Iowa practice, Grade 6

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Scholar Tests · Set 1

Iowa practice test, Grade 6

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Reading

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

  1. Two Texts About Bats

    Text 1: Seeing with Sound

    Many bats hunt insects at night, when it is too dark to see well. To find their food, these bats use echolocation. A bat makes high-pitched calls, usually too high for people to hear. The sound bounces off objects and returns to the bat as echoes. By listening to the echoes, the bat can tell where an insect is, how big it is, and which way it is flying. Some bats can even find insects as thin as a human hair.

    Text 2: Bats on the Farm

    Farmers have good reasons to welcome bats. One bat can eat hundreds of insects in a single night, including many that damage crops. That means farmers may not need to spray as many chemicals on their fields. Some bats also help plants grow. Bats that sip nectar carry pollen from flower to flower, and bats that eat fruit spread seeds as they fly.

    1.

    What is the main idea of Text 2?

    1. ABats help farmers and plants in several ways.
    2. BBats eat only fruit and nectar.
    3. CFarmers build homes for bats in their barns.
    4. DBats damage many crops each night.
  2. 2.

    How is Text 2 different from Text 1?

    1. AText 1 is about farms, while Text 2 is about caves.
    2. BText 1 gives an opinion, while Text 2 gives only facts.
    3. CText 1 explains how bats sleep, while Text 2 explains how they fly.
    4. DText 1 explains how bats find food, while Text 2 explains how bats are helpful.

  3. The Lost-and-Found Table

    CHARACTERS: JAVIER and NADIA, fifth graders who run the lost-and-found table; PRINCIPAL GRANT

    (A table in the school lobby, piled with jackets, water bottles, and one rubber boot. NADIA holds a clipboard.)

    NADIA: Forty-two items, and nobody has come by all morning.

    JAVIER: Maybe we need a sign. Something exciting, like "Your Stuff Misses You!"

    (PRINCIPAL GRANT hurries in, patting his pockets.)

    PRINCIPAL GRANT: Good morning. Has anyone turned in a silver whistle? I need it for the fire drill in five minutes.

    NADIA: (searching through a box) Two mittens, a recorder, a lunch box... no whistle.

    JAVIER: (staring at the principal) Um, Principal Grant?

    PRINCIPAL GRANT: I've looked everywhere. My office, the gym, the cafeteria...

    JAVIER: (pointing) Is it the one hanging around your neck?

    (PRINCIPAL GRANT looks down. A silver whistle hangs from a red string.)

    PRINCIPAL GRANT: (laughing) Well. I suppose I should fill out a form.

    NADIA: (handing him the clipboard) Item forty-three: one whistle, found on its owner.

    3.

    Why does Javier stare at Principal Grant?

    1. AHe thinks the principal took a water bottle.
    2. BHe is surprised the principal came to the table.
    3. CHe has noticed the whistle hanging around the principal's neck.
    4. DHe wants the principal to read his sign.
  4. 4.

    What does Nadia's last line show about her?

    1. AShe is shy around grown-ups.
    2. BShe is bored with her job.
    3. CShe has a good sense of humor.
    4. DShe is upset with the principal.

  5. The Radiator in 4B

    Every winter morning, before the sun, the radiator under our window clears its iron throat. It knocks once, twice, three times, like an old man rapping his cane on the floor to tell the whole building he is awake. Then it hisses, long and low, grumbling about the cold the way Grandpa grumbles about the weather report, complaining and complaining but never once leaving its post. All day it works without a word of thanks. It dries the mittens we drape across its ribs. It lets the cat sleep along its warm shoulders. It wrestles the drafts that sneak under the door and pins them to the floor. Outside, the wind shakes the fire escape, and snow buries the parked cars to their mirrors. Inside, the radiator stands its ground. At night, when the building goes quiet, I hear it ticking as it cools, muttering to itself in the dark like someone humming a song whose words they have forgotten. Mom says it was already here before she was born, that it knocked and hissed and kept her warm while she did homework at this same table. People who visit call it noisy. I call it loyal. Not everything that grumbles is unkind. Some things complain all winter long and keep you warm anyway.

    5.

    The poem says the radiator "clears its iron throat." What does this personification help the reader understand?

    1. AThe radiator is shaped like a person's neck.
    2. BThe radiator is broken and needs to be repaired before the winter is over.
    3. CThe radiator sings loudly whenever it is happy.
    4. DThe radiator makes noises as it starts, like a person about to speak.
  6. 6.

    Which theme does the poem develop?

    1. ANoise in a home is always a sign of trouble.
    2. BOld things should be replaced with new ones.
    3. CPeople should never grumble about the weather or the cold.
    4. DSomeone who complains can still be caring and dependable.
  7. 7.

    How does the speaker's view of the radiator differ from the view of visitors?

    1. AVisitors notice only its noise, but the speaker values how dependable it is.
    2. BVisitors admire its age, but the speaker wishes it were newer.
    3. CVisitors enjoy hearing it at night, but the speaker cannot sleep.
    4. DVisitors think it makes the room too hot, but the speaker thinks it is too cold.

  8. Make a Water Filter from a Bottle

    How do towns clean the water that comes out of a faucet? One important step is filtering, which means passing water through layers that trap dirt. You can build a simple model of a water filter and watch muddy water come out much clearer.

    Materials
    an empty, clean plastic bottle (a large one works best)
    scissors, used by an adult
    a coffee filter or a few cotton balls
    activated charcoal, sold for aquarium filters
    clean sand
    small gravel or pebbles
    a cup of muddy water
    a clear glass or jar

    Steps

    1. Have an adult cut the bottle in half. Keep the top half to use as a funnel.

    2. Rinse the charcoal, sand, and gravel in a strainer until the water runs clear, so their dust does not cloud your results.

    3. Push the coffee filter or cotton balls into the neck of the bottle. Turn the top half upside down and set it in the glass or jar.

    4. Add the layers in this order: about an inch of charcoal first, then about two inches of sand, then about two inches of gravel on top.

    5. Slowly pour the muddy water over the gravel. Watch it trickle through the layers and drip into the glass.

    6. Compare the filtered water with the muddy water you started with.

    How It Works
    Each layer traps something different. The gravel catches large bits, such as leaves and twigs. The sand catches smaller grains of dirt. The charcoal is full of tiny holes that hold on to some of the chemicals that give water a bad color or smell.

    Safety Note
    Your filtered water may look clean, but it is not safe to drink. Germs and some chemicals are far too small for sand and charcoal to catch, and real water treatment plants use other steps to kill germs. Pour your filtered water on a plant instead.

    8.

    What should you do right before you pour the muddy water?

    1. APour the filtered water on a plant.
    2. BCompare the filtered water with the muddy water.
    3. CHave an adult cut the bottle in half.
    4. DAdd the charcoal, sand, and gravel in layers.
  9. 9.

    Why does the author include the Safety Note?

    1. ATo warn that clear-looking water can still carry germs
    2. BTo describe how charcoal removes bad smells
    3. CTo list the materials needed for the filter
    4. DTo explain which layer catches the largest bits
  10. 10.

    Where should a reader look to find out what the sand in the filter catches?

    1. AHow It Works
    2. BThe first paragraph
    3. CStep 4
    4. DThe Materials list

Written Expression

Circle the letter of the best answer. About 9 minutes.

  1. 1.

    By the end of next summer, Priya ______ enough money for a new bike.

    Which word or words best complete the sentence?

    1. Awill have saved
    2. Bsaves
    3. Chas saved
    4. Dhad saved
  2. 2.

    Which sentence uses commas correctly?

    1. ANo the cookies are not ready yet.
    2. BNo, the cookies, are not ready yet.
    3. CNo, the cookies are not ready yet.
    4. DNo the, cookies are not ready yet.
  3. 3.

    Principal Alvarez, I believe our school should schedule recess before lunch instead of after it. Students who play first come to lunch hungry and ready to eat. As a result, less food would be thrown away in the cafeteria. Students would also return to class calmer after eating. Moving recess before lunch would be a simple change with real benefits, Principal Alvarez.

    Who is the writer most likely writing this paragraph for?

    1. Athe school principal
    2. Bthe manager of a grocery store
    3. Ca college basketball team
    4. Da group of preschool children
  4. 4.

    Which sentence uses parentheses correctly?

    1. APriya brought lemon bars to the bake sale (her grandmother's recipe.
    2. BPriya (brought lemon bars to the bake sale her grandmother's recipe).
    3. CPriya brought lemon bars to the bake sale (her grandmother's recipe.)
    4. DPriya brought lemon bars to the bake sale (her grandmother's recipe).
  5. 5.

    After dinner, we had apple pie and ice cream for ______.

    Which word best completes the sentence?

    1. Adezzert
    2. Bdesert
    3. Cdessert
    4. Ddessrt
  6. 6.

    The human heart is a strong muscle that pumps blood to every part of the body. An adult's heart is about the size of a fist and sits in the chest between the lungs. The heart has four chambers, with two on the top and two on the bottom. A healthy heart beats about 100,000 times every day without ever taking a break. ______, it pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood through the body each day. Day and night, this hardworking muscle keeps the whole body supplied with the blood it needs.

    Which word or phrase best fills the blank?

    1. AIn contrast
    2. BOn the other hand
    3. CHowever
    4. DIn addition
  7. 7.

    We can study the Great Lakes for our project we can study the Rocky Mountains instead.

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

    1. AWe can study the Great Lakes for our project, or we can study the Rocky Mountains instead.
    2. BWe can study the Great Lakes for our project or, we can study the Rocky Mountains instead.
    3. CWe can study the Great Lakes for our project, we can study the Rocky Mountains instead.
    4. DWe can study the Great Lakes for our project. we can study the Rocky Mountains instead.
  8. 8.

    Which sentence uses capital letters correctly?

    1. AOur neighbor from Brazil taught us to cook a brazilian stew last winter.
    2. BOur neighbor from Brazil taught us to cook a Brazilian stew last winter.
    3. COur neighbor from Brazil taught us to cook a Brazilian Stew last winter.
    4. Dour neighbor from Brazil taught us to cook a Brazilian stew last winter.
  9. 9.

    Benjamin Franklin was a printer. Benjamin Franklin experimented with electricity.

    Which sentence best combines the two sentences without changing what they mean?

    1. ABenjamin Franklin experimented with electricity.
    2. BBenjamin Franklin, a printer, experimented with electricity.
    3. CBenjamin Franklin was a printer, he experimented with electricity.
    4. DBenjamin Franklin, a printer experimented with electricity.
  10. 10.

    Mei read this sentence by historian Laura Bennett in a book about the Civil War:
    "Lincoln's Gettysburg Address contained only about 270 words, yet it became one of the most famous speeches in American history."

    Which sentence uses the source correctly in a report?

    1. AAccording to historian Laura Bennett, the Gettysburg Address "contained only about 2,700 words."
    2. BHistorian Laura Bennett says the Gettysburg Address contained only about 270 words, yet it became one of the most famous speeches in American history.
    3. CAccording to historian Laura Bennett, the Gettysburg Address "contained only about 270 words."
    4. DThe Gettysburg Address "became one of the most famous speeches in American history."

Mathematics

Circle the letter of the best answer. About 9 minutes.

  1. 1.

    What ordered pair names point A?

    1. A(7, 4)
    2. B(7, 3)
    3. C(6, 3)
    4. D(3, 7)
  2. 2.

    The line plot shows how much rain fell on each of 11 days. What is the difference between the greatest and the least amount on the line plot?

    1. A1 1/2 inches
    2. B2 inches
    3. C1 1/4 inches
    4. D2 1/2 inches
  3. 3.

    One serving of oats is 1/4 cup. How many servings are in 9 cups of oats?

    1. A2 1/4
    2. B4/9
    3. C36
    4. D1/36
  4. 4.

    Pattern A starts at 0 and follows the rule "add 6." Pattern B starts at 0 and follows the rule "add 12." Which ordered pair (A, B) could be made from matching numbers of the two patterns?

    1. A(72, 36)
    2. B(36, 72)
    3. C(36, 84)
    4. D(36, 42)
  5. 5.

    A coupon works only on orders of more than $37. Which inequality shows the order totals d, in dollars, the coupon works on?

    1. Ad < 37
    2. Bd ≥ 37
    3. Cd > 37
    4. Dd ≤ 37
  6. 6.

    19 students each said how many pets they have at home. The table shows the results. How many students have at least 2 pets?

    1. A5
    2. B12
    3. C19
    4. D7
  7. 7.

    What is the surface area of the right rectangular prism?

    1. A136 square centimeters
    2. B108 square centimeters
    3. C84 square centimeters
    4. D68 square centimeters
  8. 8.

    What number is at point P on the number line?

    1. A−3
    2. B−2
    3. C−1
    4. D2
  9. 9.

    The formula P = 2l + 2w gives the perimeter of a rectangle. A garden has a perimeter of 42 feet and a length of 16 feet. What is its width, in feet?

    1. A10.5
    2. B5
    3. C13
    4. D10
  10. 10.

    Point A is at −1 and point B is at 3 1/2. What is the distance between A and B?

    1. A4 1/2
    2. B−4 1/2
    3. C3 1/2
    4. D2 1/2

Vocabulary

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

  1. 1.

    The museum displays every artifact found at the dig, from clay pots to arrowheads.

    This sentence is from a history book. What does artifact mean?

    1. Aa rule made by a king
    2. Ba map of the stars
    3. Ca story told by grandparents
    4. Dan object made by people long ago
  2. 2.

    The old house fell apart because its owners would neglect every repair.

    What does the word neglect mean in this sentence?

    1. Asell for a lot of money
    2. Bshow off to friends
    3. Cfail to take care of
    4. Dtake a picture of
  3. 3.

    The root terr means "earth or land." What does the word terrain mean?

    1. Athe weather in a place
    2. Bthe sky over a place
    3. Cthe people in a place
    4. Dthe shape and kind of land in a place
  4. 4.

    Which word means the opposite of eliminate?

    1. Aremove
    2. Bestimate
    3. Cillustrate
    4. Dinclude
  5. 5.

    Which word means "how much mass is packed into a certain amount of space"?

    1. Apyramid
    2. Baqueduct
    3. Cdensity
    4. Dnomad
  6. 6.

    Ana is a consistent player who scores in almost every game.

    What does the word consistent mean in this sentence?

    1. Afull of mistakes
    2. Bchanging from day to day
    3. Crarely seen
    4. Dalways acting or happening the same way
  7. 7.

    At six o'clock my alarm clock screamed until I slapped the button.

    What does the phrase in bold mean?

    1. Athe alarm made a very loud, sharp noise
    2. Bthe alarm rang softly
    3. Cthe clock was broken
    4. Dthe clock shouted words at me
  8. 8.

    chip
    1. n. a small piece broken off something hard
    2. n. a thin, crunchy slice of fried potato
    3. n. a tiny part inside a computer that stores or handles information
    4. v. break a small piece off

    Be careful not to chip the glass when you wash it.

    Which meaning of chip is used in the sentence?

    1. AMeaning 1
    2. BMeaning 2
    3. CMeaning 3
    4. DMeaning 4
  9. 9.

    The statue sits on a wide marble base.

    Which meaning of base is used in this sentence?

    1. Aone of the four corners a runner must touch in baseball
    2. Ba place where soldiers or explorers live and work
    3. Cuse something as the starting point for
    4. Dthe bottom part that something stands or rests on
  10. 10.

    These words are in order from least to most: slip, ______, blunder.

    Which word belongs in the blank?

    1. Amistake
    2. Bthrow
    3. Cgash
    4. Dwave

Computation

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

  1. 1.

    What is 30% of 1.2?

    1. A0.36
    2. B0.84
    3. C36
    4. D3.6
  2. 2.

    What is 1/2 ÷ 5/8?

    1. A4/5
    2. B3 1/5
    3. C5/16
    4. D1 1/4
  3. 3.

    Mia has $85.00. 25% of it is spent on a book. How much is spent on the book?

    1. A$63.75
    2. B$21.25
    3. C$2.13
    4. D$340.00
  4. 4.

    A container holds 3/10 cup of oats. One serving is 1/5 cup. How many servings are in the container?

    1. A1 1/2
    2. B3/50
    3. C16 2/3
    4. D2/3
  5. 5.

    8,019 ÷ 33 =

    1. A244
    2. B243
    3. C233
    4. D242
  6. 6.

    13 + 11 × 7 =

    1. A168
    2. B89
    3. C91
    4. D90
  7. 7.

    James spends two eighths of the money in a wallet and has $120.00 left. How much was in the wallet at the start?

    1. A$160.00
    2. B$90.00
    3. C$480.00
    4. D$40.00
  8. 8.

    What is the opposite of 34?

    1. A34
    2. B1/34
    3. C−1/34
    4. D−34
  9. 9.

    6,344 ÷ 26 =

    1. A254
    2. B234
    3. C244
    4. D243
  10. 10.

    (11 + 5) × 3 =

    1. A48
    2. B26
    3. C58
    4. D47

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.