ISASP — Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress — Questions and Answers

Question 1: In ISASP writing, what is the function of a 'concluding paragraph'?

To restate the main idea, synthesize key points, and leave the reader with a final thought (Correct answer)
To introduce a brand-new argument not discussed in the essay
To list all evidence used in the body paragraphs
To ask the reader a series of open-ended questions

Correct answer: To restate the main idea, synthesize key points, and leave the reader with a final thought

A concluding paragraph wraps up the essay by restating the thesis in new words, synthesizing key points, and leaving the reader with a meaningful final thought.

Question 2: Which grades in Iowa are required to take the ISASP?

Only grades 4, 8, and 10
Grades K through 5 only
Grades 3 through 11 (Correct answer)
Grades 6 through 12 only

Correct answer: Grades 3 through 11

Iowa requires students in grades 3–11 to participate in the ISASP annually.

Question 3: What does it mean to 'evaluate the credibility of a source' in ISASP informational reading tasks?

See if the source was published recently
Check how many pages the source contains
Determine if the source has colorful graphics
Assess whether the source is trustworthy based on authorship, evidence, bias, and publication (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Assess whether the source is trustworthy based on authorship, evidence, bias, and publication

Credibility evaluation considers who wrote the source, their expertise, potential bias, and whether claims are supported by evidence.

Question 4: A data set has values 4, 7, 7, 9, 13. What is the mean?

10
8 (Correct answer)
7
9

Correct answer: 8

Mean = (4 + 7 + 7 + 9 + 13) ÷ 5 = 40 ÷ 5 = 8.

Question 5: In ISASP Reading, what does it mean to 'summarize' a passage?

Briefly restate the most important ideas in your own words, leaving out minor details (Correct answer)
Copy the first and last paragraph word for word
Describe your personal reaction to the text
List every event that happened in order

Correct answer: Briefly restate the most important ideas in your own words, leaving out minor details

Summarizing means restating only the key ideas of a text in your own words, omitting supporting details and personal opinions.

Question 6: Which type of writing task on the ISASP requires students to analyze a topic using information from multiple sources?

Creative fiction writing
Personal narrative writing
Informative/explanatory writing (Correct answer)
Descriptive poetry writing

Correct answer: Informative/explanatory writing

Informative/explanatory writing requires students to research and synthesize information from multiple sources to explain a topic clearly and accurately.

Question 7: Which famous political tradition makes Iowa nationally important every four years?

The Iowa State Fair, which serves as the official start of the presidential campaign season
The Iowa Caucuses, which traditionally hold the first presidential primary contest in the nation (Correct answer)
Iowa's role as the first state to certify presidential election results
Iowa holds the first U.S. Senate elections every presidential cycle

Correct answer: The Iowa Caucuses, which traditionally hold the first presidential primary contest in the nation

The Iowa Caucuses are traditionally the first major event of the U.S. presidential nomination process, giving Iowa outsized national political influence every four years.

Question 8: The Louisiana Purchase (1803) was significant because it:

Established the Mexican border at the Rio Grande
Roughly doubled the size of the United States by acquiring land from France (Correct answer)
Granted statehood to Texas and California
Ended the War of 1812 with Britain

Correct answer: Roughly doubled the size of the United States by acquiring land from France

President Jefferson purchased approximately 828,000 square miles of land from France, vastly expanding U.S. territory westward.

Question 9: A carton holds a dozen eggs. How many eggs does the carton contain if it is one-third full?

3
6
4 (Correct answer)
9

Correct answer: 4

Explanation: If the carton is 1/3 full of eggs and it holds a dozen eggs, it means there are 1/3 of 12 eggs in the carton. 1/3 x 12 = 4. So, there are 4 eggs in the carton.

Question 10: How does the electoral college work in U.S. presidential elections?

Congress directly selects the President
Citizens vote for electors who then officially cast votes for President on behalf of their state (Correct answer)
The popular vote winner always becomes President
State governors choose the President

Correct answer: Citizens vote for electors who then officially cast votes for President on behalf of their state

Voters elect state electors who then vote for President, with most states awarding all electoral votes to the popular vote winner in that state.

Question 11: On the ISASP, when analyzing a literary text, what does 'point of view' refer to?

The setting where the story takes place
The theme introduced in the final paragraph
The conflict between two characters
The perspective from which the story is narrated (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The perspective from which the story is narrated

Point of view refers to who is telling the story — first person (I/we), second person (you), or third person (he/she/they) — and how that affects what the reader knows.

Question 12: Which property of light is demonstrated when a prism separates white light into a rainbow of colors?

Reflection
Absorption
Refraction and dispersion (Correct answer)
Diffraction

Correct answer: Refraction and dispersion

A prism refracts (bends) light, and since different wavelengths bend at slightly different angles, white light disperses into its component colors.

Question 13: On the ISASP, why is it helpful to read a question before reading the accompanying passage?

So you know what information to look for while reading the passage (Correct answer)
So you can skip sections of the passage that seem unrelated
Because questions always appear at the top of the passage
Reading the question first is never recommended on standardized tests

Correct answer: So you know what information to look for while reading the passage

Reading the question first helps you read the passage purposefully, knowing what information you need to find rather than trying to remember everything.

Question 14: What does it mean to 'make an inference' on the ISASP Reading assessment?

Count the number of paragraphs in the text
Copy a sentence word-for-word from the text
Reach a conclusion based on evidence and reasoning, even if not directly stated (Correct answer)
Identify the genre of the passage

Correct answer: Reach a conclusion based on evidence and reasoning, even if not directly stated

Making an inference means using clues from the text combined with prior knowledge to draw a logical conclusion not explicitly stated.

Question 15: What was the significance of the Black Hawk War (1832) for Iowa's history?

It resulted in Iowa becoming a French territory again after a brief American occupation
It led to the forced removal of the Sauk and other Native American tribes from the region, opening Iowa's land to American settlement (Correct answer)
It was a war between Iowa settlers and Wisconsin farmers over land boundaries
It established Iowa as a neutral territory where Native Americans and settlers shared land equally

Correct answer: It led to the forced removal of the Sauk and other Native American tribes from the region, opening Iowa's land to American settlement

The Black Hawk War of 1832 ended with the forced removal of the Sauk leader Black Hawk and his people, opening the east bank of the Mississippi River — including Iowa — to rapid American settlement.

Question 16: When the ISASP asks about 'text structure,' what are students expected to identify?

Whether the text uses rhyme or rhythm
The number of sentences per paragraph
How the author organizes information (e.g., cause-effect, compare-contrast, sequence) (Correct answer)
The font size and layout of the page

Correct answer: How the author organizes information (e.g., cause-effect, compare-contrast, sequence)

Text structure refers to the organizational pattern an author uses, such as chronological order, cause and effect, problem and solution, or compare and contrast.

Question 17: A primary source is best described as:

An original diary written by a Civil War soldier (Correct answer)
A documentary film about a historical period
An encyclopedia entry about the Civil War
A textbook that summarizes historical events

Correct answer: An original diary written by a Civil War soldier

A primary source is an original, firsthand document or artifact created during the time being studied, such as a diary written by someone who experienced the events.

Question 18: When taking research notes, a student should:

Record key ideas and important details in their own words, noting the source (Correct answer)
Write down only the page numbers to look up later
Copy full paragraphs from sources to remember them exactly
Memorize the information and write nothing down

Correct answer: Record key ideas and important details in their own words, noting the source

Effective note-taking involves recording key ideas in your own words and noting the source so you can properly cite it and avoid plagiarism later.

Question 19: Students created an experiment to investigate what happens to water when it freezes. They filled multiple plastic containers of the same size with 50 milliliters (mL) of pure water. They placed each container in the freezer after covering it. Once the water became frozen, they measured the amount of ice present in each container. After taking his container out of the freezer, a student left it open under a sunny window. What did the student most likely see in the container the next school day, assuming it was undisturbed?

58 mL of ice
None of the above
49 mL of liquid water (Correct answer)
55 mL of ice

Correct answer: 49 mL of liquid water

Explanation: Leaving the container uncovered in a sunny window would likely lead to some of the ice melting due to the warmth of the sunlight. Since the original volume of water was 50 mL, the student would most likely observe 49 mL of liquid water remaining in the container the following school day.

Question 20: In a year, ABC Apparel sold 19,824 T-shirts. What is the monthly average of T-shirt sales for the company?

1,652 (Correct answer)
565
1,569
644

Correct answer: 1,652

Explanation: To find the average number of T-shirts sold per month, divide the total number of T-shirts sold (19,824) by the number of months (12).

Question 21: What does the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protect?

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

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

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

Question 22: In a pie chart showing percentages, what must all the sections add up to?

200%
50%
100% (Correct answer)
Any number depending on the data

Correct answer: 100%

A pie chart represents a whole divided into parts, so all sections must together equal 100% of the whole.

Question 23: In which phase of matter do particles have the most kinetic energy and move freely in all directions?

Solid
Plasma
Gas (Correct answer)
Liquid

Correct answer: Gas

Gas particles have the highest kinetic energy and move rapidly and randomly in all directions with large spaces between them.

Question 24: What does the Latin root 'bene-' mean in words like 'benefit,' 'benevolent,' and 'benefactor'?

Against or opposed
Good or well (Correct answer)
Large or great
Below or under

Correct answer: Good or well

The Latin root 'bene-' means 'good' or 'well,' which is why words like 'benefit' (a good result) and 'benevolent' (wishing good to others) share positive meanings.

Question 25: Which expression is equivalent to 5(x + 3)?

5x + 3
5x + 8
x + 15
5x + 15 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 5x + 15

Using the distributive property: 5·x + 5·3 = 5x + 15.

Question 26: On the ISASP, what literary device is used when an author gives human qualities to a non-human subject?

Alliteration
Personification (Correct answer)
Simile
Flashback

Correct answer: Personification

Personification is a literary device in which human qualities, emotions, or behaviors are attributed to animals, objects, or abstract ideas.

Question 27: What is Iowa's state nickname, and why is it fitting?

The Gateway State, because Iowa served as the gateway to the American West
The Prairie State, because Iowa is almost entirely covered in flat prairie
The Corn State, because Iowa produces more corn than any other state
The Hawkeye State, named in honor of Black Hawk, a Sauk leader, and popularized by a fictional frontier character (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The Hawkeye State, named in honor of Black Hawk, a Sauk leader, and popularized by a fictional frontier character

Iowa is called the Hawkeye State, a nickname popularized by a fictional character in an 1829 novel and honoring Black Hawk, the famous Sauk leader who resisted removal from the region.

Question 28: When should a student use a direct quote instead of paraphrasing?

Only when the passage is longer than one paragraph
When they do not understand what the source is saying
When the author's exact wording is especially powerful or precise and hard to restate (Correct answer)
Whenever they find information in a source

Correct answer: When the author's exact wording is especially powerful or precise and hard to restate

Direct quotes are most appropriate when an author's exact words are particularly impactful, technical, or would lose meaning if paraphrased.

Question 29: What clue words signal a cause-and-effect text structure?

Similarly, on the other hand, in contrast
For example, such as, including
First, next, then, finally
Because, therefore, as a result, consequently (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Because, therefore, as a result, consequently

Words like 'because' and 'as a result' signal that one event or condition causes another.

Question 30: What is 'author's purpose' as assessed on the ISASP Reading test?

The author's name and background
The reason an author wrote the text — to inform, persuade, or entertain (Correct answer)
The number of sources the author used
The publishing date of the text

Correct answer: The reason an author wrote the text — to inform, persuade, or entertain

Author's purpose describes whether the writer intended to inform readers, persuade them, or provide entertainment.

Question 31: Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier?

The backpack slipped from the running student's shoulders.
Running down the street, the backpack fell off the student's shoulders. (Correct answer)
The student ran down the street and dropped her backpack.
As she ran, the student's backpack fell to the ground.

Correct answer: Running down the street, the backpack fell off the student's shoulders.

A misplaced modifier is a phrase placed too far from the word it describes, causing confusion — here 'Running down the street' incorrectly modifies 'the backpack.'

Question 32: Which organelle is responsible for producing energy (ATP) in animal cells through cellular respiration?

Nucleus
Cell membrane
Ribosome
Mitochondria (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Mitochondria

Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration, converting glucose and oxygen into ATP energy the cell can use.

Question 33: On the ISASP ELA test, what does the word 'connotation' mean?

The exact dictionary definition of a word
The emotional association or implied meaning a word carries beyond its literal definition (Correct answer)
The number of syllables a word contains
The origin or etymology of a word

Correct answer: The emotional association or implied meaning a word carries beyond its literal definition

Connotation refers to the emotional or cultural associations attached to a word, as opposed to denotation, which is the literal dictionary meaning.

Question 34: What natural resource has historically made Iowa one of the most agriculturally productive states in the U.S.?

Rich, deep topsoil created by glacial deposits and prairie grasses (Correct answer)
Large coal and mineral deposits that powered farming equipment
A warm, tropical climate that extends the growing season
An abundance of freshwater lakes ideal for irrigation

Correct answer: Rich, deep topsoil created by glacial deposits and prairie grasses

Iowa's fertile topsoil — created over thousands of years by glaciers and decomposing prairie grasses — makes it one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world.

Question 35: What document established the framework of the United States federal government?

The Declaration of Independence
The U.S. Constitution (Correct answer)
The Emancipation Proclamation
The Bill of Rights

Correct answer: The U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, created the structure of the federal government including its three branches.

Question 36: Which of the following is an example of correct pronoun-antecedent agreement?

Each students must bring their own pencils to the ISASP.
Each student must bring their own pencil to the ISASP. (Correct answer)
Each student must bring its own pencil to the ISASP.
Each student must bring their own pencil to the ISASP or his pencil.

Correct answer: Each student must bring their own pencil to the ISASP.

Modern grammar accepts 'their' as a singular pronoun when the antecedent is indefinite (e.g., 'each student'), making this the most accepted and clear construction.

Question 37: When comparing two passages on ISASP, students should focus on:

Only the length of each passage
How each author's purpose, perspective, or evidence differs or aligns (Correct answer)
The number of paragraphs in each text
Which passage was published first

Correct answer: How each author's purpose, perspective, or evidence differs or aligns

Comparing passages requires examining similarities and differences in purpose, argument, and evidence across both texts.

Question 38: On the ISASP Reading test, what is an 'author's purpose'?

The length of each paragraph
The number of characters in the text
The reason the author wrote the text (to inform, persuade, or entertain) (Correct answer)
The setting chosen for the story

Correct answer: The reason the author wrote the text (to inform, persuade, or entertain)

An author's purpose is the main reason they wrote the text, which is typically to inform, persuade, or entertain the audience.

Question 39: What is a 'theme' in a literary text tested on ISASP?

The number of conflicts in the plot
The physical setting of the story
The name of the main character
A universal message or lesson the story conveys (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A universal message or lesson the story conveys

Theme is the broader life lesson or message an author communicates through the story's events and characters.

Question 40: Earth's tectonic plates move because of convection currents in the:

Outer core
Mantle (Correct answer)
Crust
Inner core

Correct answer: Mantle

Heat-driven convection currents in the semi-fluid mantle cause tectonic plates to move.

Question 41: How do Iowa students encounter 'paired passages' on the ISASP Reading test?

They read two related texts and answer questions about each individually and together (Correct answer)
They only read one passage at a time
They listen to audio versions of passages
They write a story based on a single passage

Correct answer: They read two related texts and answer questions about each individually and together

Paired passages require students to analyze each text separately and then synthesize connections between them.

Question 42: Which organization is responsible for developing and administering the ISASP in Iowa?

The Iowa State University testing division
The Iowa Department of Education (Correct answer)
The U.S. Department of Education
The College Board

Correct answer: The Iowa Department of Education

The Iowa Department of Education oversees and administers the ISASP, which replaced the Iowa Assessments as the state's standardized assessment program.

Question 43: A student finds a relevant article but is unsure if the information is current enough. What is the BEST action?

Use the article anyway since it is relevant
Change the date on the article to make it seem newer
Check the publication date and compare it with more recent sources on the topic (Correct answer)
Discard the article immediately

Correct answer: Check the publication date and compare it with more recent sources on the topic

Checking the publication date and verifying the information against more recent sources helps determine whether the article's content is still accurate and current.

Question 44: Five-pound bags of oranges cost $3.00 a piece from a fruit stand. Every bag contains fifteen oranges. How much does an orange cost?

$0.15
$0.25
$0.50
$0.20 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $0.20

Explanation: To find the price per orange, you divide the total price of the bag of oranges by the number of oranges in the bag. Total price of the bag = $3.00 Number of oranges in the bag = 15 Price per orange = Total price of the bag / Number of oranges in the bag = $3.00 / 15 = $0.20

Question 45: On the ISASP, what is the advantage of going back to check your answers if time allows?

To catch careless errors, incomplete answers, or misread questions (Correct answer)
To erase all answers and start over
To change your first instinct, which is usually wrong
To copy answers from nearby test booklets

Correct answer: To catch careless errors, incomplete answers, or misread questions

Reviewing your answers gives you a chance to catch careless mistakes, questions you may have misread, or answers you left incomplete.

Question 46: A bag has 4 red, 3 blue, and 5 green marbles. What is the probability of randomly picking a blue marble?

1/4
3/12 (Correct answer)
1/3
5/12

Correct answer: 3/12

Probability = 3 blue ÷ 12 total = 3/12 (which also equals 1/4, but 3/12 is the listed form).

Question 47: Which search term would MOST likely return the most specific results when researching the history of Iowa's state capital?

Des Moines Iowa capital history (Correct answer)
American cities
State capitals history
Iowa

Correct answer: Des Moines Iowa capital history

Using multiple specific keywords like 'Des Moines Iowa capital history' narrows the search to return results directly relevant to the topic.

Question 48: A scientist observes that plant seedlings in a dark room grow toward the only light source. This growth response is called:

Gravitropism
Hydrotropism
Phototropism (Correct answer)
Thigmotropism

Correct answer: Phototropism

Phototropism is the directional growth of a plant toward or away from a light source.

Question 49: Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly to show possession?

The teachers instruction was clear before the ISASP began.
The teacher's instructions were clear before the ISASP began. (Correct answer)
The teachers' instruction's were clear before the ISASP began.
The teacher's instruction's were clear before the ISASP began.

Correct answer: The teacher's instructions were clear before the ISASP began.

An apostrophe followed by 's' (teacher's) shows that the instructions belong to a single teacher.

Question 50: Which of the following correctly describes the relationship between wavelength and frequency of electromagnetic waves?

Frequency decreases as the wave's speed increases
Longer wavelength means higher frequency
Shorter wavelength means higher frequency (Correct answer)
Wavelength and frequency are not related

Correct answer: Shorter wavelength means higher frequency

Since all electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed (speed of light), shorter wavelengths must complete more cycles per second, meaning higher frequency.

Question 51: On the ISASP, what is a 'counterargument' in a persuasive text?

A statistical fact used as evidence
An opposing viewpoint the author acknowledges and then refutes (Correct answer)
The author's personal anecdote
A supporting detail that strengthens the main claim

Correct answer: An opposing viewpoint the author acknowledges and then refutes

A counterargument is an opposing view that the author presents and then addresses or refutes to strengthen their own argument.

Question 52: What is the weight of the birdseed to the nearest tenth of a gram if Mark purchased 253.64 grams of birdseed.?

253
253.8
254
253.6 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 253.6

Explanation: To round 253.64 grams to the nearest tenth, we look at the digit in the hundredth place, which is 4. Since 4 is less than 5, we keep the digit in the tenth place the same. So, the weight rounded to the nearest tenth of a gram is 253.6 grams.

Question 53: A recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of oats. If you want to make 1.5 times the recipe, how many cups of oats do you need?

4 1/4 cups
4 cups
3 cups
3 3/4 cups (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 3 3/4 cups

2.5 × 1.5 = 3.75 cups = 3 3/4 cups.

Question 54: What is the purpose of a 'counterargument' in an ISASP persuasive essay?

To avoid taking a clear stance on the issue
To change your position to match the opposing side
To provide background history with no argument
To address and refute an opposing viewpoint, strengthening your own argument (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To address and refute an opposing viewpoint, strengthening your own argument

Addressing a counterargument shows awareness of opposing views and allows the writer to refute them, making their argument more persuasive.

Question 55: Which score level on ISASP indicates that a student has met grade-level proficiency expectations?

Basic level
Below Basic level
Any score, as all students are considered proficient
Proficient or above (Proficient and Advanced levels) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Proficient or above (Proficient and Advanced levels)

ISASP uses four performance levels: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced; meeting standards means scoring Proficient or Advanced.

Question 56: On the ISASP Reading test, what does it mean to identify the 'central idea' of an informational text?

The author's personal opinion stated at the end
The first sentence of the first paragraph
A detail that supports only one section of the text
The most important point the author conveys throughout the text (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The most important point the author conveys throughout the text

The central idea is the main point or message the author communicates across the entire informational text.

Question 57: How can students best demonstrate deep understanding on ISASP constructed response questions?

State a clear claim, support it with specific text evidence, and explain how the evidence connects to the claim (Correct answer)
Write as many sentences as possible regardless of relevance
List only the names of characters or facts without explanation
Restate the question without adding analysis

Correct answer: State a clear claim, support it with specific text evidence, and explain how the evidence connects to the claim

Strong constructed responses require a clear claim, cited evidence from the text, and explicit reasoning linking evidence to the claim.

Question 58: A cylinder has a radius of 3 cm and a height of 10 cm. Which expression gives its volume?

π × 6 × 10
2π × 3 × 10
π × 9 × 10 (Correct answer)
π × 3 × 10

Correct answer: π × 9 × 10

Volume of a cylinder = πr²h = π × 3² × 10 = π × 9 × 10.

Question 59: On a coordinate plane, point A is at (2, –3) and point B is at (2, 5). What is the distance between A and B?

8 (Correct answer)
3
10
5

Correct answer: 8

Since the x-coordinates are the same, distance = |5 – (–3)| = 8.

Question 60: A student swings a pendulum and measures how long each swing takes. Which factor will most affect the period (time per swing) of the pendulum?

The initial push strength
The mass of the pendulum bob
The length of the string (Correct answer)
The color of the string

Correct answer: The length of the string

The length of the pendulum string is the primary factor determining its period; longer strings produce slower swings.

ISASP — Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress

The ISASP measures student proficiency in English Language Arts (reading and writing), Mathematics, and Science across Iowa's academic standards for grades 3 through 11.

Questions

90 min

Time Limit

41%

To Pass

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