<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<competency testname="Adaptive Reading Test 6" shuffle_choices="1" shuffle_questions="0" displaytype="list">
<direction><![CDATA[Choose the best answer to each question.]]></direction>
<qa name="q682" theta="-2.11764705882353" difficulty="0.833333333333333" discrimination="0.516126584668256" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="640" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[It is true that Earth’s orbit is not a perfect circle. It is a bit lopsided. During part of the year, Earth is closer to the sun than at other times. However, in the Northern Hemisphere, the northern half of the planet, we have winter when Earth is closest to the sun. We have summer when it is farthest away. Compared to how far away the sun is, this change in Earth's distance during the year does not make much difference to our weather.<br><br></em>Which phrase from the paragraph helps you understand the meaning of "lopsided"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[not a perfect circle]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Earth is closer to the sun than at other times]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Earth’s orbit]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[we have winter when Earth is closest to the sun]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1104" theta="2.05882352941176" difficulty="0.294117647058824" discrimination="0.22624807628418" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1350" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[It was described as "ethereal," a "sci-fi fertility ritual" and just plain "weird."<br><br></em>What do the descriptors "ethereal," "sci-fi fertility ritual" and "weird" convey about Beyoncé's performance?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[a sense that the performance affected people differently]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a sense that few people took note of the performance]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a sense that the performance was mostly misunderstood by the audience]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a sense that there was widespread approval for the message]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q97" theta="2.23529411764706" difficulty="0.272727272727273" discrimination="0.562715969847111" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1380" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[<em>The museum wants to show off its crown jewel as if it's on the launch pad, a display that will take thousands of pieces to pull off.<br><br></em>What does the phrase "pull off" mean as used above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[to accomplish]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[to take off]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[to remove]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[to pull away]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q820" theta="0.117647058823526" difficulty="0.555555555555556" discrimination="0.531527147059257" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1020" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[The Great Barrier Reef is famous for its kaleidoscope of colors: a rainbow of sea creatures swimming past bright corals.<br><br></em>How does using the word "kaleidoscope" affect the tone of this sentence?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[It conveys a shifting, jewel-like atmosphere.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It conveys a sense of subdued movement.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It conveys the geometric quality of the reef.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It conveys the sense that the reef is a fragile structure.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q426" theta="2.70588235294117" difficulty="0.208333333333333" discrimination="0.47359109630066" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1460" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Then the thick, sticky spit gets thinner. It trickles into the tiny cracks in the bug's shell.<br><br></em>Which word could replace "trickles" WITHOUT changing its meaning?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[oozes]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[blasts]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[sprays]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[squirts]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q749" theta="1.41176470588235" difficulty="0.384615384615385" discrimination="0.254243877634395" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1240" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Most zoos now create spaces that look more natural for the animals, which zoo supporters point out. Humans have kept wild animals in captivity since ancient times, and that isn’t going to change, they say. If animals are going to be kept, a good zoo is the best place for them. Over the last 20 years, many zoos have changed concrete and metal cages into exhibits with more enrichment for the animals. They have trees, ropes for climbing and features like caves that look more natural.<br><br></em>Which of the following phrases from the paragraph MOST helps you understand what is meant by "enrichment"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[trees, ropes for climbing and features like caves]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[a good zoo is the best place for them]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[look more natural for the animals]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[most zoos now create spaces]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q741" theta="1.94117647058823" difficulty="0.315789473684211" discrimination="0.640767806430208" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1330" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Alpha particles, with two neutrons and two protons, are essentially helium ions. These can strip the electrons from another atom in order to become helium atoms.<br><br></em>Which word, if it replaced "strip" in the sentence above, would CHANGE its meaning?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[uncover]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[steal]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[take]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[withdraw]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q579" theta="-0.823529411764709" difficulty="0.681818181818182" discrimination="0.403258720139505" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="860" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Like other lizards, these geckos have a superpower. They can drop their tails after being caught by predators. In fact, they can even leave their skin behind if they have to escape.<br><br></em>What does the author mean by "superpower"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[the ability to do things most other animals cannot]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the ability to fight predators very easily]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the ability to live forever in island nations]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the ability to protect their habitat in Madagascar]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q31" theta="-0.0588235294117679" difficulty="0.578947368421053" discrimination="0.285274386630118" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="990" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that contains a synonym for the word "difficult."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[First, the city will be hard to beat in football and basketball.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Changes were already happening in the city.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[But she says her neighborhood has not gotten better.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Roz Quarto moved to Cleveland partly because it costs a lot of money to live in New York.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q151" theta="-1.05882352941177" difficulty="0.708333333333333" discrimination="0.313921132461431" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="820" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[While the test is a good predictor of a helmet's power to prevent catastrophic damage to the head, it doesn't say much about the probability of getting a concussion.<br><br></em>What is the meaning for the word 'catastrophic' as mentioned in the sentence above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[tremendous]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[insignificant]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[maximum]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[minimal]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q943" theta="-0.176470588235297" difficulty="0.588235294117647" discrimination="0.223425561413722" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="970" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Maintaining our upright posture is an obvious job for our extra-sensitive and responsive balance system. However, it also has a profound effect on the control of our eye movements. When we jog or walk, the constant up-and-down movement makes our vision less stable.<br><br></em>In the second sentence of the paragraph, the word "profound" connotes a sense of:]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[significance]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[exaggeration]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[surprise]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[uniqueness]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q906" theta="-2.94117647058824" difficulty="0.941176470588235" discrimination="0.411931621737392" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="500" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[After that, a longer-term goal is to have all teachers in Mexico fluent in English and Spanish.<br><br></em>The author uses the word "fluent" to mean:]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[the ability to speak and listen to a language very well]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the ability to listen to a language, but not speak in it]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the ability to speak a language, but not listen to it]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the ability to understand the basic level of a language]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q335" theta="0" difficulty="0.576923076923077" discrimination="0.49959021520615" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1000" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[<em>“The designated critical habitat area is roughly twice the size of the state of New Jersey,” Kavanaugh wrote. “For Easterners, imagine driving all the way up and then all the way back down the New Jersey Turnpike and you will get a rough sense of the scope of the critical habitat designation here.”<br><br></em>The author uses the word "scope" to mean:]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[the amount of land encompassed by the critical habitat]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the view of the critical habitat from the highway]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the plan to develop a critical habitat in New Jersey]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[the value of the lumber located within the critical habitat]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1125" theta="2.64705882352941" difficulty="0.222222222222222" discrimination="0.51356673783605" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1450" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[He thinks that slowing down automation and creating tax disincentives to counter technology’s displacement effect is, overall, a sensible policy.<br><br></em>What is the connotation of the word "displacement" in the sentence above? Which line from the article supports your answer?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Negative. Alas, Luke is about to replace Ken with Nexus, a robot that can operate the harvester longer, more safely, in any weather, and without lunch breaks, holidays or sick pay.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Negative. The only defensible justification for treating them differently is that Nexus has greater autonomy.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Positive. But then humanity will have spawned a new species and a new civil rights movement (which I would gladly join) demanding freedom for Nexus and equal rights with Ken — including a living wage, minimum benefits and enfranchisement.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Positive. Gates’ proposal, one of many variants on the UBI theme, allows us to glimpse fascinating aspects of capitalism and human nature that rich societies have neglected for too long.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q737" theta="-0.70588235294118" difficulty="0.653846153846154" discrimination="0.38150106999771" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="880" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Empathy is not the same thing as trying to feel or copy someone else's emotions. Nor is it sympathy, which involves feeling concern for the suffering of another person and a desire to help.<br><br></em>Why does the author compare empathy with sympathy?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Because they both have to do with the feelings of others.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Because they are both about copying other emotions.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Because they are both about trying to feel other emotions.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Because they both have to do with making others suffer.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1140" theta="2" difficulty="0.307692307692308" discrimination="0.482441163493408" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1340" 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="q413" theta="0" difficulty="0.576923076923077" discrimination="0.365994610738715" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1000" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Our group helping slaves was threatened by people in town. They did not like us. The Fugitive Slave Law passed in 1850. After that, the townspeople were even more against our group. We had to be more secretive than ever.<br><br></em>What is the BEST definition of "threatened" based on the information in the paragraph?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[put into danger]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[helped out of danger]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[safe from danger]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[warned about danger]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q16" theta="-1.82352941176471" difficulty="0.791666666666667" discrimination="0.347827224533439" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="690" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[In Minnesota, the winter fishing season is now as important as the summer season. And that's saying a lot in such a fish-crazy state.<br><br></em>What do these sentences suggest about Minnesota?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Minnesota is a popular fishing state year-round.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[More people come to Minnesota during summers.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The people who live in Minnesota don't like fishing.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Minnesota is busiest during winter months.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q172" theta="2.41176470588235" difficulty="0.25" discrimination="0.410377676776481" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1410" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that contains a word that means "to rule out."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[Why do we want to preclude an option that is available to us when we don't have to? he said.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The first would alter the natural beauty of the canyon and encroach on its borders.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It's at the bottom that the conflict lies, as the Navajo contend that they have rights to property above the high-water mark of the rivers.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The situation remained an amusing photo op until a young elk pair began to vigorously defend the water fountain, chasing away tourists.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1167" theta="0.0588235294117616" difficulty="0.571428571428571" discrimination="0.43260169878125" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1010" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[In practice, they ignored many of these rules and Mexican and native workers suffered while growers benefited from plentiful, cheap labor.<br><br></em>Which word would create a more ominous tone by replacing the word "ignored"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[loathed]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[accusing]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[acknowledged]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[adhered]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q324" theta="-1.29411764705883" difficulty="0.730769230769231" discrimination="0.374289272820003" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="780" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[<em>Hovezak says it is too early to know whether the Anasazi intentionally used sophisticated geometry. Towers agrees. But as she noted in her paper, the clues appear “unlikely to occur by mere random chance.”<br><br></em>Which two words could BEST replace "intentionally" and "sophisticated" in the paragraph above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[purposely; advanced]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[continually; symmetrical]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[responsibly; realistic]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[absolutely; familiar]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q932" theta="-0.882352941176474" difficulty="0.684210526315789" discrimination="0.546995763690902" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="850" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Officials have since set up an army of Port-A-Pottys, and restaurants have stocked up. The craze has been dubbed "Flowergeddon."<br><br></em>What is the meaning of the word "dubbed" as used in the sentence above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[nicknamed]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[defeated]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[populated]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[rejected]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q1" theta="1.8235294117647" difficulty="0.333333333333333" discrimination="0.479315751612222" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1310" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Select the sentence that has a word that means the opposite of "unimportant."]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[It's a serious problem and can only get worse, Muinos said.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Good eating habits and exercise prevent health problems.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Several hospitals offer programs to help kids stay healthy.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[The program helps kids get in shape.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q681" theta="-1.76470588235294" difficulty="0.789473684210526" discrimination="0.461197580933372" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="700" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Martha Henrickson is an elementary school principal in Illinois. She hopes the slime trend does not stick around for long.<br><br></em>Which option explains what Henrickson means by saying she hopes slime will not "stick around"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[She hopes kids will lose interest in slime.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[She hopes kids will buy slime instead of making it.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[She hopes kids will find ways to wash off the slime.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[She hopes kids will make slime that is not messy.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q554" theta="-0.529411764705886" difficulty="0.631578947368421" discrimination="0.494361377811536" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="910" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Instead of direct democracy, the American Founders chose "indirect" or "representative" democracy. In this system, representatives are chosen by the people to make decisions for them.<br><br></em>Why is a representative democracy also called "indirect"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[because the people do not directly make decisions about laws]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[because the laws it makes do not directly affect the people in the country]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[because the laws it makes were not directly approved by the Founders]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[because the people do not directly vote for their representatives]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q993" theta="1.76470588235294" difficulty="0.346153846153846" discrimination="0.513575266739462" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1300" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[The local teens’ bustling business is proof that the Chicago area is now swept up in the nationwide resurgence of slime.<br><br></em>Which sentence demonstrates the meaning of "resurgence" as it is used in the sentence above?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[But Nicholas suspects social media buzz and the ability to share recipes and make money online has put slime back into the spotlight.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[It has inspired frustrated Facebook posts from parents, who are tired of cleaning up after the junior chemists, and as well as blog posts from parents wondering if the slime’s ingredients can be harmful to children’s health.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[Mix them with a few other ingredients, and it'll make a pot of slime — a stretchy, gooey substance that is becoming a fad among teenagers.]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[That’s $500 worth of slime to customers across the United States without any advertising, Zoe said, adding that they are now working on marketing strategies to continue their success.]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q933" theta="1.35294117647059" difficulty="0.388888888888889" discrimination="0.678704407072206" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="1230" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[Desert super blooms always draw crowds, but lifetime residents said they have never seen the natural wonder attract tens of thousands like this time.<br><br></em>The author uses the word "draw" to mean:]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[entice]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[deceive]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[disenchant]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[refuse]]></answer></qa>
<qa name="q610" theta="-1.70588235294118" difficulty="0.777777777777778" discrimination="0.613828614532189" guessing="0.25" distraction="1.702" group="710" category="" correct_goto="" incorrect_goto="" branch_using=""><question><![CDATA[The Captive Animals’ Protection Society (CAPS) is based in the United Kingdom. It thinks all wild animals in captivity suffer. Their needs cannot be met in unnatural homes, the group says.<br><br></em> Many people believe it is wrong to keep a wild animal in captivity no matter how nice its home is. Some say that any living thing should have rights like people have. Holding wild animals takes away their rights, they say.<br><br></em>Which phrases from the two selections MOST help the reader define the meaning of "captivity"?]]></question><answer goto="" value="1"><![CDATA[unnatural homes; holding wild animals]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[needs cannot be met; any living thing]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[suffer; rights like people have]]></answer><answer goto="" value="0"><![CDATA[wild animals; how nice its home is]]></answer></qa>
</competency>