Sample Test Questions Earth and Space Science The Washington Professional Educator Standards Board
Transcription
Sample Test Questions Earth and Space Science The Washington Professional Educator Standards Board
The Washington Professional Educator Standards Board Sample Test Questions Earth and Space Science WA-SG-FLD024-02 Washington Educator Skills Tests—Endorsements (WEST–E) SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS The sample test questions in this document are designed to give you an introduction to the nature of the questions included in the Washington Educator Skills Tests—Endorsements (WEST–E). They represent the various types of questions you may expect to see on an actual test in this test field; however, they are not designed to provide diagnostic information to help you identify specific areas of individual strength or weakness or to predict your performance on the test as a whole. Work through the sample questions carefully before referring to the answer key that follows. The answer key provides the correct response for each question and lists the objective within the test framework to which each question is linked. When you are finished with the sample questions, you may wish to review the test objectives and descriptive statements provided in the test framework for this test field. In addition to reading and answering the sample questions, you should also utilize the following preparation materials available on the WEST Web site: Read WEST–E Test-Taking Strategies to understand how test questions are designed to measure specific test objectives and to learn important test-taking strategies for the day of the test. Review the Test Summary and Framework for your test field to familiarize yourself with the structure and content of the test. This document contains general testing information as well as the percentage of the total test score derived from each content domain described in the test framework. A scientific calculator may be used for this test as needed in responding to the sample test questions, and one will be provided at the test administration. Please refer to the current WEST registration information regarding the use of calculators at the test administration. Readers should be advised that this document, including many of the excerpts used herein, is protected by federal copyright law. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 Pearson and its logo are trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). —1— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science SAMPLE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS Use the information below to answer the three questions that follow. Magma Types Ultramafic Bowen's Reaction Series calcium-rich plagioclase olivine Temperature of Cooling Magma High pyroxene Basaltic amphibole Andesitic Granitic biotite mica sodium-rich plagioclase potassium feldspar muscovite mica quartz Low Bowen's reaction series describes the order in which minerals form in a cooling magma, as shown above. The plagioclase series on the right side of the diagram represents a continuous series of reactions that occur as plagioclase minerals with different chemical compositions form within a cooling magma. The left side of the diagram represents the discontinuous series of different minerals that form as the magma cools. Olivine, the first mineral to form, reacts with the cooling magma to form a different mineral, pyroxene. At each stage in this discontinuous series, the new mineral that forms as the magma cools can replace the previous mineral. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 —2— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science 1. According to Bowen's reaction series, the minerals in the discontinuous series react with the magma to become different minerals as the magma cools. Although this was demonstrated experimentally in the laboratory, some of the minerals that form at higher temperatures have been shown to survive as the magma cools. Which of the following describes a mechanism that allows some of these minerals to be preserved as the magma continues to cool? A. The magma becomes extremely viscous, preventing chemical alteration of existing minerals. B. The magma becomes so depleted of mineral-forming elements that no new minerals can form. C. The crystals that form first settle out of the magma, becoming physically separated from the magma. D. The crystals form in layers, allowing their interiors to remain chemically isolated from the magma. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 2. 3. Gold would likely crystalize under the same conditions as which of the following minerals of the Bowen's reaction series? A. olivine B. calcium-rich plagioclase C. amphibole D. quartz Based on the information provided in Bowen's reaction series, a magma with which of the following compositions would have the highest silica content? A. granitic B. andesitic C. basaltic D. ultramafic —3— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science 4. The Basin and Range region of the western United States contains fault-block mountains associated with normal faults. The normal faults typically parallel the base of the north–south trending mountain ranges that make up the region. These characteristics indicate that the mountains in the Basin and Range region most likely formed as a result of: A. compressional forces that have pushed sections of the crust upward. B. the isostatic uplift of sections of the crust that are less dense than surrounding materials. C. D. 5. tensional stresses that have pulled the crust in the region apart. Radioactive isotopes can be used to estimate the age of geologic materials. In addition to the half-life of the parent isotope, which of the following is required for estimating the age of a sample? A. the rate of beta emissions from the parent isotope in a measured mass of the sample B. the ratio of the parent isotope to its stable daughter product present in the sample C. the number of alpha particles emitted by the parent isotope over a unit of time D. the ratio of the total mass of the sample to the mass of radioactive isotopes it contains the erosion of softer materials of the crust that exposed the underlying resistant bedrock. 6. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 Which of the following is primarily responsible for the increase in the density of water as it changes phase from a solid at 0°C to a liquid at 1°C? A. the breaking of the covalent bonds within water molecules B. the collapse of the supporting crystal structure of ice C. the formation of hydrogen bonds between water molecules D. the increase in kinetic energy as ice turns to liquid —4— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science 7. Deep-ocean circulation is driven primarily by which of the following factors? A. B. C. D. 8. B. C. D. A braided river pattern typically develops under which of the following circumstances? the differences in the salinity and the temperature of distinct water masses in the oceans A. The gradient of a mature river system is increased as a result of regional uplift. the variation in the concentration of dissolved gases at different locations and depths in the oceans B. The volume of water flowing in a river increases for an extended period of time. the variable strength of surface winds blowing over different regions of the oceans C. The width of the channel widens as a river flows from mountainous terrain across a coastal plain. the contrast in atmospheric pressure over high- and low-latitude regions of the major oceans D. The volume of sediment supplied to a river is greater than what the river can carry. Water samples taken from a large unconfined aquifer reveal a high concentration of nitrates in the aquifer. Which of the following is most likely the primary source of the nitrates found in the samples? A. 9. 10. Which of the following would provide the best source region for the development of a major air mass? A. the Cascade Mountains of the western United States during the late fall B. the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico during the spring the storm drains that collect the street runoff from a town situated along the periphery of the aquifer C. the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States during the early summer a farm that has several agricultural fields overlying the aquifer in production D. the arctic plains of northern Canada during the winter a leaking underground storage tank for oil located in sediments overlying the aquifer several new homes located on a hillside within the watershed that includes the aquifer Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 —5— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science 11. The western side of the Cascade Range receives large amounts of precipitation, while areas just east of the Cascade Range are very dry. This difference primarily results from: A. B. C. D. 12. the northward flow of winds from the Southwest and the resulting decrease in relative humidity on the eastern side of the mountains. the condensation of cool moist air from central Canada as it flows down the mountains' western face. the adiabatic cooling and consequent saturation of moist Pacific air as it is forced up the western side of the mountains. Which of the following weather phenomena indicates that the atmosphere is highly stable? A. Fog that develops in the early morning in a major river valley lingers into the early afternoon. B. Cumulus clouds form on a warm summer morning in the foothills of a mountain range. C. Cool breezes develop off the ocean during the afternoon as the temperature inland rises. D. Thunderstorms develop on a humid day along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. the evapotranspiration of moisture from thickly forested areas that exist to the west of the mountains. 13. Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 Which of the following types of evidence would provide the strongest indication of a long-term change in the climate of a region? A. a shift in the geographic range of several tree species B. the fluctuation of the temperature of ocean surface waters C. a substantial increase in the number of hurricanes in a particular year D. the rapid spread of an exotic species in a new habitat —6— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science 14. Use the diagram below to answer the question that follows. North observation platform A prehistoric culture created a stone circle bisected by two lines, as shown in the diagram above. In the center of the circle is a platform from which a person could observe the location of sunrise and sunset during the summer and winter solstices. If the stone circle is located in the midlatitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, which of the following diagrams most closely approximates the locations of sunrise and sunset during the summer and winter solstices? A. B. sunset on the summer solstice North sunrise on the summer solstice sunset on the winter solstice observation platform sunset on the winter solstice North sunrise on the summer solstice observation platform sunrise on the winter solstice C. sunset on the summer solstice sunrise on the winter solstice D. sunset on the summer solstice North sunrise on the winter solstice sunset on the winter solstice observation platform sunset on the winter solstice North sunrise on the winter solstice observation platform sunrise on the summer solstice Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 sunset on the summer solstice sunrise on the summer solstice —7— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science Which of the following is responsible for the variation in the earth's orbital speed as it travels around the sun? A. the moon's gravitational drag on the earth as it orbits the sun B. the tilt of the earth's rotational axis relative to the plane of its solar orbit C. the gravitational pull of the other planets on the earth as it orbits the sun D. the elliptical shape of the earth's solar orbit 16. Use the diagram below to answer the question that follows. Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram m ai n Increasing Luminosity 15. Hot se qu en ce st ar s Temperature Cool The curve shown on the HertzsprungRussell diagram above represents the relationship between luminosity and temperature of main-sequence stars. Which of the following changes in a star as it ages would cause the star to be placed in the upper right corner of the diagram outside of the main sequence? Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 A. A low-mass star collapses and heats up under the gravitational force of attraction. B. A high-mass star cools and expands after having used up the hydrogen fuel in its core. C. A low-mass star uses up its helium and hydrogen fuel sources and becomes a white dwarf. D. A high-mass star experiences a supernova after collapsing on its neutron core. —8— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science 17. 18. The theory of plate tectonics became established as a unifying model within the geosciences only after: A. a plausible mechanism for plate motion was proposed based on discoveries about oceanic crust that were made using new technology. B. a series of research articles was published that demonstrated flaws in earlier theories on the evolution of the continents and ocean basins. C. the original research and collected evidence supporting the theory of continental drift was translated from the original German into English. D. the discovery of new fossils and advances in evolutionary biology provided support for the existence of a single large supercontinent. 19. 20. A geologist doing field research is certain that a particular mineral sample is either quartz or calcite. Which of the following properties of the sample could the geologist test while still in the field to determine most effectively whether the mineral is quartz or calcite? A. color B. hardness C. density D. malleability Knowledge of which of the following areas of science would be most helpful in understanding the operating principles of remote sensing devices such as the seismograph and sonar? A. computer modeling and simulation Determining the statistical mode of a collected data set would be required to answer which of the following questions? B. magnetic resonance imaging C. reflection and refraction of waves A. How does a particular year's rainfall compare to the long-term average for the region? D. spectroscopic analysis B. What is the most frequently occurring species of fossil trilobite in a particular sedimentary outcrop? C. How does the range between high and low tide differ in two separate harbors? D. What is the difference between the average volume of water carried by a river in the spring and in the fall? Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 —9— SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS Earth and Space Science ANSWER KEY Question Number Correct Response Test Objective 1 C 0001 2 D 0005 3 A 0001 4 C 0002 5 B 0004 6 B 0006 7 A 0007 8 C 0008 9 D 0009 10 D 0010 11 C 0011 12 A 0012 13 A 0013 14 A 0014 15 D 0015 16 B 0016 17 A 0017 18 B 0018 19 B 0019 20 C 0020 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. Evaluation Systems, Pearson, P.O. Box 226, Amherst, MA 01004 —10—
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