Iowa practice, Grade 5

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Scholar Tests · Set 2

Iowa practice test, Grade 5

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Reading

Circle the letter of the best answer. About 14 minutes.

  1. Two Texts About Sea Otters

    Text 1: A Furry Way to Stay Warm

    Sea otters live in the cold northern Pacific Ocean. They swim along the coasts of California and Alaska. Seals and whales have a thick layer of fat called blubber to keep them warm. Sea otters do not. Instead, they have the thickest fur of any animal. Each square inch of skin can have up to about a million hairs. Otters spend hours every day cleaning and fluffing their fur. This traps a layer of air that keeps their skin dry and warm.

    Text 2: Helpers of the Kelp Forest

    Off the coast of California, a giant seaweed called kelp grows in underwater forests. Many fish live there. Spiny sea urchins eat kelp. If there are too many urchins, they can chew a whole kelp forest away. Sea otters help by eating sea urchins. Where sea otters live, kelp forests are more likely to stay healthy.

    1.

    According to Text 1, how do sea otters stay warm without blubber?

    1. AThey grow a layer of fat in the winter.
    2. BTheir thick fur traps a layer of air.
    3. CThey float in the sunshine all day.
    4. DThey sleep in underwater caves.
  2. 2.

    How is the information in Text 1 different from the information in Text 2?

    1. AText 1 tells how otters stay warm, and Text 2 tells how otters help kelp forests.
    2. BText 1 tells where otters sleep, and Text 2 tells where whales live.
    3. CText 1 tells what otters eat, and Text 2 tells how they clean their fur.
    4. DText 1 is about seals, and Text 2 is about sea otters.

  3. My Library Card

    It is only a thin blue rectangle with my name printed on the back, small enough to slip into my sneaker. But with this card, I have crossed oceans on ships with patched white sails. With this card, I have walked through jungles where parrots shouted from the trees. With this card, I have galloped across the prairie beside a wagon train heading west. With this card, I have floated in a space station, my breakfast drifting off my plate. Every Saturday, I hand it to Mr. Brooks, and he hands it back with a stack of books, heavy as bricks and light as wings. A key does not look like much, either, until you find the door it opens.

    3.

    What does the speaker mean by saying the stack of books is "heavy as bricks and light as wings"?

    1. AThe books are made of bricks and feathers.
    2. BThe books weigh a lot, but reading them makes the speaker feel free and happy.
    3. CMr. Brooks gives the speaker the lightest books first.
    4. DThe speaker cannot carry the books home.
  4. 4.

    Which message does the poem share?

    1. ALibrary cards should be kept in your shoe.
    2. BTraveling by ship is better than traveling by train.
    3. CSomething small and plain can open the way to many adventures.
    4. DOnly exciting objects are worth having.
  5. 5.

    Why does the poet begin several lines with "With this card"?

    1. ATo show how many different places the card has taken the speaker
    2. BTo show that the speaker owns many library cards
    3. CTo show that the speaker keeps losing the card
    4. DTo make every line of the poem rhyme

  6. Build a Rain Gauge

    Weather scientists measure rainfall with a tool called a rain gauge. You can build your own and keep track of how much rain falls where you live.

    Materials
    a clear plastic container with straight sides and a flat bottom
    a ruler that measures in inches
    clear packing tape
    a notebook and a pencil

    Steps

    1. Tape the ruler to the outside of the container. Line up the zero mark with the inside bottom.

    2. Set the gauge outside on flat, open ground, away from trees, roofs, and walls.

    3. Check the gauge at the same time each day. Read the water level on the ruler.

    4. Write the date and the number of inches in your notebook.

    5. Empty the container so it is ready for the next rain.

    Why Straight Sides? A container that is wider at the top than at the bottom catches rain through its wide opening, then squeezes that water into its narrow bottom. The water rises higher than the real amount of rain that fell, so your reading would be too high.

    6.

    What should you do right after you write the number of inches in your notebook?

    1. ATape the ruler to the container.
    2. BEmpty the container.
    3. CSet the gauge on open ground.
    4. DRead the water level on the ruler.
  7. 7.

    Why does the author include the section called "Why Straight Sides?"

    1. ATo list all of the steps in order
    2. BTo tell when to check the gauge
    3. CTo explain the reason for one of the materials
    4. DTo show how to read a ruler
  8. 8.

    Where should a reader look to find out what to gather before starting?

    1. AThe title
    2. BStep 1
    3. CThe section called "Why Straight Sides?"
    4. DThe Materials list

  9. The Tryout

    CHARACTERS: OMAR, a fourth grader; TESSA, his friend; MS. RUIZ, the music teacher

    (The school stage. OMAR stands in the middle, holding a kazoo. TESSA sits in the front row with a clipboard.)

    MS. RUIZ: Next for the talent show is Omar. What will you perform?

    OMAR: (proudly) "Yankee Doodle," played on the kazoo.

    TESSA: (whispering) Omar, you said you would practice all week.

    OMAR: (whispering back) I did practice. I practiced thinking about it.

    (OMAR takes a deep breath and blows. The kazoo makes a sound like an angry goose. MS. RUIZ covers a smile with her hand.)

    OMAR: That was a warm-up. (He blows again. Another goose.) That was also a warm-up.

    TESSA: (standing up) Ms. Ruiz, could Omar try again next week? I'll help him practice every day at recess.

    MS. RUIZ: (nodding) One more week. But Omar, real practice, please.

    OMAR: (saluting with the kazoo) Real practice. With my actual mouth.

    (TESSA laughs and pulls him offstage.)

    9.

    What do the words in parentheses, such as "(whispering)" and "(nodding)," tell the reader?

    1. AHow the characters move or speak
    2. BWhere the audience is sitting
    3. CWhat Tessa writes on her clipboard
    4. DWhich character will speak last
  10. 10.

    What happens right after Omar blows the kazoo for the first time?

    1. AOmar salutes with the kazoo.
    2. BHe says it was only a warm-up.
    3. CMs. Ruiz asks what he will perform.
    4. DTessa pulls him offstage.

Written Expression

Circle the letter of the best answer. About 10 minutes.

  1. 1.

    Which sentence uses commas correctly?

    1. AThe bus pulled up, and the students climbed, aboard.
    2. BThe bus pulled up and the students, climbed aboard.
    3. CThe bus pulled up, and the students climbed aboard.
    4. DThe bus pulled up, and the students, climbed aboard.
  2. 2.

    Members of the school board, I think our school day should start later. The tallest tree in our yard is an oak. Many students are still sleepy when the first bell rings. As a result, it is hard for them to pay attention in class. A later start would give everyone time for a healthy breakfast. Please vote to start our school day thirty minutes later.

    Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph?

    1. AMany students are still sleepy when the first bell rings.
    2. BA later start would give everyone time for a healthy breakfast.
    3. CThe tallest tree in our yard is an oak.
    4. DAs a result, it is hard for them to pay attention in class.
  3. 3.

    The water was cold we swam anyway.

    This is a run-on sentence. Which choice fixes it correctly?

    1. AThe water was cold. We swam anyway.
    2. BThe water was cold but, we swam anyway.
    3. CThe water was cold. we swam anyway.
    4. DThe water was cold, we swam anyway.
  4. 4.

    The magician made the coin ______.

    Which word is spelled correctly and completes the sentence?

    1. Adisapear
    2. Bdisappear
    3. Cdissappear
    4. Ddissapear
  5. 5.

    The books on the top shelf ______ to my sister.

    Which word or words best complete the sentence?

    1. Abelongs
    2. Bwas belonging
    3. Chas belonged
    4. Dbelong
  6. 6.

    Which sentence is a complex sentence?

    1. AThe rain stopped, and we went outside.
    2. BThe birds sang and flew away.
    3. CWhen the lights went out, the baby started to cry.
    4. DGrandma baked bread on Sunday.
  7. 7.

    I believe students should have a voice in choosing the cafeteria menu. Right now, adults choose every meal without asking students what they like. Instead, a student committee could help plan healthy meals that kids actually enjoy. When students enjoy their meals, less food ends up in the trash. Giving students a say in the menu would make lunch better for everyone.

    What is the writer's main purpose in this paragraph?

    1. Ato give facts about a topic
    2. Bto explain how to do something, step by step
    3. Cto share an opinion and give reasons for it
    4. Dto tell a story about something that happened
  8. 8.

    Since the fall, our class ______ ten trees, and we plan to plant more.

    Which word or words best complete the sentence?

    1. Aplants
    2. Bhad planted
    3. Chas planted
    4. Dwill have planted
  9. 9.

    Which sentence uses capital letters correctly?

    1. Aour family celebrates Lunar New Year with a big dinner.
    2. BOur family celebrates Lunar new year with a big dinner.
    3. COur family celebrates Lunar New Year with a big Dinner.
    4. DOur family celebrates Lunar New Year with a big dinner.
  10. 10.

    1. Finally, after five hours of climbing, they reached the rocky summit.
    2. By midmorning, they stopped beside a cold stream to rest and eat granola bars.
    3. They started up the steep trail just after sunrise.
    4. From the top, Mateo could see for miles, and he felt that every step had been worth it.

    In what order should these sentences go?

    1. A3, 1, 2, 4
    2. B2, 3, 1, 4
    3. C4, 2, 1, 3
    4. D3, 2, 1, 4

Mathematics

Circle the letter of the best answer. About 10 minutes.

  1. 1.

    What decimal names point P on the number line?

    1. A0.5
    2. B0.3
    3. C0.4
    4. D0.04
  2. 2.

    Lucy has 9 toy cars. Priya has 7 times as many toy cars as Lucy. How many more toy cars does Priya have than Lucy?

    1. A54
    2. B63
    3. C72
    4. D7
  3. 3.

    What is the measure of angle XYZ?

    1. A140°
    2. B150°
    3. C160°
    4. D40°
  4. 4.

    How much taller is the tallest bean plant than the shortest bean plant?

    1. A2 inches
    2. B9 3/4 inches
    3. C5 3/4 inches
    4. D1 3/4 inches
  5. 5.

    Which shows 7.458 in words?

    1. Aseven thousand four hundred fifty-eight
    2. Bseven and four hundred fifty-eight
    3. Cseven and four hundred fifty-eight thousandths
    4. Dseven and four hundred fifty-eight hundredths
  6. 6.

    Pattern A starts at 0 and follows the rule "add 3." Pattern B starts at 0 and follows the rule "add 15." The 1st numbers make the ordered pair (0, 0). Which ordered pair do the 5th numbers make?

    1. A(60, 12)
    2. B(12, 60)
    3. C(12, 24)
    4. D(15, 75)
  7. 7.

    Every rhombus has 4 sides the same length. Every square is a rhombus. What must be true about every square?

    1. AIt has 4 sides the same length.
    2. BIt has no parallel sides.
    3. CIt has exactly 1 pair of parallel sides.
    4. DIt has exactly 2 right angles.
  8. 8.

    The graph shows the ice creams and hot drinks a kiosk sold. In how many of these months was the number for ice creams greater than for hot drinks?

    1. A1 month
    2. B6 months
    3. C3 months
    4. D2 months
  9. 9.

    What are the prime factors of 42?

    1. A6 × 7
    2. B2 × 3
    3. C3 × 7
    4. D2 × 3 × 7
  10. 10.

    11² + 4³ =

    1. A195
    2. B34
    3. C186
    4. D185

Vocabulary

Circle the letter of the best answer. About 5 minutes.

  1. 1.

    A blanket of snow covered the whole town.

    What does the phrase in bold mean?

    1. Aa quilt made of snow
    2. Ba thick layer of snow over everything
    3. Ca little bit of snow
    4. Da pile of warm blankets
  2. 2.

    The rules prohibit running near the pool, because the wet tiles are slippery.

    What does the word prohibit mean in this sentence?

    1. Aallow people to do something
    2. Bbuild something
    3. Cencourage people to do something
    4. Dnot allow by a rule or law
  3. 3.

    The root scope means "look at." What does the word microscope mean?

    1. Aa tool for seeing things far away
    2. Ba tool for hearing tiny sounds
    3. Ca tool for measuring heat
    4. Da tool for seeing very small things
  4. 4.

    Lily tiptoed past the sleeping baby, as quiet as a mouse.

    What does the phrase in bold mean?

    1. Asqueaking loudly
    2. Bmaking no sound at all
    3. Csmall and gray
    4. Dvery hungry
  5. 5.

    Enjoy the present instead of worrying about tomorrow.

    Which meaning of present is used in this sentence?

    1. Ahere, not absent
    2. Bshow or explain something to a group
    3. Cthe time that is happening now
    4. Da gift
  6. 6.

    She set a new school record in the long jump.

    Which meaning of record is used in this sentence?

    1. Aa flat disc that plays music
    2. Ba written account of what happened
    3. Cthe best that has ever been done
    4. Dsave sound or pictures to play later
  7. 7.

    lead
    1. v. show the way by going first
    2. n. a soft, heavy gray metal
    3. n. the gray part of a pencil that writes
    4. n. the first place in a race or game

    Will you lead the line to the lunchroom today?

    Which meaning of lead is used in the sentence?

    1. AMeaning 1
    2. BMeaning 2
    3. CMeaning 3
    4. DMeaning 4
  8. 8.

    Spontaneous is to planned as subtle is to ______.

    Which word completes the analogy?

    1. Ahumble
    2. Bobvious
    3. Csuitable
    4. Dslight
  9. 9.

    Which word shows the greatest surprise?

    1. Asweltering
    2. Bflabbergasted
    3. Csurprised
    4. Dastonished
  10. 10.

    The state legislature passed a law about school safety.

    This sentence is from a social studies book. What does legislature mean?

    1. Athe group of judges in a court
    2. Bthe people who count votes
    3. Cthe group of people who make the laws for a state or country
    4. Dthe army of a country

Computation

Circle the letter of the best answer. About 7 minutes.

  1. 1.

    48 + 8 × 5 =

    1. A98
    2. B88
    3. C89
    4. D280
  2. 2.

    2/3 + 1/4 =

    1. A1
    2. B11/12
    3. C3/7
    4. D3/4
  3. 3.

    653 × 26 =

    1. A13,060
    2. B16,988
    3. C16,968
    4. D16,978
  4. 4.

    1/3 × 1/5 =

    1. A1 2/3
    2. B2/15
    3. C1/15
    4. D1/4
  5. 5.

    What is 0.43 + 0.1?

    1. A1.43
    2. B5.30
    3. C0.63
    4. D0.53
  6. 6.

    26.5 × 10 =

    1. A2.65
    2. B265
    3. C2,650
    4. D26.5
  7. 7.

    1,020 ÷ 17 =

    1. A70
    2. B60
    3. C59
    4. D50
  8. 8.

    1,578 × 61 =

    1. A96,258
    2. B94,680
    3. C96,248
    4. D11,046
  9. 9.

    16.3 ÷ 10 =

    1. A163
    2. B16.3
    3. C0.163
    4. D1.63
  10. 10.

    5/6 × 1/2 =

    1. A1 2/3
    2. B1/2
    3. C5/12
    4. D3/4

Written by Scholar Tests in the style of the published Iowa question types. Not a real Iowa test, and a practice score is not a real score.