?
Answer: An idea offered so that others can think it over.
In paragraph 2, a proposal is what a person suggests after noticing a problem, such as unsafe crosswalks. It is an early idea shared so others can consider it, which matches the choice about an idea offered for others to think over. The choice about an argument two lawmakers cannot settle describes a disagreement, but a proposal is a plan, not a fight. The choice about a finished rule people must follow describes a law, which comes at the very end of the process, not the beginning where a proposal starts. The choice about money the government asks people to pay describes a payment or tax, which has nothing to do with suggesting a plan. Only one choice fits the meaning of an idea put forward for others to weigh.
- As used in paragraph 3, what does the word returns most nearly mean?
Answer: Goes back or gives back.
In "This returns nutrients to the water and mud," decomposers give the nutrients back to the pond so plants can use them again, so "returns" means gives back. Choice B matches that, so it is correct. Choice A is about a reward, Choice C is about refusing, and Choice D is about spinning, none of which fits giving nutrients back.
- According to the passage, what made migration more difficult for some monarch butterflies?
Answer: Forests and other habitats along the route were reduced, leaving fewer places to rest.
The passage says homes along the route may be lost when forests are cut down, which leaves fewer resting spots and makes the trip harder. Choice C matches that, so it is correct. Choice A changes the season, Choice B blames scientists, and Choice D says monarchs stopped using the Sun, none of which the passage states.
