Arizona's Academic Standards Assessment (AASA) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the main purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph?

To give an example
To state the main idea of the paragraph (Correct answer)
To provide supporting details
To conclude the paragraph

Correct answer: To state the main idea of the paragraph

A topic sentence introduces the main idea that the rest of the paragraph will support.

Question 2: Which sentence uses correct subject-verb agreement?

The dogs running fast.
The dogs runned fast.
The dogs runs fast.
The dogs run fast. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The dogs run fast.

A plural subject (dogs) requires a plural verb (run), not a singular verb (runs).

Question 3: What is a theme in a story?

The problem the main character faces
The setting where the story takes place
A description of the main character
The lesson or message the author conveys (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The lesson or message the author conveys

The theme is the underlying message or lesson the author wants readers to take away from the story.

Question 4: Which sentence is an example of a strong topic sentence for an informational paragraph about recycling?

Recycling reduces waste and helps protect the environment. (Correct answer)
Recycling is something people do.
There are many things you can recycle.
I like to recycle cans and bottles.

Correct answer: Recycling reduces waste and helps protect the environment.

A strong topic sentence states the main idea clearly and specifically, which option B does by identifying both the action (reduces waste) and its benefit.

Question 5: A bar graph shows Monday: 10, Tuesday: 15, Wednesday: 8. How many items were counted in total?

30
33 (Correct answer)
28
25

Correct answer: 33

10 + 15 + 8 = 33 total items across all three days.

Question 6: Which word is a synonym for 'courageous'?

Timid
Cowardly
Brave (Correct answer)
Cautious

Correct answer: Brave

Courageous and brave both mean willing to face danger or difficulty without fear.

Question 7: In a narrative essay, what is the purpose of the climax?

To reach the highest point of tension or turning point in the story (Correct answer)
To introduce the main characters and setting
To provide background information about the conflict
To wrap up the story and resolve all problems

Correct answer: To reach the highest point of tension or turning point in the story

The climax is the moment of greatest tension or the turning point in a narrative, after which the conflict begins to resolve.

Question 8: What is the basic unit of life?

Atom
Tissue
Molecule
Cell (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cell

The cell is the smallest structural and functional unit of all living organisms.

Question 9: What is the function of the heart in the human body?

To produce red blood cells
To break down food
To pump blood throughout the body (Correct answer)
To filter waste from the blood

Correct answer: To pump blood throughout the body

The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood through the circulatory system to deliver oxygen and nutrients.

Question 10: What is 12.5 ÷ 0.5?

6.25
2.5
0.25
25 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 25

12.5 ÷ 0.5 = 125 ÷ 5 = 25 by multiplying both by 10.

Question 11: What is the author's purpose in an informational text?

To express personal feelings
To entertain the reader with a story
To inform the reader with facts (Correct answer)
To persuade the reader to take action

Correct answer: To inform the reader with facts

Informational texts aim to educate readers by presenting facts, data, and explanations.

Question 12: What is 3/4 × 2/5?

5/9
5/20
3/10 (Correct answer)
6/20

Correct answer: 3/10

3/4 × 2/5 = 6/20 = 3/10 after simplifying.

Question 13: Jake has 24 stickers and wants to share them equally among 4 friends. How many does each friend get?

4
5
6 (Correct answer)
8

Correct answer: 6

24 ÷ 4 = 6, so each friend receives 6 stickers.

Question 14: A student writes: 'The dog ran fast. The dog jumped over the fence. The dog barked loudly.' What is the BEST revision?

The fast dog ran and jumped and barked.
The dog ran fast, jumped over the fence, and barked loudly. (Correct answer)
The dog was fast and it jumped and it barked.
Running fast, the dog. Jumping the fence. Barking.

Correct answer: The dog ran fast, jumped over the fence, and barked loudly.

Combining the three short, choppy sentences into one compound sentence using commas and a conjunction improves flow and readability.

Question 15: hich of the following phrases best describes it?<br> 3 less than an amount, p.

3÷P
p÷3
p-3 (Correct answer)
3-p

Correct answer: p-3

The phrase '3 less than an amount, p' indicates subtraction. When you say 'less than', the number being subtracted comes after the 'less than' phrase, and the amount it is less than comes first. Therefore, '3 less than p' is correctly written as p - 3. Option A accurately represents this mathematical operation.

Question 16: Which punctuation mark is used to show possession?

Semicolon
Colon
Apostrophe (Correct answer)
Comma

Correct answer: Apostrophe

An apostrophe followed by 's' (or just an apostrophe for plural nouns) shows possession.

Question 17: Which organizational structure BEST suits an essay comparing two books?

Compare and contrast (Correct answer)
Cause and effect
Chronological order
Problem and solution

Correct answer: Compare and contrast

A compare and contrast structure is specifically designed to examine similarities and differences between two subjects, making it ideal for comparing two books.

Question 18: A store sells notebooks for $2.50 each. If Marcus buys 6 notebooks and pays with a $20 bill, how much change does he receive?

$15.00
$5.00 (Correct answer)
$2.50
$7.50

Correct answer: $5.00

6 notebooks × $2.50 = $15.00. Change = $20.00 − $15.00 = $5.00.

Question 19: A student writes: 'In my opinion, I think that students should have longer recess because it is good.' What is the WEAKEST part of this claim?

It lacks specific reasoning or evidence to support the claim (Correct answer)
It uses the first person
It is too short
It focuses on recess

Correct answer: It lacks specific reasoning or evidence to support the claim

Saying recess 'is good' is vague and provides no concrete reason or evidence, which makes the argument weak and unpersuasive.

Question 20: Which of the following represents 40% as a fraction in simplest form?

1/4
2/5 (Correct answer)
4/5
4/10

Correct answer: 2/5

40% = 40/100. Simplified: 40 ÷ 20 = 2, 100 ÷ 20 = 5. So 40% = 2/5.

Question 21: A student is writing an opinion essay about school uniforms. Which source would be MOST appropriate to cite?

A TV commercial for a clothing company
A study published by a university examining uniform policies in schools (Correct answer)
A classmate's personal opinion shared at lunch
A social media post from an anonymous account

Correct answer: A study published by a university examining uniform policies in schools

Published academic studies are credible, peer-reviewed sources that provide reliable evidence to support claims in an opinion essay.

Question 22: What does the prefix 'un-' mean in the word 'unlikely'?

Again
Not (Correct answer)
Before
Under

Correct answer: Not

The prefix 'un-' means not, so 'unlikely' means not likely.

Question 23: Which gas do humans exhale?

Oxygen
Hydrogen
Carbon dioxide (Correct answer)
Nitrogen

Correct answer: Carbon dioxide

Humans exhale carbon dioxide as a waste product of cellular respiration.

Question 24: In narrative writing, what is the climax?

The turning point or most exciting moment (Correct answer)
The beginning introduction of characters
The background information provided
The resolution where conflict is solved

Correct answer: The turning point or most exciting moment

The climax is the most intense or decisive moment of the story, where the conflict reaches its peak.

Question 25: A triangle has angles measuring 40° and 75°. What is the third angle?

75°
55°
85°
65° (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 65°

Triangle angles sum to 180°: 180 − 40 − 75 = 65°.

Question 26: What does 'context clues' mean in reading comprehension?

Using a dictionary to find definitions
Finding the main idea
Guessing a word meaning from surrounding text (Correct answer)
Identifying the genre of a text

Correct answer: Guessing a word meaning from surrounding text

Context clues are hints within the surrounding text that help readers determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

Question 27: Which of the following is a renewable energy source?

Oil
Coal
Natural gas
Solar power (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Solar power

Solar power is renewable because it comes from the Sun, an essentially unlimited source of energy.

Question 28: Which sentence uses the MOST precise and descriptive language?

Outside it was cold and there was a lot of wind blowing.
The bitter wind sliced through the air, dropping temperatures to 15 degrees. (Correct answer)
It was very cold outside and windy.
The weather was bad and made people feel cold.

Correct answer: The bitter wind sliced through the air, dropping temperatures to 15 degrees.

Option C uses precise sensory details ('bitter wind,' 'sliced,' '15 degrees') that paint a vivid picture, which is the hallmark of strong descriptive writing.

Question 29: What does 'point of view' refer to in a story?

The moral of the story
The perspective from which the story is told (Correct answer)
The conflict in the story
The setting of the story

Correct answer: The perspective from which the story is told

Point of view describes who is narrating the story and how much they know, such as first-person or third-person.

Question 30: The formula V = s3 can be used to find the volume, V, of any cube having a side length, s. What is the 2.3 centimeter side length's volume, measured in cubic centimeters?

12.167 (Correct answer)
6.9
5.29
8.027

Correct answer: 12.167

The problem provides the formula for the volume of a cube, V = s³, where 's' is the side length. To find the volume, substitute the given side length, 2.3 centimeters, into the formula. Calculating 2.3 × 2.3 × 2.3 results in 5.29 × 2.3, which equals 12.167. Therefore, the volume of the cube is 12.167 cubic centimeters.

Question 31: Which literary device is used in the phrase 'the wind whispered through the trees'?

Alliteration
Simile
Personification (Correct answer)
Hyperbole

Correct answer: Personification

Personification gives human qualities (whispering) to a non-human subject (wind).

Question 32: Which transitional word signals a contrast between two ideas?

Therefore
However (Correct answer)
Furthermore
Additionally

Correct answer: However

'However' signals that the next idea contrasts with or contradicts what was said before.

Question 33: Which sentence is an example of a compound sentence?

She ran because she was late.
She ran, and he walked. (Correct answer)
Running quickly, she arrived first.
She ran quickly.

Correct answer: She ran, and he walked.

A compound sentence joins two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction like 'and.'

Question 34: What does DNA stand for?

Direct Neural Activity
Deoxygenated Nucleotide Array
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (Correct answer)
Dynamic Nitrogen Amplifier

Correct answer: Deoxyribonucleic Acid

DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid, the molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms.

Question 35: What is 2/3 ÷ 4?

1/6 (Correct answer)
6/4
8/3
2/12

Correct answer: 1/6

2/3 ÷ 4 = 2/3 × 1/4 = 2/12 = 1/6.

Question 36: What is the meaning of the word 'vivid' in the sentence: 'The author used vivid descriptions to paint a picture'?

Bright and detailed (Correct answer)
Very short
Confusing
Dull and boring

Correct answer: Bright and detailed

Vivid means producing strong, clear mental images; it describes descriptions that are rich and detailed.

Question 37: What is 3/5 of 20?

15
12 (Correct answer)
8
10

Correct answer: 12

3/5 of 20 = (3 × 20) ÷ 5 = 60 ÷ 5 = 12.

Question 38: Which fraction is equivalent to 1/2?

5/9
3/4
4/8 (Correct answer)
2/3

Correct answer: 4/8

4/8 simplifies to 1/2 because both numerator and denominator can be divided by 4.

Question 39: Which force pulls objects toward Earth?

Gravity (Correct answer)
Friction
Magnetism
Buoyancy

Correct answer: Gravity

Gravity is the force of attraction that pulls objects with mass toward Earth's center.

Question 40: What type of text structure is used when an author describes a problem and its solution?

Compare and contrast
Chronological order
Cause and effect
Problem and solution (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Problem and solution

Problem-and-solution text structure identifies an issue and explains how it is or can be resolved.

Question 41: A coffee shop sells pastries, coffee, and tea. Sales of coffee accounted for ⅖ of the coffee shop's income last week, while sales of tea accounted for ⅓ of its profits.<br> Sales of pastries accounted for the remaining income.<br> What percentage of pastries sold last week contributed to the coffee shop's overall profits?

4/15 (Correct answer)
11/15
2/15
1/15

Correct answer: 4/15

The total income is represented by 1 (or 100%). Coffee sales account for 2/5 of the income, and tea sales account for 1/3. To find the fraction of income from pastries, subtract the sum of coffee and tea sales from the total. First, find a common denominator for 5 and 3, which is 15. So, 2/5 = 6/15 and 1/3 = 5/15. The combined fraction for coffee and tea is 6/15 + 5/15 = 11/15. Subtracting this from the total income (1 or 15/15) gives 15/15 - 11/15 = 4/15 for pastry sales.

Question 42: What is the difference between fiction and nonfiction?

Fiction is always shorter than nonfiction.
Fiction is imaginary; nonfiction is based on real events or facts. (Correct answer)
Fiction is always written as poetry.
Nonfiction uses characters; fiction does not.

Correct answer: Fiction is imaginary; nonfiction is based on real events or facts.

Fiction is invented or imaginary, while nonfiction is based on real people, events, and facts.

Question 43: What tool is used to measure temperature?

Anemometer
Barometer
Hygrometer
Thermometer (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Thermometer

A thermometer measures temperature in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius.

Question 44: How many meters are in 3 kilometers?

3,000 m (Correct answer)
300 m
30 m
30,000 m

Correct answer: 3,000 m

1 kilometer = 1,000 meters, so 3 km = 3 × 1,000 = 3,000 meters.

Question 45: What is the volume of a rectangular prism that is 5 cm long, 4 cm wide, and 3 cm tall?

60 cu cm (Correct answer)
35 cu cm
24 cu cm
47 cu cm

Correct answer: 60 cu cm

Volume = length × width × height = 5 × 4 × 3 = 60 cubic centimeters.

Question 46: Which of the following is an example of a simile?

He ran as fast as a cheetah. (Correct answer)
Her smile lit up the room.
The thunder roared angrily.
The moon is a silver coin.

Correct answer: He ran as fast as a cheetah.

A simile compares two things using 'like' or 'as'; 'as fast as a cheetah' uses 'as' to compare.

Question 47: What is photosynthesis?

The process by which plants make food using sunlight (Correct answer)
The movement of water through the water cycle
The breakdown of rocks by weather
The process by which animals digest food

Correct answer: The process by which plants make food using sunlight

Photosynthesis is the process plants use to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen.

Question 48: Which sentence BEST demonstrates the use of sensory details in narrative writing?

We had dinner together as a family.
The food was good and we enjoyed eating it.
The tangy lemon pie melted on my tongue as the warm kitchen filled with the sweet scent of vanilla. (Correct answer)
The dinner tasted nice and smelled really good to everyone there.

Correct answer: The tangy lemon pie melted on my tongue as the warm kitchen filled with the sweet scent of vanilla.

Option C uses specific sensory details — taste (tangy, melted), smell (vanilla), and setting (warm kitchen) — to create a vivid, immersive experience for the reader.

Question 49: What is the correct way to write a title of a book in a sentence?

CHARLOTTES WEB
charlotte's web
"Charlotte's Web"
Charlotte's Web (underlined or italicized) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Charlotte's Web (underlined or italicized)

Book titles should be underlined or italicized in formal writing to distinguish them from the surrounding text.

Question 50: A coordinate plane shows point P at (−2, 5). If point P is reflected across the x-axis, what are the new coordinates?

(2, −5)
(−2, 5)
(−2, −5) (Correct answer)
(2, 5)

Correct answer: (−2, −5)

Reflecting across the x-axis changes the sign of the y-coordinate. So (−2, 5) becomes (−2, −5).

Question 51: In the writing process, what should a student do FIRST before drafting an essay?

Write the conclusion paragraph
Add transitions between paragraphs
Plan and organize ideas through prewriting strategies like outlining or brainstorming (Correct answer)
Proofread for spelling and grammar errors

Correct answer: Plan and organize ideas through prewriting strategies like outlining or brainstorming

Prewriting (brainstorming, outlining, organizing ideas) comes before drafting and helps writers structure their thoughts for a more coherent essay.

Question 52: What happens during evaporation in the water cycle?

Water vapor cools and turns to liquid
Liquid water turns into water vapor and rises (Correct answer)
Clouds release water as precipitation
Water freezes into ice

Correct answer: Liquid water turns into water vapor and rises

During evaporation, liquid water gains enough energy to become water vapor and rise into the atmosphere.

Arizona's Academic Standards Assessment (AASA)

The AASA is Arizona's statewide achievement test for grades 3-8 in ELA and Mathematics, measuring student proficiency against Arizona Academic Standards.

Questions

120 min

Time Limit

60%

To Pass

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Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
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