Tuesday, May 2, 2006; A12

Here are some sample questions given to 12th-graders from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the nation's report card.

SCIENCE

Animals that reproduce sexually differ from animals that reproduce asexually in that sexually reproducing animals have:

A) a larger number of offspring

B) more genetic variation among their offspring

C) offspring that are nearly identical to their parents

D) offspring that are perfectly adapted to their parents' habitat

X --> Y + Z + energy

The equation above represents a nuclear decay, in which nucleus X decays into particle Y and nucleus Z and releases energy. Which of the following can explain why energy is released in the decay?

A) The mass of X is less than the sum of the masses of Y and Z.

B) The mass of X is less than the difference between the masses of Y and Z.

C) The mass of X is greater than the sum of the masses of Y and Z.

D) The mass of X is greater than the difference between the masses of Y and Z.

CIVICS

The primary purpose of the Bill of Rights was to:

A) limit the spread of slavery in the United States

B) limit the power of the federal government

C) establish judicial review

D) allot specific powers to the states

"Absolute arbitrary power, or governing without settled laws, can neither of them be consistent with the ends of society and government."

-- John Locke

Which of the following statements is most consistent with the Locke quotation above?

A) Weak government is worse than no government.

B) Governmental power should be limited.

C) Laws should never be changed.

D) Only wise people can exercise power.

MATH

cos{+2}(3x) + sin{+2}(3x) =

A) 0

B) 1

C) 3

D) 6

E) 9

GEOGRAPHY

When the warm ocean current El Niño replaces the cooler Peruvian, or Humboldt, current along the coast of Peru, the supplies of anchovies on which seabirds feed decrease. As a result, the number of seabirds roosting on the coastal islands decreases.

The passage describes the effect of El Niño on Peru's

A) wind currents

B) weather

C) ecosystem

D) coastal erosion

WRITING

A novel written in the 1950s describes a world where people are not allowed to read books. A small group of people who want to save books memorize them so that the books won't be forgotten. For example, an old man who has memorized the novel "The Call of the Wild" helps a young boy memorize it by reciting the story to him. In this way, the book is saved for the future. If you were told that you could save just one book for future generations, which book would you choose?

Write an essay in which you discuss which book you would choose and what it is about the book that makes it important to save. Be sure to discuss in detail why the book is important to you and why it would be important to future generations.

Answers:

B, C, B, B, B, C