Free printable ISEE practice test for Grade 2

Reading

Circle the letter of the best answer. About 12 minutes.

1. 1.

   Milk is a liquid, so it spills if you tip the glass.

   This sentence is from a science book. What does liquid mean?

   1. Aa tiny seed
   2. Bmatter that keeps its own shape
   3. Cmatter that flows and takes the shape of what holds it
   4. Da kind of rock

2. The Giant Turnip

   A folktale from Russia

   An old man planted a turnip seed. "Grow, little turnip," he said. "Grow sweet and strong." The turnip grew and grew. It grew bigger than a wagon wheel!

   The old man grabbed the green leaves and pulled. He pulled and pulled. But the turnip did not come up.

   He called the old woman. She held on to the old man, and they pulled and pulled. But the turnip did not come up.

   The old woman called their granddaughter. The granddaughter held on to the old woman, and they all pulled. But the turnip did not come up.

   The granddaughter called the dog. The dog called the cat. They all pulled and pulled. But the turnip did not come up.

   At last, the cat called a tiny mouse. The mouse held on to the cat's tail. The cat held the dog. The dog held the granddaughter. The granddaughter held the old woman. The old woman held the old man.

   They pulled and pulled and... POP! Up came the giant turnip! Everyone tumbled into a heap.

   That night, they all shared a big pot of turnip soup, even the tiny mouse.

   2.

   What is the lesson of this folktale?

   1. AOld people should not work in gardens.
   2. BIt is best to work alone.
   3. CEven the smallest helper can make a difference.
   4. DTurnips are very hard to grow.
3. 3.

   Which sentence is said again and again in the folktale?

   1. AThey shared a big pot of soup.
   2. BBut the turnip did not come up.
   3. CEveryone tumbled into a heap.
   4. DUp came the giant turnip!
4. 4.

   What do the characters do each time the turnip does not come up?

   1. AThey plant a new seed.
   2. BThey yell at the turnip.
   3. CThey call someone else to help.
   4. DThey dig around the turnip with a shovel.
5. 5.

   In the folktale, what does the word "heap" mean in "Everyone tumbled into a heap"?

   1. Aa deep hole
   2. Ba messy pile
   3. Ca straight line
   4. Da big pot

6. The Plant Doctor

   George Washington Carver was born in Missouri around 1864. As a boy, he loved plants. He grew a little garden in the woods. When his neighbors' plants got sick, George knew how to help them. People called him "the plant doctor."

   George wanted to learn more. In those days, it was hard for a Black child to find a school that would let him in. But George did not give up. He walked many miles to go to school. Later, he studied plants in college.

   George became a teacher at a school in Alabama called Tuskegee. Many farmers there grew only cotton. Growing cotton year after year made the soil weak. George taught the farmers to plant peanuts and sweet potatoes, too. These plants helped make the soil healthy again.

   But what could farmers do with so many peanuts? George found more than 300 ways to use them! He made peanut milk, ink, and even soap.

   George Washington Carver spent his life helping farmers. He showed that knowing about plants can make life better for everyone.

   6.

   What is the main idea of this passage?

   1. APeanuts can be made into soap.
   2. BGeorge Washington Carver was the first person to grow cotton.
   3. CGeorge walked to school every day.
   4. DGeorge Washington Carver used what he knew about plants to help farmers.
7. 7.

   Why did people call George "the plant doctor"?

   1. AHe gave medicine to farmers.
   2. BHe worked in a hospital.
   3. CHe wanted to be a doctor for people.
   4. DHe knew how to help sick plants.
8. 8.

   Why does the author tell that George found more than 300 ways to use peanuts?

   1. ATo show how he helped farmers use all their peanuts
   2. BTo teach readers how to make soap
   3. CTo explain why cotton makes soil weak
   4. DTo tell where peanuts grow
9. 9.

   What would most likely happen to a farm that grew only cotton for many years?

   1. AIts soil would become weak.
   2. BIts soil would get healthier and healthier.
   3. CIts cotton would turn into soap.
   4. DIt would start to grow peanuts by itself.
10. 10.

    Babies wobble when they first learn to walk.

    What does the word wobble mean in this sentence?

    1. Agrow very tall
    2. Bmove unsteadily from side to side
    3. Ctalk very fast
    4. Dstand very still