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MCAS practice questions

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Question 1English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a story about a girl preparing to perform: "Maya felt her confidence ebb as she stepped onto the stage and saw how many people were in the audience." As used in the sentence, what does ebb mean?

  1. become louder
  2. grow stronger
  3. fade away Correct answer.
  4. stay steady

Explanation

Ebb means to fade or lessen over time. The sight of a large audience makes Maya's confidence shrink, so "fade away" is the meaning that fits the context.

Question 2English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

In a short story, Luis struggles to learn a skateboard trick. He falls many times, watches other skaters, and keeps practicing after school. By the end, he lands the trick once and smiles. Which statement best expresses a theme of the story?

  1. Winning matters more than effort.
  2. People should avoid trying new things.
  3. Skateboarding is safer than it looks.
  4. Practice can lead to improvement. Correct answer.

Explanation

A theme is a message about life that a story conveys. Luis improves after repeated practice, so the story suggests that effort and practice can help a person get better.

Question 3English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student wrote this sentence for a response to literature: "The reason the class chose the mural was because it showed the town's history." Which revision best removes redundant wording while keeping the original meaning?

  1. The reason the class chose the mural is it showed the town's history.
  2. The reason the class chose the mural was it showed the town's history, that is why.
  3. The class chose the mural because it showed the town's history. Correct answer.
  4. The class chose the mural, the reason was because it showed the town's history.

Explanation

The phrase "the reason ... was because" repeats the idea of cause; "because" alone already shows why the class chose the mural. The concise revision keeps the same meaning without redundancy.

Question 4English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a story: "When Mr. Alvarez opened the classroom door, the students were already seated, their notebooks open, and the usual morning chatter had been replaced by the soft rustle of pages." Which inference is best supported by the sentence?

  1. The students are angry with Mr. Alvarez.
  2. The students are ready for a task. Correct answer.
  3. The classroom is empty except for Mr. Alvarez.
  4. The morning bell has not yet rung.

Explanation

An inference is a conclusion based on details in the text. Seated students with open notebooks and quiet page-turning suggest that they are prepared for a lesson or assignment.

Question 5English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A town replaced some paved lots with rain gardens. The gardens contain soil and plants that soak up rainwater. During storms, they reduce the amount of polluted water that flows into nearby streams. The town also spends less on repairing flooded streets. What is the author's main purpose in this passage?

  1. to compare two different towns
  2. to explain how rain gardens help Correct answer.
  3. to tell an entertaining story about a town
  4. to persuade readers to plant only flowers

Explanation

The passage gives facts about how rain gardens absorb rainwater and reduce pollution and repair costs. Those details are meant to explain a practical benefit, not to tell a story or compare towns.

Question 6English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: "First, workers cut the wood into thin strips. Next, they soak the strips in water until they are soft. Then they weave the strips together. Finally, they let the woven piece dry in the sun." How is the paragraph mainly organized?

  1. problem and solution
  2. chronological order Correct answer.
  3. compare and contrast
  4. cause and effect

Explanation

The signal words "First," "Next," "Then," and "Finally" show steps in a process. That sequence of steps is chronological order.

Question 7English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a story: "The hallway was a river of students after the bell rang." What does the metaphor mainly suggest about the hallway?

  1. Students crowded and flowed through the hallway. Correct answer.
  2. The students were swimming in a race.
  3. The hallway was actually flooded with water.
  4. The bell made the hallway quieter.

Explanation

A metaphor compares two things without using "like" or "as." Calling the hallway a river suggests a large crowd moving in a steady, flowing way.

Question 8English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: "(1) Lena volunteered to care for the classroom plants over the summer. (2) She came every Tuesday, even when it was hot. (3) She watered each pot and removed dry leaves. (4) By September, the plants had grown taller and greener than before." Which sentence best supports the idea that Lena was dependable even when the task was inconvenient?

  1. sentence 3
  2. sentence 2 Correct answer.
  3. sentence 1
  4. sentence 4

Explanation

Dependable means reliable and consistent. Sentence 2 shows that Lena returned every Tuesday despite hot weather, which directly supports the idea that she kept her commitment when it was inconvenient.

Question 9English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A school newsletter states: "Our school should start classes at 9:00 a.m. because a survey of 20 students found that they felt tired during first period." Which statement best evaluates the strength of this argument?

  1. Students are the best judges of their own sleep schedules.
  2. Schools should never change their start times once they are set.
  3. A small survey of feelings cannot prove a later start helps. Correct answer.
  4. A survey of any size always provides reliable proof for a claim.

Explanation

A strong argument uses evidence that is relevant and sufficient. A survey of only 20 students about feeling tired does not establish that a later start time would improve learning or attendance.

Question 10English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: "When I first joined the gardening club, I thought pulling weeds was pointless. I complained about the dirt under my nails and watched the clock. Weeks later, I noticed a row of seedlings I had planted. I found myself arriving early to check them, and I stopped noticing the clock at all." Which sentence best shows that the narrator's attitude has changed?

  1. The narrator begins arriving early to check on seedlings she planted. Correct answer.
  2. The narrator decides that pulling weeds is still a pointless activity.
  3. The narrator joins the club only because a friend asks her to do it.
  4. The narrator complains about dirty hands and keeps watching the clock.

Explanation

A change in attitude is shown by behavior that contrasts with earlier feelings. Arriving early to check seedlings and losing track of time shows engagement, while the narrator first called the work pointless.

Question 11English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from an informational article about honeybees: "When the hive grew crowded, the colony would invariably split, with half the bees following a new queen." As it is used in the sentence, what does invariably most nearly mean?

  1. without exception Correct answer.
  2. only occasionally
  3. after a long delay
  4. by accident

Explanation

Invariably means "always" or "without exception," so the sentence describes a dependable pattern: whenever the hive grew crowded, the colony split. The other choices describe something rare, something delayed, or something unplanned, none of which matches a word signaling consistent repetition.

Question 12English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph about a neighborhood program: "Every Saturday, the basement of the community center fills with broken lamps, torn jackets, and wobbly chairs. Volunteers with tools help neighbors repair these items instead of throwing them away. Last year the group kept more than two tons of material out of the local landfill." What is the main idea of the paragraph?

  1. The town's landfill is filling up faster than officials expected.
  2. Volunteers at the community center prefer repair work to sewing projects.
  3. A weekend volunteer program helps residents repair and reuse household items. Correct answer.
  4. Community centers offer a variety of classes on Saturday mornings.

Explanation

The paragraph focuses on what happens every Saturday: volunteers fixing broken objects so neighbors can keep using them, with the landfill total offered as supporting evidence of the program's effect. That makes the program and its purpose the central idea, while the other choices name details or ideas the paragraph never states.

Question 13English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph from a science article: "Coastal dunes look permanent, but they are constantly rebuilt. Wind lifts dry sand from the beach and drops it against the first line of grass. Each buried blade slows the wind, so more sand settles and the dune grows taller. After a storm, the same process begins again." How is the information in this paragraph mainly organized?

  1. It explains a repeating chain of causes and their effects. Correct answer.
  2. It contrasts a dune in calm weather with a dune after a storm.
  3. It lists the steps a scientist follows to measure a dune.
  4. It states a problem and then proposes several solutions.

Explanation

Each sentence links an action to its result: wind lifts sand, grass slows wind, sand settles, and the dune grows, with the final sentence showing the cycle restarting. This linked sequence of causes and effects, not comparison, measurement, or problem solving, is the paragraph's organizing pattern.

Question 14English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a poem: "The wind complained at the window all night." What does the personification in this sentence most suggest about the wind?

  1. It made a steady, unsettled sound, like a voice. Correct answer.
  2. It was strong enough to loosen the window frame.
  3. It stopped blowing shortly after the sun went down.
  4. It carried the sound of someone speaking outside.

Explanation

Giving the wind the human action of complaining makes the sound seem ongoing, voice-like, and dissatisfied, and "all night" stresses that it continued. The figure of speech describes the quality of the sound rather than the wind's strength or how long the storm lasted.

Question 15English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student is editing a science report about tide pools. The draft contains this sentence: "The cluster of purple sea urchins cling to the rock during low tide." Which revision corrects the error in subject-verb agreement?

  1. The clusters of purple sea urchins clings to the rock during low tide.
  2. The cluster of purple sea urchins are clinging to the rock during low tide.
  3. The cluster of purple sea urchins clings to the rock during low tide. Correct answer.
  4. The cluster of purple sea urchins cling to the rocks during low tides.

Explanation

The simple subject is the singular noun "cluster"; the phrase "of purple sea urchins" merely describes it and does not change its number, so the verb must be the singular "clings." Choosing a verb by looking at the nearest noun is the error the other revisions either repeat or reverse.

Question 16English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student's essay on coral reefs includes this sentence: "When a diver touches a coral polyp, they can damage the reef." Which revision makes the pronoun's meaning clearest?

  1. When a diver touches a coral polyp, you can damage the reef.
  2. When a diver touches a coral polyp, it can damage the reef.
  3. When divers touch coral polyps, they can damage the reef. Correct answer.
  4. When a diver touches a coral polyp, they can damage it.

Explanation

In the original, "they" has no matching plural noun and could refer to the diver or the polyps. Making the subject plural ("divers") gives "they" one clear antecedent, so readers know who is doing the damage.

Question 17English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student wrote these two sentences about a robotics competition: "The robot's battery died in the final round. The team still cheered for its competitors." Which combined sentence uses punctuation and a conjunction correctly and keeps the original meaning?

  1. The robot's battery died in the final round, the team still cheered for its competitors.
  2. Even though the battery died in the final round, the team still cheered for its competitors. Correct answer.
  3. The robot's battery died in the final round; the team, still cheered for its competitors.
  4. The robot's battery died in the final round, so the team still cheered for its competitors.

Explanation

The two ideas contrast: losing the battery did not stop the team from cheering. "Even though" supplies that contrast and correctly attaches a dependent clause to an independent clause with a comma.

Question 18English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this excerpt from a novel: "For three weeks, Jonah carried the same library book in his backpack without opening it. On the due date he walked past the return slot twice before sliding the book in and hurrying away." What can a reader most reasonably infer about Jonah?

  1. He had read the book several times and was sorry to give it up.
  2. He felt uneasy about the book and was relieved to be rid of it. Correct answer.
  3. He had forgotten the due date until he saw the return slot.
  4. He hoped the librarian would notice him returning the book.

Explanation

Jonah avoids opening the book, hesitates at the slot, and then hurries off, a pattern that suggests discomfort with the book rather than enjoyment or pride. The inference rests on those three details working together, none of which supports the other choices.

Question 19English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A writer argues that the town should ban single-use plastic bags and supports the claim with this statement: "My neighbor used paper bags for a month and said they held more groceries." Which comment best explains why this evidence is weak?

  1. It relies on one shopper's report instead of evidence from many customers. Correct answer.
  2. It appeals to readers' emotions rather than to the writer's own experience.
  3. It gives exact numbers without explaining where they came from.
  4. It describes a problem without proposing any kind of solution.

Explanation

A single neighbor's month of bagging groceries is an anecdote, so it cannot show a pattern among shoppers in town. Strong evidence for a townwide policy would come from many users, measured comparisons, or data on bag performance and waste.

Question 20English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a memoir: "My grandfather was thrifty; he saved every rubber band that came into the house." A student wants to describe the same habit but with a disapproving tone. Which word best replaces "thrifty"?

  1. stingy Correct answer.
  2. generous
  3. practical
  4. careful

Explanation

"Thrifty" carries approval, suggesting wise management of money, while "stingy" carries disapproval, suggesting unwillingness to part with anything. Since the sentence must keep the same habit but change the tone, only the negative word fits.

Question 21English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from an article about a wildlife photographer: 'She was meticulous, checking the camera settings, the light meter, and the focus before every shot.' As used in the sentence, what does meticulous most nearly mean?

  1. eager to finish
  2. generous with time
  3. unsure of the plan
  4. careful about details Correct answer.

Explanation

Meticulous describes someone who pays close attention to small details. The sentence supports this meaning by listing several settings the photographer checked before each shot. The other choices describe speed, doubt, or generosity, none of which fits the context of careful preparation.

Question 22English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student drafting a narrative about a clean-up wrote this sentence: 'After the storm passed the crew inspected the bridge.' Which revision correctly punctuates the introductory clause?

  1. After the storm, passed the crew inspected the bridge.
  2. After the storm passed, the crew inspected the bridge. Correct answer.
  3. After the storm passed the crew, inspected the bridge.
  4. After the storm passed the crew inspected, the bridge.

Explanation

An introductory dependent clause should be followed by a comma before the main clause begins. In this sentence, the main clause is 'the crew inspected the bridge,' so the comma belongs after 'passed.' The other versions place the comma where it interrupts a phrase or separates the verb from its object.

Question 23English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: 'The town's old train station sat empty for years. Last spring, volunteers cleaned the waiting room and repaired the benches. A local bakery now sells bread there on Saturdays, and a reading group meets in the former ticket office on Wednesday nights. The station still has its original clock, but it no longer marks arrivals and departures; it marks the hours of a busy community space.' Which sentence best states the main idea of the paragraph?

  1. Volunteers repaired benches but could not clean the waiting room.
  2. The train station's clock is too old to keep accurate time.
  3. The bakery sells more bread on Saturdays than on weekdays.
  4. The old train station has been turned into a community space. Correct answer.

Explanation

The paragraph explains how an empty station became a place for a bakery and a reading group, so the main idea is its new community use. The clock detail supports that idea rather than stating it directly. The bakery and volunteer details are examples, not the overall point.

Question 24English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph about a bike shop: 'As the first customers entered, Theo kept his eyes on the chain he was repairing. His hands moved quickly, but he checked each link twice. When Mr. Ramos asked if the repair was ready, Theo wiped his hands and said, I want to test the brakes once more before you ride it.' Which inference about Theo is best supported by the paragraph?

  1. He dislikes working with customers.
  2. He has never repaired a bicycle before.
  3. He is careful and wants the repair to be safe. Correct answer.
  4. He wants Mr. Ramos to leave the shop.

Explanation

Theo checks each link twice and insists on testing the brakes before the bicycle is ridden, which shows care for safety. His quick hands suggest experience rather than inexperience. Nothing in the paragraph suggests dislike of customers or a wish for Mr. Ramos to leave.

Question 25English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph about beavers: 'Beavers build dams across streams. The dams slow the water and create ponds. These ponds give beavers deep water to hide in during winter. The ponds also trap sediment, which can improve water quality downstream. In these ways, a single beaver dam can change a whole watershed.' Which text structure does the paragraph mainly use?

  1. comparison and contrast
  2. chronological order
  3. cause and effect Correct answer.
  4. problem and solution

Explanation

The paragraph explains how beaver dams produce ponds, which in turn create hiding places and trap sediment. That chain of results is a cause-and-effect structure. It does not mainly compare two subjects, list events by time, or propose a solution to a stated problem.

Question 26English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: 'Our city should add more water fountains to public parks. On hot days, families often leave parks early because they cannot find a place to refill bottles. Adding fountains would keep people cool and reduce plastic waste. The cost of one fountain is small compared with the money the city spends on bottled water for its offices.' What is the author's main purpose in this paragraph?

  1. to explain how water fountains are built
  2. to compare parks in two different cities
  3. to persuade readers to support adding water fountains Correct answer.
  4. to entertain readers with a story about a park

Explanation

The author states that the city 'should' add fountains and gives reasons about health, waste, and cost. This language and structure aim to persuade readers to agree. The paragraph does not describe construction, tell a story, or compare two cities.

Question 27English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a student's humorous essay about a camping trip: 'By the time we reached the campsite, my backpack weighed a million pounds and my legs had turned to jelly.' What does the hyperbole mainly emphasize?

  1. The backpack contained exactly one million pounds.
  2. The student forgot to pack enough supplies.
  3. The student felt extremely tired and burdened. Correct answer.
  4. The student's legs were actually made of jelly.

Explanation

Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration used for effect, not a literal statement of fact. Saying the backpack weighed a million pounds and the legs turned to jelly emphasizes how exhausted and overloaded the hiker felt. The sentence does not provide information about packing supplies.

Question 28English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student wrote this sentence for a science report: 'The scientist who was studying the bats in the cave made a discovery that was important about how the bats navigate.' Which revision is most clear and concise?

  1. The scientist studying the bats in the cave made an important discovery about how the bats navigate. Correct answer.
  2. The scientist who was studying the bats in the cave made a discovery that was important about how the bats navigate.
  3. The scientist made an important discovery about how the bats navigate, and he was studying them in the cave.
  4. The bats in the cave were studied by a scientist and the discovery was important about navigation.

Explanation

The best revision removes wordy phrases such as 'who was' and 'that was important about' while keeping the meaning clear. It places 'important' directly before 'discovery' and keeps the information about the bats' navigation. The other choices are either unchanged, awkwardly passive, or less concise.

Question 29English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student wrote this paragraph for a letter to the school board: 'The school library should stay open one hour later on weekdays. Last year, the library closed at 4:00 p.m., and 30 students were still waiting for rides at 4:15 p.m. Many of those students wanted to use the computers for homework. If the library stayed open until 5:00 p.m., those students would have a safe place to work while they wait.' Which statement best explains why the evidence about the 30 students is relevant to the claim?

  1. It proves that all students stay after school every day.
  2. It shows that students were present after the current closing time and needed a place to work. Correct answer.
  3. It shows that the library owns computers students want to use.
  4. It explains why the library should close earlier on weekdays.

Explanation

The evidence is relevant because it connects the proposed later closing time to a real situation: students were still at school after 4:00 and wanted computers for homework. That supports the claim that a later closing would give them a safe place to work. The other statements either overstate the evidence or contradict the claim.

Question 30English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this excerpt from a short story: 'The recipe card was stained and soft at the corners. My mother read it aloud as I measured flour, just as her mother had read it to her. When I spilled the cinnamon, she laughed instead of scolding. For a moment, the kitchen held three generations: my grandmother's neat handwriting, my mother's voice, and my own uncertain hands.' Which sentence best explains how the last sentence contributes to the excerpt?

  1. It shifts the setting to the grandmother's house.
  2. It introduces a conflict between the narrator and the mother.
  3. It explains the exact measurements used in the recipe.
  4. It emphasizes the narrator's sense of connection to family tradition. Correct answer.

Explanation

The last sentence brings together the grandmother's handwriting, the mother's voice, and the narrator's hands, which shows a family tradition being passed down. This image emphasizes connection across generations rather than giving recipe details or creating conflict. The setting remains the kitchen, not the grandmother's house.

Question 31English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a nature journal: "The guide's notes were terse, listing only the date, the weather, and the name of each bird." In this sentence, what does terse mean?

  1. brief Correct answer.
  2. angry
  3. detailed
  4. confused

Explanation

Terse means using few words and getting straight to the point. The notes list only a few facts, so the word describes their shortness rather than the guide's mood or the amount of detail.

Question 32English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student revising a narrative for the MCAS ELA test has written this run-on sentence: "The stage lights flickered the actors froze." Which revision correctly separates the two independent clauses?

  1. The stage lights flickered and, the actors froze.
  2. The stage lights flickered; and the actors froze.
  3. The stage lights flickered, the actors froze on stage.
  4. The stage lights flickered, and the actors froze. Correct answer.

Explanation

Two independent clauses can be joined by a comma plus a coordinating conjunction such as and. A comma alone creates a comma splice, and a semicolon should not be followed by and in this simple two-clause sentence.

Question 33English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: "The school's unused courtyard now has six raised beds. Science classes test soil there, art students paint signs, and the cafeteria uses the herbs in Friday lunches. Volunteers water the beds before school." Which sentence best states the central idea?

  1. The courtyard now serves the whole school. Correct answer.
  2. Science classes test soil in the courtyard.
  3. The cafeteria serves herbs every Friday.
  4. Volunteers water the garden before school.

Explanation

The central idea must cover the whole paragraph, which describes science, art, cafeteria, and volunteer uses of the courtyard. The other choices name only one detail rather than the overall point.

Question 34English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this excerpt from a story: "Nia set three plates on the table, then put one back in the cupboard. She checked her phone, smoothed the tablecloth, and checked her phone again." What can the reader most likely infer about Nia?

  1. She has forgotten that dinner is already ready.
  2. She is angry that her family will be late.
  3. She expects a guest who may not arrive. Correct answer.
  4. She is cleaning the kitchen after a meal.

Explanation

Nia sets out three plates but removes one, then repeatedly checks her phone while preparing the table. These details suggest uncertainty about whether a third person will come, not anger or cleaning after a meal.

Question 35English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: "In 1900, most American homes had no electric washing machine. Families washed clothes by hand, heating water and scrubbing fabric on boards. By 1950, electric washers were common, and the weekly wash took far less time." Why does the author most likely include the details about 1900 and 1950?

  1. to compare washing machines made by different companies
  2. to show how a household task changed over time Correct answer.
  3. to persuade readers to buy a new washing machine
  4. to describe exactly how to wash clothes by hand

Explanation

The paragraph contrasts washing clothes by hand in 1900 with the common use of electric washers by 1950. That contrast shows historical change in a household chore rather than persuading readers or comparing brands.

Question 36English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student editing a science report wrote: "The list of supplies, including pencils and paper, were posted by the door." Which revision corrects the subject-verb agreement error?

  1. The list of supplies, including pencils and paper, are posted by the door.
  2. The list of supplies, including pencils and paper, were posted by the doors.
  3. The list of supplies, including pencils and paper, have been posted by the door.
  4. The list of supplies, including pencils and paper, was posted by the door. Correct answer.

Explanation

The subject is list, which is singular, so it requires the singular verb was. The phrase including pencils and paper is interrupting information and does not change the subject.

Question 37English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a story about a busy kitchen: "The kitchen was a beehive at noon, every cook moving in a different direction." What does the metaphor suggest about the kitchen?

  1. It is busy and full of motion. Correct answer.
  2. It is unusually quiet and empty.
  3. It is filled with bees.
  4. It is poorly organized and dirty.

Explanation

The metaphor compares the kitchen to a beehive, a place known for constant activity and movement. The phrase about cooks moving in different directions supports the idea of busy motion rather than actual bees or dirtiness.

Question 38English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: "The town should replace its old playground equipment. Last year, the equipment was repaired four times, and the repair bills totaled $18,000. A new playground would cost $60,000, but it would come with a ten-year warranty." Which statement best evaluates the argument's use of evidence?

  1. The argument fails because it does not name the company that made the equipment.
  2. The repair costs and warranty details give relevant support for the claim. Correct answer.
  3. The $60,000 cost proves that a new playground is impossible.
  4. The argument relies only on personal opinion about the playground.

Explanation

The argument uses repeated repair costs and a warranty to support the claim that replacing the equipment may be worthwhile. These details are relevant to the decision, even though the paragraph does not prove that every reader must agree.

Question 39English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: "Some desert plants open their flowers at night. The evening primrose, for example, releases a strong scent after sunset and is pollinated by moths. In contrast, the cactus flower opens during the day and attracts bees." How is the information in the paragraph mainly organized?

  1. by comparing two ways desert flowers attract pollinators Correct answer.
  2. by explaining why all desert plants bloom at night
  3. by listing the steps a moth takes to find a flower
  4. by describing the life cycle of a cactus from seed to flower

Explanation

The paragraph sets night-blooming evening primrose beside day-blooming cactus flower to show two different pollination strategies. The word contrast signals this comparison, while the other choices focus on details the paragraph does not develop.

Question 40English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this excerpt: "When the chess club lost its meeting room, Maya expected the members to quit. Instead, they moved their boards to the park, taught younger kids the rules, and kept meeting every Tuesday." Which statement best expresses a theme of the excerpt?

  1. A group can adapt when it faces a problem. Correct answer.
  2. Young children learn games quickly.
  3. Chess is a game that requires quiet places.
  4. Parks are better than meeting rooms for clubs.

Explanation

The club loses its room but finds a new place and even teaches younger children, showing adaptation to a problem. A theme should express a broader insight, not a narrow detail about chess, children, or parks.

Question 41English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: 'The Maplewood Robotics Club meets in the school's old storage room. Members sort donated motors, test broken circuit boards, and rebuild small machines from spare parts. Last month, the club turned a discarded wheelchair motor into a working conveyor belt for the art room.' Which statement best expresses the main idea of the paragraph?

  1. The art room needed a conveyor belt for clay projects.
  2. Donated motors are difficult to repair without instructions.
  3. Students in a robotics club give old parts new uses. Correct answer.
  4. The school's storage room is too small for club meetings.

Explanation

The paragraph as a whole describes club members sorting donated parts and rebuilding machines, and the conveyor belt is one example of that work. A main idea must cover the entire paragraph rather than a single detail or an idea the text does not state.

Question 42English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a story: 'Dev was reluctant to volunteer for the spelling bee, so he stood at the back of the room and hoped the teacher would not see him.' In this sentence, what does reluctant most nearly mean?

  1. hesitant Correct answer.
  2. confused
  3. eager
  4. prepared

Explanation

The sentence shows Dev standing at the back and hoping the teacher will not notice him, which signals hesitation rather than willingness. In this context, reluctant means hesitant or unwilling.

Question 43English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this notice from a community garden: 'The garden's seed library opens on Saturday. Visitors may take up to five packets of seeds for free. Please return seeds from your healthiest plants at the end of the season.' What is the main purpose of the notice?

  1. to entertain readers with a story about seeds
  2. to describe how a seed library was built
  3. to persuade readers to grow healthier plants
  4. to explain how a seed library works Correct answer.

Explanation

The notice gives practical information: when the seed library opens, how many packets visitors may take, and what return is expected. That makes its main purpose to explain how the seed library works.

Question 44English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this excerpt from a story: 'Mara set the table for four, then moved one plate back to the shelf. She checked the clock, smoothed the tablecloth, and checked the clock again. When the phone rang, she let it ring twice before answering.' What do Mara's actions most suggest about her?

  1. She is preparing for a celebration she dreads.
  2. She is anxious about someone's arrival. Correct answer.
  3. She is hoping guests will arrive early.
  4. She is worried about a messy kitchen.

Explanation

Mara removes a plate, checks the clock repeatedly, and hesitates before answering the phone. These actions suggest nervous anticipation about someone's arrival rather than a messy kitchen or a dreaded party.

Question 45English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this sentence from a poem about a city at dawn: 'The streetlights blinked out one by one, and the sidewalks stretched and yawned.' What does the phrase 'the sidewalks stretched and yawned' most clearly suggest?

  1. The city is slowly waking up. Correct answer.
  2. The sidewalks are crowded with people.
  3. The city is unusually quiet at noon.
  4. The streetlights are too bright.

Explanation

The phrase gives sidewalks human actions, stretching and yawning, which is personification. At dawn, that image suggests the city is gradually waking.

Question 46English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: 'The old stone bridge was strong but narrow, so trucks often had to wait. The new steel bridge has wider lanes and can hold heavier loads, but it cost far more to build. Town engineers say both bridges have helped the town, though in different ways.' How is the paragraph mainly organized?

  1. as a cause followed by its most important effect
  2. as a problem followed by a single solution
  3. as a sequence of events in the order they happened
  4. as a comparison of two bridges' strengths and drawbacks Correct answer.

Explanation

The paragraph presents the old bridge and the new bridge and weighs each one's advantages and drawbacks. That organization is comparison, not a sequence, a single solution, or a simple cause and effect.

Question 47English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this opening from a story: 'My brother thinks the tree house is a castle. To me, it is a workshop. He brings a cardboard sword; I bring a hammer and a jar of nails. We agree on only one rule: nobody uses the rope ladder without telling the other.' Who is telling the story, and how does that point of view shape it?

  1. The narrator is a neighbor, so readers learn about the brothers from outside.
  2. The brother tells it, so readers see only his view of the tree house.
  3. An outside narrator tells it, so readers know both brothers equally.
  4. The narrator is the hammer-carrying sibling, so readers get that view. Correct answer.

Explanation

The pronouns My and I identify a first-person narrator, and the speaker calls the tree house 'a workshop' while the brother calls it 'a castle.' Readers therefore get the hammer-carrying sibling's perspective.

Question 48English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph: 'The town's bus route used to end at the river. After the new footbridge opened, riders asked for a stop on the far side. The transit office tested a longer route for three months. Ridership rose, but the buses often ran late. This fall, the town will add one bus and keep the longer route.' Which sentence best summarizes the paragraph?

  1. Bus riders complained about late buses during the three-month test.
  2. A new footbridge was built across the river so pedestrians could cross.
  3. The longer route will continue with an added bus. Correct answer.
  4. The transit office tested many possible routes before choosing one.

Explanation

A summary should state the paragraph's central development: the route was extended, tested, and will continue with an added bus. The other choices are supporting details or minor events.

Question 49English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

Read this paragraph from a profile of a lighthouse keeper: 'Each evening, Keeper Alva climbed the ninety steps, trimmed the wick, and wrote the same line in the log: All is well. Some nights fog hid the sea. Some nights wind shook the glass. Still the line appeared, steady as the beam.' The author repeats 'All is well' mainly to -

  1. emphasize the keeper's steady reliability Correct answer.
  2. suggest the weather is always calm
  3. prove the lighthouse is newly built
  4. show that the keeper dislikes writing

Explanation

The repeated line stays the same even when fog hides the sea and wind shakes the glass, so the repetition stresses the keeper's dependable routine. It does not suggest dislike of writing, calm weather, or a new lighthouse.

Question 50English Language Arts (Grades 3-8 and Grade 10)

A student drafting a report for an MCAS ELA response wrote these sentences: 'The mural covers the gym wall. It was painted by art students. It shows scenes from the town's history.' Which revision best combines the sentences without changing their meaning?

  1. The mural covers the gym wall, and it was painted by art students, and it shows scenes from town history.
  2. Painted by art students, the mural covering the gym wall shows scenes from the town's history. Correct answer.
  3. The gym wall, painted by art students, shows the mural's scenes from the town's history.
  4. Painted by art students, the gym wall covers the mural showing scenes from the town's history.

Explanation

The best revision uses the participial phrase 'Painted by art students' to modify 'the mural,' and it keeps all three original ideas: the mural covers the wall, students painted it, and it shows town history. The other revisions either misplace the modifier or produce wordy, unclear sentences.