<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<competency testname="Adaptive Reading Test New" shuffle_choices="1" shuffle_questions="0" displaytype="list">
<direction><![CDATA[Choose the best answer to each question.]]></direction>

<qa name="185" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1470" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1071"><question><![CDATA[Deborah Bolnick, a genetic anthropologist and member of the study team, said researchers were attempting to extract nuclear DNA from the girl's skeleton. That would provide genetic information from both parents, unlike mitochondrial DNA, which is only passed on by the mother.<br><br>What does it imply about the benefits of nuclear DNA?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Nuclear DNA provides a more complete genetic picture.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Just a mother's DNA isn't very useful.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The mitochondrial DNA is fragmented and probably contaminated.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Some bones were repatriated without any DNA testing, so it's necessary.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="187" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1470" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1071"><question><![CDATA[Within the last 10 years, however, DNA research has suggested that North America's early dwellers emerged from a single ancestral population that initially came from Asia. Penned in perhaps by vast ice sheets, these people probably evolved in isolation for thousands of years in a land between Siberia and Alaska that scientists call Beringia. Then, as the glaciers retreated and Beringia began to disappear amid rising seas, the inhabitants spread swiftly through North and South America, scientists say.<br><br>According to the above paragraph, what was the key event that brought the people of Beringia to the Americas?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[ending of the Ice Age]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[evolving in isolation for thousands of years]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[emerging from a single ancestral population]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[living in a land between Siberia and Alaska]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="217" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1400" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1088"><question><![CDATA[After a previously undetected, 65-foot-wide asteroid exploded over Russia in February 2013, unleashing the force of 500,000 tons of TNT, NASA launched a series of contests for smart folks around the globe to come up with ways to keep an eye on asteroids that could threaten Earth.<br><br>So NASA calls the series of contests that make up the Asteroid Grand Challenge "a broad call to action" to defend Earth against any number of asteroids that could be bearing down on us right this instant.<br><br>Which of the following statements BEST shows the reason NASA is looking for "citizen scientists"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Good ideas can come from anywhere, said Ben Burress, a staff astronomer at Oakland's Chabot Space & Science Center, which is not affiliated with NASA's Asteroid Grand Challenge.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Currently, NASA estimates that only 1 percent of the millions of asteroids hurtling around our solar system have been found.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[For the past three years, NASA has been learning and advancing the ability to leverage distributed algorithm and coding skills through the NASA Tournament Lab to solve tough problems, the lab's director, Jason Crusan, said in a statement.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The algorithm contests are managed by NASA's Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation. The center uses the NASA Tournament Lab and its partner, the Harvard Business School, for its algorithmic and software development contests.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="425" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1184"><question><![CDATA[Though effective, there aren't enough certified master falconers like Alaverdian to expand beyond a niche market in the nation's $15 billion fruit industry.<br><br>What is the meaning of the word 'niche' as mentioned in the sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[specialized]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[popular]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[familiar]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[unpopular]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="427" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1184"><question><![CDATA[It's an ancient twist to modern farming, which has embraced technology to resist disease, conserve water and conjure a smorgasbord of expensive hybrid fruit.<br><br>This sentence contains what type of figurative language?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[personification]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[metaphor]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[alliteration]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[simile]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="428" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1184"><question><![CDATA[Although posing no danger to the grapes below, the black and white birds' presence risked attracting the most prolific plunderers - starlings.<br><br>What is the meaning of the word 'prolific' as used in the sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[abundant]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[beautiful]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[dangerous]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[fast]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="500" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1430" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1312"><question><![CDATA[Israel has insisted it must substantially curb the military capabilities of the Islamic militant group Hamas - a position that appears to have gained support within the U.S. administration - while Hamas has demanded the lifting of a crippling Israeli and Egyptian blockade on the impoverished coastal territory it has ruled since 2007.<br><br>Which of the following sentences supports the claim that Israel's position is gaining support from the U.S.?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[White House deputy national security adviser Tony Blinken meanwhile said Hamas must be denied the ability to "rain down rockets on Israeli civilians."]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[We certainly have made steps forward, Kerry said.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[But U.S. officials have downplayed expectations for an immediate, lasting truce.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[In Jerusalem, Kerry said negotiations toward a Gaza cease-fire were making some progress as he met for a second time this week with Ban.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="743" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1320" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1554"><question><![CDATA[In 2008, the government raided offices of a governor, triggering a corruption investigation that would lead to a salacious trial.<br><br>What is a synonym for the word "salacious" as used in the above sentence]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[scandalous]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[unjust]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[overrated]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[prolonged]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="744" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1320" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="1554"><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that contains a word that is a synonym for "rebound."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[The Republican Party picking Cleveland for its 2016 national convention may have put the city in the spotlight in recent days, but locals say all of it is simply more proof there's a Cleveland resurgence underway.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Downtown, a new convention center just opened, and developers are rushing to build hotels and luxury condos to keep up with demand.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[In late 2010, developers announced that the Flats East Bank project, which had been stalled since the recession, received the funding to begin building.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[They said, 'Cleveland, as in, Ohio?'" Quarto, 48, said while sitting on a bustling patio surrounded by blooming flower boxes in this city's Ohio City neighborhood.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="1481" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1310" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="209"><question><![CDATA[Shari Bond and Jackie Glover have driven down from Tenino, Washington, to begin finding homes for the 175 emaciated alpacas that were seized by the Polk County Sheriff's Office on suspicions of animal cruelty.<br><br>Which of the following BEST supports the fact that the rescued alpacas were in very bad shape?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Bond saw the alpacas at that time, and she says some had backbones that stuck up 4 inches, "and you could see ribs and hip bones."]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[There are 15 that need special care, and an additional 160 that are well enough to be in outdoor pens in a field owned by the school.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It's the biggest job ever for the nonprofit Cross Creek Alpaca Rescue, which the two women founded four years ago.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[They evoke even more sympathy from observers who know what they've gone through.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="1529" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1430" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="224"><question><![CDATA[The tomb, dated to 1650 B.C., appears to have been raided by tomb robbers in ancient times, Wegner said. Even the king's bodily remains were ripped apart.<br><br>What can be inferred about the robbers?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[They tore the body apart looking for valuables.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[They were angry at the Egyptian king.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[They were interested in Egyptian history.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[They were not Egyptian.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="1625" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="264"><question><![CDATA[In one wide open vista, scrubby, bright green pines sparkle in sunlight, backed by Bridalveil Fall tumbling lightly down a cliff side; the distinct granite crest of Half Dome looms in the background. In another, a heavy mist obscures stands of giant sequoias.<br><br>What does obscures mean?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[hides]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[highlights]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[colors]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[shows]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="1626" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="264"><question><![CDATA[Happily hunched over his iPad, Britain's most celebrated living artist David Hockney is pioneering in the art world again, turning his index finger into a paintbrush that he uses to swipe across a touch screen to create vibrant landscapes, colorful forests and richly layered scenes.<br><br>"People from the village come up and tease me: 'We hear you've started drawing on your telephone.' And I tell them, 'Well, no, actually, it's just that occasionally I speak on my sketch pad,'" he said.<br><br>What does he mean when he says, "I speak on my sketch pad?"]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[He considers his phone a sketch pad first, a phone second.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[He talks to his sketch pad to help him think.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[His phone and his sketch pad are two separate items.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[His phone doesn't work.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="1627" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="264"><question><![CDATA[Together, the artists are developing new finger and stylus techniques, with Hockney's vanguard work offering innovative approaches.<br><br>Based on how it is used in the text, what do you think the word vanguard means?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[a group leading the way in new developments or ideas]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[new types of styluses available for artists]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a group of people using art to fight crime]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a workbook Hockney created describing his techniques]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="1811" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="321"><question><![CDATA["Funding is an issue all across the state, but when you are losing students, it totally exacerbates the problem," said Stu Silberman, executive director of the Prichard Committee, a group seeking to make Kentucky one of the top 20 states in reading scores, teacher salaries and other education categories.<br><br>What is the meaning of the word "exacerbates" as used in the above sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[to make conditions worse]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[to make conditions better]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[to keep the condition the same]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[to correct the situation]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="2227" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1450" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="429"><question><![CDATA[To overcome this, the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University, which is spearheading the library project, has digitally archived about 50,000 documents.<br><br>What is the meaning of the word "spearheading" as used in the above sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[leading]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[financing]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[operating]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[controlling]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="2228" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1450" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="429"><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that contains a word that is a synonym for "management."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[The oversight of the archives helps to create a central location for the more recent presidents' papers.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Stowell estimated that the Roosevelt library will eventually become a "mission control" for scholars and fans of Roosevelt while it slowly collects more physical artifacts in time.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Richard Woollacott, the project manager for the Ohio-based Hilferty & Associates, who are finishing the master design plan for the library, said he expects Roosevelt's library to look "like the Gilded Age, but updated with computers."]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[This could be a model through which the legacies of those other presidents are also preserved and made accessible to the public, Kilzer said.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="2667" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1510" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="556"><question><![CDATA[Researchers studying 13-year-olds found that some engaged in pseudomature behavior - such as minor shoplifting and precocious romantic relationships.<br><br>What is the synonym for the word precocious as used in the above sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[early]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[mature]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[forward]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[untimely]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="2668" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1510" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="556"><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that contains a word that is an antonym for "inefficient."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Instead, they were thought to be less socially competent by their peers and had more problems with substance abuse.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[They are gaining the appearance of maturity, but they are not gaining actual maturity.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[In particular, the study notes that "pseudomature" behavior was actually a better predictor of future substance abuse than drug and alcohol use in middle school.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The meek kids from middle school shall inherit the Earth.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="2815" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1330" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="609"><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that contains a word that is an antonym for "cheerfully."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Here's what I want you to do, the chef behind the acclaimed restaurants Vetri and Osteria began somberly.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[A lot of people who are low literacy don't typically come to the library, because they're concerned about their literacy level.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Even though there are many restaurants throughout the city, they're extremely busy.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[That welcome mat comes in the form of a demonstration island facing nine stainless-steel prep tables.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="2816" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1330" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="609"><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that contains a word that is an antonym for "modest."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[I have the lofty goal of having every resident of the city be able to cook a meal from scratch.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It will also reach very different audiences through an array of nonprofit partners.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Garces said the impact of such lessons is pretty instant.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[So finding locations sometimes to do the demos is a little tricky.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="2833" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="620"><question><![CDATA["If it had been a helicopter, they would watch it till it dropped the barrel, then pandemonium would break out and cars would start driving into each other and people would run, trying to get away."<br><br>What is a synonym for the word "pandemonium" as used in the above sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[chaos]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[clutter]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[silence]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[spell]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="2834" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="620"><question><![CDATA[Which of the following sentences contains a word that is an antonym for "quick to surrender or give up"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Those still in the city have adjusted to enduring the brunt of President Bashar Assad's military might with a resilience that borders on stubborn fatalism.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Eventually the sound of the helicopter grew faint and was replaced by that of a warplane.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[They followed the sound of the helicopter's whirring blades as well as scratchy updates coming over a walkie-talkie from rebels spread throughout the area.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Since the government's barrel bomb offensive began in late December, the city and suburbs have traded off bearing the burden of the attacks.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3077" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1510" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="736"><question><![CDATA["When they deported my father's and mother's families in 1944, all our grown men were at the front and couldn't protect them," said Emir Shevkiev, a 25-year-old philologist and member of the local Tatar community. "We are here and we will fight back."<br><br>What does Emir Shevkiev mean when he says "we are here"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[He means that today, the Tatar men are not out fighting a world war like they were in 1944.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[He means that today's Tatar men are more reliable than they were in 1944.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[He means that today's Tatar men are stronger than they were in 1944.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[He means that today, the Tatar men have been changed by their families' experiences in 1944.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3133" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1470" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="76"><question><![CDATA[While the historic value will take more research and debate to be figured out, Matt Wrbican, the Andy Warhol Museum's chief archivist, said the interest is understandable for one of the world's most prolific and studied artists.<br><br>Which of the following is the closest equivalent to the word "prolific"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[productive]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[obscure]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[reviled]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[misunderstood]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3134" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1470" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="76"><question><![CDATA[The issues the team from the club had to overcome with Warhol's old floppy disks seem archaic, said Michael Dille, a CMU doctoral graduate in 2013 who lives now in Sunnyvale, Calif., but was deeply involved in the Warhol project with the team last year.<br><br>What two words from the article would help you to understand the meaning of the word "archaic"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[overcome and old]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[issues and involved]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[floppy and deeply]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[doctoral and disks]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3417" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1370" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="876"><question><![CDATA["Overly zealous discipline policies" are one reason that minority kids face higher levels of suspensions and expulsions. What does this imply?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[teachers and principals could deal with discipline problems in ways that won't harm students' futures]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[courts are better at solving discipline problems than school principals]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[zero-tolerance policies are necessary in tough public schools]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[students are being disciplined in an appropriate manner]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3418" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1370" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="876"><question><![CDATA[The president of the teachers union describes policies that "create a revolving door of under-prepared and under-supported novices." What do you think he believes about teachers' roles in the problem?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[teachers need more support to stay in their profession and gain experience]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[teachers have plenty of training in dealing with kids]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[teachers don't think there is a problem]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[there are enough experienced and fully licensed teachers dealing with problem kids]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3648" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="952"><question><![CDATA[It's hard to draw sweeping conclusions from a single skeleton, cautioned Smithsonian Institution archaeologist Dennis Stanford.<br><br>What was the purpose of the author to include the following sentence in the article?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[It explains that one aspect of the skeleton is not enough to form a definitive opinion.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It elaborates the differences seen in various skeletons found to date.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It focuses on the need to study Kennewick man more thoroughly.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It shows that physical differences observed are due to evolution.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3755" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1330" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="995"><question><![CDATA[Which of the following sentences contains a word that is a synonym for "rational"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[But Compass 2 Campus is making strides toward building what experts say is a key component of improving college attendance: creating a coherent, college-going culture that permeates entire schools.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[And even then, it may be difficult to tease out the effects of the program from other efforts aimed at boosting college-going rates.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[An educator who had run special-education programs in Oregon, Shepard was stunned that a 10-year-old could have such a bleak view of his future.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Schools need something more robust than an army of young cheerleaders; they need instructional methods and strategies to help students master concepts.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3756" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1330" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="995"><question><![CDATA[Which of the following sentences contains a word that is an antonym for "limited"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[The Department of Educational Studies at Ohio State University has done extensive research on this issue.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Students who haven't expressed an interest, or who aren't at the top of their class, are often overlooked, said Stanford University associate professor Anthony Antonio.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Mentors encourage the younger students to come up with answers on their own, find ways to engage them in the classwork, and use thoughtful and responsive listening.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[She kept him focused as they went over key biology terms, cajoling answers out of him, helping strategize ways to remember certain facts and make associations between concepts.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="3934" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1430" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="255"><question><![CDATA[Be careful what you bet on.<br><br>What sort of literary device is this?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[irony]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[metaphor]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[simile]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[alliteration]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="5316" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="2136"><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence from the selection below that contains a simile:]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[He said his products act like a trampoline, dispersing the energy of a blow across a wide surface area and reducing the severity of the impact.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Head over to nearby Addison Trail High School, though, and you'll get a different perspective. ]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Hanson said he would be happy to pay to have the Guardian evaluated, but helmet makers have spurned his offers.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[If a company wants to innovate, more power to them, said Mike Oliver of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="5317" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="2136"><question><![CDATA[While the test is a good predictor of a helmet's power to prevent catastrophic damage to the head, it doesn't correlate with the probability of getting a concussion.<br><br>What is the meaning of 'correlate' as mentioned in the sentence above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[connect]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[contrast]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[disassociate]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[assess]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="5318" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="2136"><question><![CDATA[Much of the wrangling is now focused on the helmet.<br><br>What is a synonym for the word wrangling as it is used in this sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[squabbling]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[tackling]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[talking]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[herding]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="11487" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1300" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="649"><question><![CDATA[At the rim of the Grand Canyon, busloads of Chinese tourists jostled on a recent day with 20-something backpackers and an Amish family with rambunctious boys in suspenders and straw hats, all eager for a prime viewing spot.<br><br>What is the meaning of the word "rambunctious" as used in the above sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[exuberant]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[introvert]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[impatient]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[rude]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="11490" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1320" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="686"><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that contains a word that is a synonym for "controversial."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[That would bring an indisputable forensic conclusion to one of the greatest and most contentious mysteries in aviation history.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Big problem with the theory: Earhart was a fervid pacifist who despised war after working in a military hospital during World War I.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Though it was formed in 1985 by aviation fanatics interested in investigating old missing-plane cases and, if possible, recovering the aircraft, Gillespie steered TIGHAR clear of the Earhart mystery.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Among the most haunting of the reports came from a St. Petersburg teenager named Betty Klenck, who died recently at the age of 92.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="11491" theta="-" difficulty="" lexile="1320" discrimination="" guessing="" distraction="" group="" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using="" passageid="686"><question><![CDATA[In the aftermath of the fighting, it was said, American troops had made a grisly discovery that Washington had covered up.<br><br>What is the meaning of the word "grisly" as used in the above sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[shocking]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[disagreeable]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[promising]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[doubtful]]></answer></qa>

<qa name="q828" theta="-2.52" difficulty="0.92" lexile="580" discrimination="0.435165995" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="580" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Fisheries are likely to be harmed by climate change. Many species will move north in search of cooler water. This shift in location is expected to cause local declines in species including lobster and cod. New diseases could also harm fish species.<br><br></em>Which answer choice is the BEST definition of the word "declines" as used in the paragraph?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[decreases]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[developments]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[strengthening]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[upgrades]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q665" theta="-1.38" difficulty="0.73006135" lexile="770" discrimination="0.459998973" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="770" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Finally, there is emotional regulation. This refers to the ability to control one’s emotions. For example, doctors need to control their emotions when doing surgery on a patient. They cannot be afraid of hurting them or sad for them because they are sick.<br><br></em>Which word from this paragraph helps you understand the meaning of "regulation"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[control]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[ability]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[hurting]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[need]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q781" theta="-0.48" difficulty="0.581818182" lexile="920" discrimination="0.480683701" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="920" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[It is absolutely phenomenal to see this many blooming desert plants all at the same time, she said. "I think it's probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing."<br><br></em>The author uses the phrase "once-in-a-lifetime" to mean:]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[uncommon]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[frequent]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[standard]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[strange]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q842" theta="0.18" difficulty="0.471544715" lexile="1030" discrimination="0.321018847" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1030" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[It has inspired frustrated Facebook posts from parents, who are tired of cleaning up after the junior chemists.<br><br></em>How does the word "frustrated" affect the TONE of the sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[It conveys the feelings of irritation that parents are expressing about the mess their kids' slime makes.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It conveys the feelings of anger that parents are expressing at those teaching kids to make slime.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It conveys the feelings of discouragement that the parents have when the slime turns out bad.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It conveys the feelings of embarrassment that the parents have about their messy children.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q460" theta="0.6" difficulty="0.395348837209302" lexile="1110" discrimination="0.248156210363137" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="289" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Tobacco was sometimes called "drinking smoke." It became popular in England.<br><br></em>What does the word "popular" mean in the second sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[enjoyed by many people]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[accepted by many people]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[admired by many people]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[shared by many people]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1140" theta="1.2" difficulty="0.305389222" lexile="1200" discrimination="0.313286086" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1200" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[The measures, the first state of emergency since President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi seized power in 2013, will increase the powers of Egyptian security forces.<br><br></em>What does the word "seized" convey in this sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[the sense that the previous president did not give up power willingly]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the sense that Egypt does not have adequate security to protect its leaders]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the sense that the current president worked hard to earn his political position]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the sense that the government of Egypt is likely to collapse every few years]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1117" theta="1.62" difficulty="0.235" lexile="1270" discrimination="0.232488779" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1270" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[The colossus, a large portion of whose head was pulled from mud and groundwater by a bulldozer and seen by The Associated Press on Friday, is around eight meters (26 feet) high and was discovered by a German-Egyptian archaeological team.<br><br></em>What does the word "colossus" convey in the sentence above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[a sense of the statue's enormity]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a sense of the statue's antiquity]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a sense of the statue's authenticity]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a sense of the statue's uniqueness]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1031" theta="1.62" difficulty="0.239520958" lexile="1270" discrimination="0.074744387" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1270" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Earlier population estimates were educated guesses at best. Scientists would survey an area for signs of snow leopards, such as paw prints. They would use this data to make an estimate of how many lived in that area. But this method is prone to error. The camera traps allow them to identify individuals by the unique pattern of rosettes, or black and brown spots, found on each leopard’s thick coat of white, grey or pale tan fur.<br><br></em>Which idea is BEST supported by this paragraph?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[The new camera traps will be the first time scientists are able to accurately estimate the number of snow leopards in the wild.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The new camera traps are a nice addition to a series of strategies that have worked well to estimate snow leopard populations.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The new camera traps do not work as well as surveying an area for markings like paw prints to mark the presence of snow leopards.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The new camera traps have allowed scientists to see snow leopards for the first time and learn that their patterns are unique.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q169" theta="1.74" difficulty="0.215" lexile="1290" discrimination="0.146673803" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1290" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[No peer-reviewed research backs those claims, and independent experts are split, with some believing that extra padding makes sense and others saying more stringent testing is needed.<br><br></em>What is an antonym for the word 'stringent' as mentioned in the sentence above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[mild]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[permissible]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[rigorous]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[firm]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q776" theta="1.8" difficulty="0.203488372093023" lexile="1300" discrimination="0.281680702472961" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="409" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[The Neolithic Age or New Stone Age was revolutionary. About 10,000 years ago, people learned to make better tools and weapons, built villages, and raised animals for food and work. They were beginning to live like "modern" people.<br><br></em>In the first sentence of the paragraph, the word "revolutionary" conveys a sense of:]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[importance]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[adventure]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[independence]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[rebellion]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q69" theta="1.98" difficulty="0.17" lexile="1330" discrimination="0.068567075" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1330" category="5324" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA["It gets rid of those little small hits you get in practice," said player Nick Spracklen, 20. "It keeps your head fresh, keeps those headaches away. You leave practice without a headache, your whole day is better."<br><br></em>What does the word 'fresh' mean as in the paragraph above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[undamaged]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[clear]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[cool]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[repaired]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q340" theta="2.1" difficulty="0.157575758" lexile="1350" discrimination="0.066579506" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1350" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[<em>The Fish and Wildlife Service identifies the northern spotted owl as a threatened species. This triggered the need to designate its critical habitat. The 2012 designation expanded the size of several earlier designations.<br><br></em>Which conclusion is BEST supported by the paragraph?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Earlier designations of critical habitats for the northern spotted owl were not sufficient to protect the owl from being threatened.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The Fish and Wildlife Service is obligated to designate critical habitats for any wildlife species that are threatened.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The size of the most recent designated critical habitat for the northern spotted owl was determined by the number of northern spotted owls in the area.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The Fish and Wildlife Service typically extends the size of a critical habitat in small increments over many years.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q110" theta="2.16" difficulty="0.14" lexile="1360" discrimination="0.103221708971478" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="422" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[<em>The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, meanwhile warned both sides against targeting civilians and said war crimes may have been committed.<br><br></em>What can you infer about "war crimes?"]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[targeting of soldiers is allowed in war]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[targeting of civilians is allowed in war]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[war crimes are allowed during wars]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[only one side is allowed to commit war crimes]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1139" theta="2.4" difficulty="0.105" lexile="1400" discrimination="-0.042055966" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1400" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[These concerns were compounded when the United States learned that the Soviet Union also had tested the first intercontinental ballistic missile that year.<br><br></em>Which word from the sentence helps explain what "compounded" means?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[also]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[ballistic]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[concerns]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[learned]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1107" theta="2.4" difficulty="0.105555556" lexile="1400" discrimination="-0.026814634" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1400" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[The car was displayed outside the entrance to the Lockheed Martin IMAX theater, along with “Stinky” the underwater robot, a relic of the competitive robot circuit.<br><br></em>What does the word "relic" convey about the robot?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Its achievements as a robot are not current.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It is the last robot from a circuit that no longer exists.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It was recently discovered.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Its value is priceless.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q96" theta="2.46" difficulty="0.099236641221374" lexile="1410" discrimination="0.12317190398733" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="430" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA["It just becomes the standard; it really unites the campus," said Madeleine Levin of the Food Research and Action Center.<br><br></em>What is a synonym for the word "standard" as used in the above sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[benchmark]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[typical]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[characteristic]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[customary]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1163" theta="2.58" difficulty="0.071856287" lexile="1430" discrimination="-0.05001497" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1430" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Lazarus grew up the fourth child of seven in a wealthy New York family that descended from America's first Jewish settlers, according to the Jewish Women's Archive. Her father found success as a sugar refiner and, recognizing his daughter's talent early on, was prosperous enough to fund the publication of her first book of poems when she was just 17.<br><br></em>Which word BEST conveys the meaning of the word "prosperous" in this context?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[affluent]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[elated]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[fortunate]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[impoverished]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q14" theta="2.94" difficulty="0.014285714" lexile="1490" discrimination="0.039343675" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1490" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[But who could blame him? For most high school graduates, the quickest way to achieve the American dream is to attend college.<br><br></em>What is the BEST meaning of the word 'achieve' as used in the sentence above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[realize]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[finish]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[reject]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[support]]></answer></qa>
</competency>