Question 1: What is the primary purpose of the First Amendment?

• The right to a fair trial
• Protection from unreasonable searches
• Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition (Correct answer)
• The right to bear arms

Correct answer: Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition

The First Amendment protects five fundamental freedoms: speech, religion, press, peaceful assembly, and petitioning the government.

Question 2: A student reads an article claiming that a new study proves a certain food cures disease. What critical thinking question should the student ask?

• How long is the article?
• Who conducted the study, how large was it, and has it been replicated by other researchers? (Correct answer)
• Does the article have an interesting title?
• Is the article well-illustrated with pictures?

Correct answer: Who conducted the study, how large was it, and has it been replicated by other researchers?

Critical readers evaluate studies by asking about the researchers, sample size, and whether findings have been confirmed by independent research.

Question 3: What does it mean if a student scores at 'Level 5 – Exceeded Expectations' on CMAS?

• The student performed below grade level
• The student's score was invalid
• The student demonstrated advanced mastery beyond grade-level expectations (Correct answer)
• The student met minimum requirements only

Correct answer: The student demonstrated advanced mastery beyond grade-level expectations

Level 5 – Exceeded Expectations indicates the student demonstrated performance well above grade-level standards.

Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a fact rather than an opinion?

• The Colorado River originates in Rocky Mountain National Park. (Correct answer)
• Winter in Colorado is better than summer.
• Colorado is the most beautiful state in the U.S.
• Denver is the best city to live in the country.

Correct answer: The Colorado River originates in Rocky Mountain National Park.

A fact is something that can be verified with evidence; the origin of the Colorado River is a verifiable geographic fact.

Question 5: What is the minimum age to vote in U.S. federal elections?

• 18 (Correct answer)
• 16
• 21
• 25

Correct answer: 18

The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 for all federal, state, and local elections.

Question 6: Bruno the Bear <br> From A Bond of Love <br> I WILL begin with Bruno; my wife’s pet sloth bear. I got him for her by an accident. Two years ago we were passing through the cornfields near a small town in Iowa. People were driving away the wild pigs from the fields by shooting at them. Some were shot and some escaped. We thought that everything was over when suddenly a black sloth bear came out panting in the hot sun. <br> Now I will not shoot a sloth bear wantonly but unfortunately for the poor beast, one of my companions did not feel the same way about it, and promptly shot the bear on the spot. <br> As we watched the fallen animal we were surprised to see that the black fur on its back moved and left the prostrate body. Then we saw it was a baby bear that had been riding on its mother’s back when the sudden shot had killed her. The little creature ran around its prostrate parent making a pitiful noise. <br> <br> I ran up to it to attempt a capture. It scooted into the sugarcane field. Following it with my companions, I was at last able to grab it by the scruff of its neck while it snapped and tried to scratch me with its long, hooked claws.We put it in one of the large jute-bags we had brought and when I got back home I duly presented it to my wife. She was delighted! She at once put a blue colored ribbon around its neck, and after discovering the cub was a ‘boy’ she christened it Bruno. <br> <br> Bruno soon took to drinking milk from a bottle. It was but a step further and within a very few days he started eating and drinking everything else. And everything is the right word, for he ate porridge made from any ingredients, vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat (especially pork), curry and rice regardless of condiments and chilies, bread, eggs, chocolates, sweets, pudding, ice-cream, etc., etc., etc. As for drink: milk, tea, coffee, limejuice, aerated water, buttermilk, beer, alcoholic liquor and, in fact, anything liquid. It all went down with relish. <br> <br> The bear became very attached to our two dogs and to all the children living in and around our farm. He was left quite free in his younger days and spent his time in playing, running into the kitchen and going to sleep in our beds. <br> <br> One day an accident befell him. I put down poison (barium carbonate) to kill the rats and mice that had got into my library. Bruno entered the library as he often did, and ate some of the poison. Paralysis set in to the extent that he could not stand on his feet. But he dragged himself on his stumps to my wife, who called me. I guessed what had happened. Off I rushed him in the car to the vet’s residence. A case of poisoning! Tame Bear—barium carbonate—what to do? <br> <br> Out came his medical books, and a feverish reference to index began: “What poison did you say, sir?” he asked “Barium carbonate” I said. “Ah yes—B—Ba—Barium Salts—Ah! Barium carbonate! Symptoms— paralysis—treatment—injections of . .. Just a minute, sir. I’ll bring my syringe and the medicine.” Said the doc. I dashed back to the car. Bruno was still floundering about on his stumps, but clearly he was weakening rapidly; there was some vomiting, he was breathing heavily, with heaving flanks and gaping mouth. I was really scared and did not know what to do. I was feeling very guilty and was running in and out of the vet’s house doing everything the doc asked me. <br> <br> Hold him, everybody! In goes the hypodermic—Bruno squeals — 10 c.c. of the antidote enters his system without a drop being wasted. Ten minutes later: condition unchanged! Another 10 c.c. Injected! Ten minutes later: breathing less torturous— Bruno can move his arms and legs a little although he cannot stand yet. Thirty minutes later: Bruno gets up and has a great feed! He looks at us disdainfully, as much as to say, ‘What’s barium carbonate to a big black bear like me?’ Bruno was still eating. I was really happy to see him recover. <br> <br> The months rolled on and Bruno had grown many times the size he was when he came. He had equaled the big dogs in height and had even outgrown them. But was just as sweet, just as mischievous, just as playful. And he was very fond of us all. Above all, he loved my wife, and she loved him too! And he could do a few tricks, too. At the command, ‘Bruno, wrestle’, or ‘Bruno, box,’ he vigorously tackled anyone who came forward for a rough and tumble. Give him a stick and say ‘Bruno, hold gun’, and he pointed the stick at you. Ask him, ‘Bruno, where’s baby?’ and he immediately produced and cradled affectionately a stump of wood which he had carefully concealed in his straw bed. But because of the neighborhoods’ and our renters’ children, poor Bruno, had to be kept chained most of the time. <br> <br> Then my son and I advised my wife, and friends advised her too, to give Bruno to the zoo. He was getting too big to keep at home. After some weeks of such advice she at last consented. Hastily, and before she could change her mind, a letter was written to the curator of the zoo. Did he want a tame bear for his collection? He replied, “Yes”. The zoo sent a cage in a truck, a distance of hundred – eighty – seven miles, and Bruno was packed off. <br> <br> We all missed him greatly; but in a sense we were relieved. My wife was inconsolable. She wept and fretted. For the first few days she would not eat a thing. Then she wrote a number of letters to the curator. How was Bruno? Back came the replies, “Well, but fretting; he refuses food too.” After that, friends visiting the zoo were begged to make a point of seeing how Bruno was getting along. They reported that he was well but looked very thin and sad. All the keepers at the zoo said he was fretting. For three months I managed to restrain my wife from visiting the zoo. <br> Then she said one day, “I must see Bruno. Either you take me by car; or I will go myself by bus or train myself.” So I took her by car. <br> <br> Friends had conjectured that the bear would not recognize her. I had thought so too. But while she was yet some yards from his cage Bruno saw her and recognized her. He howled with happiness. She ran up to him, petted him through the bars, and he stood on his head in delight. For the next three hours she would not leave that cage. She gave him tea, lemonade, cakes, ice cream and what not. Then ‘closing time’ came and we had to leave. My wife cried bitterly; Bruno cried bitterly; even the hardened curator and the keepers felt depressed. As for me, I had reconciled myself to what I knew was going to happen next.<br> <br> “Oh please, sir,” she asked the curator, “may I have my Bruno back”? Hesitantly, he answered, “Madam, he belongs to the zoo and is Government property now. I cannot give away Government property. But if my boss, the superintendent agrees, certainly you may have him back.” <br> <br> There followed the return journey home and a visit to the superintendent’s office. A tearful pleading: “Bruno and I are both fretting for each other. Will you please give him back to me?” He was a kind-hearted man and consented. Not only that, but he wrote to the curator telling him to lend us a cage for transporting the bear back home. <br> Back we went to the zoo again, armed with the superintendent’s letter. Bruno was driven into a small cage and hoisted on top of the car; the cage was tied securely, and a slow and careful return journey back home was accomplished. <br> <br> Once home, a squad of workers were engaged for special work around our yard. An island was made for Bruno. It was twenty feet long and fifteen feet wide, and was surrounded by a dry moat, six feet wide and seven feet deep. A wooden box that once housed fowls was brought and put on the island for Bruno to sleep in at night. Straw was placed inside to keep him warm, and his ‘baby’, the gnarled stump, along with his ‘gun’, the piece of bamboo, both of which had been sentimentally preserved since he had been sent away to the zoo, were put back for him to play with. <br> In a few days the workers hoisted the cage on to the island and Bruno was released. He was delighted; standing on his hind legs, he pointed his ‘gun’ and cradled his ‘baby’. My wife spent hours sitting on a chair there while he sat on her lap. He was fifteen months old and pretty heavy too! <br> <br> The way my wife reaches the island and leaves it is interesting. I have tied a rope to the overhanging branch of a maple tree with a loop at its end. Putting one foot in the loop, she kicks off with the other, to bridge the six-foot gap that constitutes the width of the surrounding moat. The return journey back is made the same way. <br> <br> But who can say now that a sloth bear has no sense of affection, no memory and no individual characteristics? <br> <br> Question: What did Bruno do when he recognized the narrator's wife during her visit to the zoo?

• He howled with happiness, stood on his head in delight, and interacted with her through the bars. (Correct answer)
• He refused to eat and lay down quietly.
• He became angry and tried to break out of the cage.
• He ignored her and stayed in a corner.

Correct answer: He howled with happiness, stood on his head in delight, and interacted with her through the bars.

The passage explicitly describes Bruno's reaction upon seeing the narrator's wife at the zoo. It states, 'He howled with happiness. She ran up to him, petted him through the bars, and he stood on his head in delight.' This directly matches the actions detailed in option A, showing his immense joy and affection.

Question 7: A student is comparing two informational texts about water conservation. One says 'water usage has increased' and the other says 'water usage has decreased.' What should the student do first?

• Average the two claims to find the truth
• Check the date, source credibility, and specific data each article uses (Correct answer)
• Accept the first article read as the truth
• Ignore both articles and start over

Correct answer: Check the date, source credibility, and specific data each article uses

When sources conflict, examining publication dates, author credibility, and the specific data and methodology each uses helps determine which is more reliable.

Question 8: What forces are primarily responsible for keeping the globe floating in place over its base?

• Frictional force and electrical force
• Gravitational force and frictional force
• Gravitational force and magnetic force
• Magnetic force and gravitational force (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Magnetic force and gravitational force

For a globe to float (levitate) over its base, there must be an upward force counteracting the downward pull of gravity. This upward force is typically provided by magnetic repulsion from magnets within the base and the globe, balancing the gravitational force to keep it suspended in place.

Question 9: Which revision best improves the vague sentence: 'The environment is bad because of things people do'?

• People do bad things to the environment every day.
• The environment is very, very bad because of things.
• Human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation are causing environmental degradation. (Correct answer)
• The environment has problems because of humans.

Correct answer: Human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation are causing environmental degradation.

Replacing vague language with specific examples (fossil fuels, deforestation) makes the writing clearer and more informative.

Question 10: How are CMAS scores typically reported to families?

• Only shared with teachers, never with families
• Through a score report mailed home or sent through the school (Correct answer)
• Via a phone call from the principal
• Posted publicly on the school website

Correct answer: Through a score report mailed home or sent through the school

CMAS score reports are sent home through the school, showing students' performance levels and subscores.

Question 11: A scatter plot shows points generally moving from the lower-left to the upper-right. What type of correlation does this show?

• No correlation
• Negative correlation
• Inverse correlation
• Positive correlation (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Positive correlation

When both variables increase together, the scatter plot trends upward from left to right, indicating a positive correlation.

Question 12: What fraction of the total surveyed students play a sport?

• 3/5
• 1/3
• 7/15 (Correct answer)
• 2/7

Correct answer: 7/15

To determine the fraction of students who play a sport, one would need to sum the number of students who play a sport (including those who also play an instrument) from the provided table. If 70 out of the total 150 students play a sport, this simplifies to 70/150, which reduces to the fraction 7/15. This calculation directly leads to option B.

Question 13: The point (4, 3) is rotated 90 degrees clockwise about the origin. What are the coordinates of the resulting point?

• (-4, 3)
• (-3, 4)
• (3, -4) (Correct answer)
• (4, -3)

Correct answer: (3, -4)

When a point (x, y) is rotated 90 degrees clockwise about the origin, the transformation rule is (x, y) → (y, -x). Applying this rule to the given point (4, 3), the new x-coordinate becomes the original y-coordinate (3), and the new y-coordinate becomes the negative of the original x-coordinate (-4). Therefore, the resulting coordinates are (3, -4).

Question 14: Which type of writing asks students to explain a topic clearly using facts and examples, without taking a personal stance?

• Persuasive writing
• Narrative writing
• Argumentative writing
• Informative/explanatory writing (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Informative/explanatory writing

Informative/explanatory writing presents facts and explanations about a topic without expressing a personal opinion.

Question 15: Which branch of the U.S. government is responsible for making laws?

• Administrative
• Executive
• Legislative (Correct answer)
• Judicial

Correct answer: Legislative

The Legislative Branch, consisting of Congress (Senate and House of Representatives), is responsible for creating federal laws.

Question 16: Which geographic feature is most commonly associated with the location of early civilizations?

• Mountains
• Deserts
• Plains
• Rivers (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Rivers

Early civilizations, such as those in Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China, typically developed along major river valleys. Rivers provided essential resources like fertile soil for agriculture, water for irrigation and drinking, and transportation routes, which were crucial for the growth and sustenance of large populations.

Question 17: What was the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation?

• It freed enslaved people in Confederate states.
• It established the first public schools.
• It granted women the right to vote.
• It ended the Civil War.

The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states (states in rebellion against the Union) were free. While it did not immediately free all enslaved people, it shifted the focus of the Civil War to include the abolition of slavery and paved the way for the 13th Amendment.

Question 18: Which organization develops and oversees the CMAS assessments?

• The U.S. Department of Education
• ACT Inc.
• The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) (Correct answer)
• The College Board

Correct answer: The Colorado Department of Education (CDE)

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is responsible for developing, administering, and overseeing CMAS.

Question 19: How is the CMAS assessment primarily delivered to students?

• Oral examination only
• Computer-based testing (Correct answer)
• Portfolio review
• Paper and pencil only

Correct answer: Computer-based testing

CMAS is a computer-based assessment, though paper accommodations exist for students with specific needs.

Question 20: What does CMAS stand for?

• Comprehensive Multi-Assessment System
• Colorado Math and Arts Standards
• Colorado Mastery and Achievement Standards
• Colorado Measures of Academic Success (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Colorado Measures of Academic Success

CMAS stands for Colorado Measures of Academic Success, the state's standardized testing program.

Question 21: Which of the following is a primary source of historical information?

• An encyclopedia entry on World War II
• A documentary film about World War II
• A diary written by a soldier during World War II (Correct answer)
• A textbook summarizing World War II

Correct answer: A diary written by a soldier during World War II

A primary source is a firsthand account or original material from the time period being studied. A diary written by someone who directly experienced World War II offers an immediate, unfiltered perspective of events as they happened. Textbooks, documentaries, and encyclopedias are secondary sources, as they interpret or summarize primary information.

Question 22: Which of the following amendments to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery?

• The 15th Amendment
• The 19th Amendment
• The 13th Amendment (Correct answer)
• The 14th Amendment

Correct answer: The 13th Amendment

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1865, formally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude throughout the United States, except as a punishment for a crime. This amendment was a direct result of the Civil War and a monumental step towards civil rights, making it the correct answer.

Question 23: What is the primary cause of population growth along Colorado's Front Range corridor (Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs)?

• Discovery of new oil and gas reserves in urban areas
• Federal government relocation of agencies to Colorado
• Agricultural expansion and farming opportunities
• Access to outdoor recreation, a growing tech industry, and quality of life (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Access to outdoor recreation, a growing tech industry, and quality of life

Colorado's Front Range has grown rapidly due to its combination of outdoor recreation access, a booming technology and aerospace industry, and high quality of life.

Question 24: Which grades in Colorado are required to take the CMAS assessments?

• Grades 6–12
• Grades K–4
• Grades 1–5
• Grades 3–8 and 11 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Grades 3–8 and 11

CMAS is administered to students in grades 3–8 and grade 11 across Colorado.

Question 25: What was the primary purpose of the Voyager 2 mission as indicated by its trajectory through the solar system?

• To search for extraterrestrial life
• To establish a permanent base on Mars
• To map the entire solar system
• To study the outer planets and their moons (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To study the outer planets and their moons

Voyager 2 was specifically designed and launched to conduct a 'grand tour' of the outer solar system. Its unique trajectory allowed it to visit all four gas giants—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—providing unprecedented data and images of these planets and their numerous moons, fulfilling its primary purpose of studying the outer planets.

Question 26: Which of the following is a true statement?

• The above passage summarizes the fall weather.
• The above passage explains how and why the leaves change colors in fall. (Correct answer)
• The above passage is all about weather.
• The above passage is science fiction.

Correct answer: The above passage explains how and why the leaves change colors in fall.

Given the correct answer, the missing passage must have detailed the scientific process of how and why leaves change colors during the autumn season. It would likely explain the role of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanins, and how environmental factors influence these changes. This makes option C the most accurate summary of such a passage's content.

Question 27: Which of the following adverbs fits best in the blank in this sentence? <br> <br> My uncle’s computer which was made in 1987 connects _______________ to the Internet.

• slowly (Correct answer)
• fast
• angrily
• quickly

Correct answer: slowly

The computer was made in 1987, which is a very old model by modern standards. Older computers typically have much slower internet connection speeds compared to contemporary devices. Therefore, the adverb 'slowly' best describes how such an outdated computer would connect to the Internet.

Question 28: What is this story about?

• about Sam’s mom’s birthday
• about Sam’s athletic ability
• about Sam’s predicament (Correct answer)
• about Sam’s dream

Correct answer: about Sam’s predicament

Given the correct answer, the story must have focused on a challenging or difficult situation that Sam was experiencing. A 'predicament' implies a troublesome or embarrassing situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself. Therefore, the narrative revolved around Sam's struggle with a particular problem.

Question 29: Which sentence best uses a precise, domain-specific vocabulary word in an informative essay about weather?

• The Category 4 hurricane made landfall, causing catastrophic storm surges along the coast. (Correct answer)
• The weather was not good that day.
• The storm was really big and caused lots of problems.
• There was a lot of rain and it was windy.

Correct answer: The Category 4 hurricane made landfall, causing catastrophic storm surges along the coast.

Using precise terms like 'Category 4 hurricane,' 'landfall,' and 'storm surges' demonstrates domain-specific vocabulary appropriate for informative writing.

Question 30: Which sentence contains a comma splice error?

• He ran quickly, however he missed the bus. (Correct answer)
• They arrived early; the seats were still available.
• She studied hard, and she passed the test.
• The dog barked, but the cat ignored it.

Correct answer: He ran quickly, however he missed the bus.

A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined only by a comma; 'however' requires a semicolon or period before it.

Question 31: In CMAS writing, what does 'elaboration' mean?

• Writing in all capital letters for emphasis
• Shortening paragraphs to one sentence each
• Developing ideas with details, examples, or explanations beyond a brief mention (Correct answer)
• Copying sentences directly from the source text

Correct answer: Developing ideas with details, examples, or explanations beyond a brief mention

Elaboration means expanding on an idea with specific details, examples, or explanations to make the writing more complete and convincing.

Question 32: Which type of question requires students to drag and drop items, highlight text, or complete a table on CMAS?

• Technology-enhanced questions (Correct answer)
• Multiple choice questions
• True or false questions
• Essay questions

Correct answer: Technology-enhanced questions

Technology-enhanced questions (TEIs) use the computer interface for interactive responses like dragging, highlighting, or filling tables.

Question 33: In a CMAS research simulation task, why is it important to synthesize information from multiple sources?

• To show that you can identify and combine key ideas from different texts to support your response (Correct answer)
• To prove that all sources agree with each other
• To copy as much text as possible into your essay
• To avoid having to read each source completely

Correct answer: To show that you can identify and combine key ideas from different texts to support your response

Synthesizing multiple sources shows higher-order thinking by combining relevant ideas from different texts into a cohesive written response.

Question 34: In a pie chart, one sector represents 25% of the total. If the total is 200 students, how many students does that sector represent?

• 100
• 25
• 50 (Correct answer)
• 75

Correct answer: 50

25% of 200 = 0.25 × 200 = 50 students.

Question 35: What is the difference between a 'claim' and 'evidence' in argumentative writing?

• A claim is the writer's position; evidence is data or examples that support the claim (Correct answer)
• There is no difference; they mean the same thing
• A claim is a fact; evidence is an opinion
• A claim is a story; evidence is a summary

Correct answer: A claim is the writer's position; evidence is data or examples that support the claim

A claim states the writer's position or argument, while evidence provides facts, data, or examples that back up that claim.

Question 36: What is the significance of Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado?

• It marks the location of the first Colorado gold discovery
• It preserves ancient cliff dwellings built by the ancestral Puebloans (Correct answer)
• It was the site of Colorado's first railroad terminus
• It is home to Colorado's largest cattle ranch

Correct answer: It preserves ancient cliff dwellings built by the ancestral Puebloans

Mesa Verde National Park preserves the remarkable cliff dwellings built by the ancestral Puebloan people over 700 years ago.

Question 37: What was the main purpose of the Declaration of Independence?

• To outline the rights of citizens
• To propose a new constitution
• To declare the colonies' independence from Britain (Correct answer)
• To establish a new government

Correct answer: To declare the colonies' independence from Britain

The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, served as a formal statement by the American colonies asserting their right to be free and independent states. It articulated their grievances against King George III and formally severed their political ties with Great Britain, making its main purpose to declare independence.

Question 38: What principle explains why the falling magnets are pushed back up by the magnets at the bottom of the rod?

• Magnetic repulsion (Correct answer)
• Electrical force
• Friction
• Gravitational attraction

Correct answer: Magnetic repulsion

Magnets exert forces on each other, and when like poles (e.g., North-North or South-South) face each other, they repel, pushing each other apart. In this setup, the falling magnets are pushed back up because their poles align with the poles of the stationary magnets at the bottom of the rod in a way that causes magnetic repulsion.

Question 39: The population of California is approximately 3.7 x 10^7 people. The land area of California is approximately 1.6 x 10^5 square miles. Divide the population by the area to find the best estimate of the number of people per square mile in California.

• 24 people
• 240 people (Correct answer)
• 2,400 people
• 24,000 people

Correct answer: 240 people

To find the people per square mile, divide the population by the area: (3.7 x 10^7) / (1.6 x 10^5). Dividing the numerical parts gives approximately 3.7 / 1.6 ≈ 2.3125. Dividing the powers of ten gives 10^(7-5) = 10^2 = 100. Multiplying these results (2.3125 * 100) yields approximately 231.25, which is best estimated as 240 people per square mile.

Question 40: Which Native American peoples are indigenous to the Colorado Plateau and Great Plains regions of what is now Colorado?

• The Navajo and Apache
• The Iroquois and Mohawk
• The Cherokee and Seminole
• The Ute and Arapaho (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The Ute and Arapaho

The Ute people have lived in Colorado for thousands of years, and the Arapaho inhabited the eastern plains before European contact.

Question 41: Which performance level on CMAS indicates that a student has met grade-level expectations?

• Level 3 – Approached Expectations
• Level 4 – Met Expectations (Correct answer)
• Level 2 – Partially Met Expectations
• Level 1 – Did Not Yet Meet Expectations

Correct answer: Level 4 – Met Expectations

Level 4 – Met Expectations means the student demonstrated mastery of grade-level standards.

Question 42: What standards are the CMAS ELA and Math assessments aligned to?

• The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (Correct answer)
• The Colorado State Academic Standards only
• The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
• The National Curriculum Standards

Correct answer: The Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

CMAS ELA and Math are aligned to the Common Core State Standards, which Colorado adopted.

Question 43: How many senators does each U.S. state have in Congress?

• 2 (Correct answer)
• 3
• It varies by population
• 1

Correct answer: 2

Each state, regardless of population, has exactly 2 senators in the U.S. Senate, totaling 100 senators.

Question 44: Which region of Colorado is known as the 'breadbasket' due to its extensive agriculture, particularly wheat and cattle production?

• The Front Range
• The Eastern Plains (Correct answer)
• The San Juan Mountains
• The Western Slope

Correct answer: The Eastern Plains

Colorado's Eastern Plains region has fertile soils and is a major agricultural area producing wheat, corn, and supporting cattle ranching.

Question 45: Which of the following moons of Jupiter is the closest to the planet?

• Europa
• Io (Correct answer)
• Callisto
• Ganymede

Correct answer: Io

Io is the innermost of Jupiter's four largest moons, known as the Galilean moons. Its orbital distance is approximately 421,700 km from Jupiter's center, making it closer to the planet than Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, which orbit at progressively greater distances.

Question 46: Which measure of central tendency is most affected by an extreme outlier in a data set?

• Median
• Mean (Correct answer)
• Range
• Mode

Correct answer: Mean

The mean is calculated using all values, so a very large or small outlier will pull it significantly away from the center of the other data.

Question 47: Fictional Story: Bruno the Bear Bruno the Bear lived in a lush green forest filled with tall trees and sparkling streams. He was known for his big heart and love for adventure. One sunny day, Bruno decided to explore the other side of the forest. He packed some honey, his favorite snack, and set off on his journey. As he walked, Bruno met a wise old owl named Oliver. Oliver warned Bruno about a steep cliff that lay ahead. "Be careful, Bruno. The cliff can be dangerous if you get too close," he advised. Bruno thanked Oliver and continued on his way. After a while, Bruno reached the cliff. He peered over the edge and saw the beautiful valley below. However, he remembered Oliver's warning and decided to keep a safe distance. Instead, he found a path that led down to the valley safely. In the valley, Bruno discovered a sparkling river and a meadow full of colorful flowers. He spent the day playing and eating honey until the sun began to set. As he made his way back home, Bruno felt grateful for his adventure and the friends he had met along the way. Question: Who did Bruno meet during his adventure?

• A deer
• A fox
• A wise old owl (Correct answer)
• A rabbit

Correct answer: A wise old owl

The story clearly states, 'As he walked, Bruno met a wise old owl named Oliver.' This sentence directly identifies the character Bruno encountered during his journey. Therefore, a wise old owl is the correct answer.

Question 48: Which sentence from a text is an example of loaded language designed to persuade rather than inform?

• This reckless policy will devastate Colorado's hardworking families. (Correct answer)
• The study included 500 participants from five different states.
• Researchers observed a 12% decrease in test scores.
• The legislation was passed by the Colorado General Assembly in March.

Correct answer: This reckless policy will devastate Colorado's hardworking families.

Words like 'reckless' and 'devastate' are emotionally charged loaded language used to persuade the reader rather than present neutral facts.

Question 49: Curtains in theaters prevent sound waves from being reflected as echoes. Which model best explains why curtains prevent echoes?

• A ball thrown at a surface will hit with a greater force on a soft surface than on a hard surface.
• A ball thrown toward a surface will come in contact faster with a soft surface than with a hard surface.
• A ball rolled across a surface will roll more quickly on a hard surface than on a soft surface.
• A ball dropped on a surface will bounce more on a hard surface than on a soft surface. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A ball dropped on a surface will bounce more on a hard surface than on a soft surface.

Echoes occur when sound waves reflect off hard, smooth surfaces. Curtains are soft and absorbent, meaning they absorb sound energy rather than reflecting it. This is analogous to a ball bouncing less (or not at all) on a soft surface compared to a hard surface, where it would bounce significantly more, representing reflection.

Question 50: What does the term 'checks and balances' mean in the U.S. government?

• The government keeps financial records
• Only one branch controls the government
• Each branch has powers that limit the other branches (Correct answer)
• Citizens check on government spending

Correct answer: Each branch has powers that limit the other branches

Checks and balances means each of the three branches has powers to limit the other branches, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Question 51: A stem-and-leaf plot shows the following data: stem 4 with leaves 2, 5, 8 and stem 5 with leaves 1, 3. What is the median of this data set?

• 51
• 53
• 48 (Correct answer)
• 45

Correct answer: 48

The ordered data set is 42, 45, 48, 51, 53; the median (middle value) of 5 values is the 3rd value: 48.