Free STAAR Practice Test Questions

Q1: Daisy has a lot of rabbits. To feed her rabbits, Daisy decides to buy three packs of carrots. Each pack contains 10 carrots. She wants to give each rabbit six carrots. Which equation represents how many rabbits Daisy owns?

a. 3 x10 / 6

b. 3 x 10 x 6

c. 3 + 10 - 6

d. 3 + 10 + 6

A1: The correct answer is A.

To solve this problem, you first need to determine the total number of carrots. Since Daisy bought three packs of carrots, and each pack contains 10 carrots, you need to multiply 10 by 3, or add 10 three times: 3 x 10, or 10 + 10 + 10, equals 30. The question says Daisy wanted to give each rabbit six carrots. Thus, to find the total number of rabbits, you need to divide 30 by 6. In other words, 3 x 10 / 6 is the correct answer.

Q2: Maria is talking about her weekend activities and earnings. Which statement could accurately describe both her activities and her income?

a. Maria spends her weekends studying at the library.

b. Maria buys groceries for her family every Saturday.

c. Maria withdraws $30 from her ATM for weekend expenses.

d. Maria bakes cakes for local events and earns $50 per cake.

A2: The correct answer is D.

Option d is the correct answer because it is the only option that describes an activity (baking cakes for local events) that directly results in earning income ($50 per cake). This statement covers both activities (the action of baking cakes) and earnings (the earnings from selling those cakes). The other options describe activities that either do not generate income or are related to spending money, not earning it.

Q3: The local market has 650 fruits.

· 166 fruits are oranges.

· 291 fruits are apples.

· 108 fruits are pears.

· The rest of the fruits are peaches.

How many of the local market's fruits are peaches?

a. 484

b. 208

c. 85

d. 308

A3: The correct answer is C.

To calculate the answer, reduce the amount of each of the fruits from the original amount, one at a time:

650 – 166 = 484

484 – 291 = 193

193 – 108 = 85

An easier way to eliminate options is to add the hundreds of the given fruits (2+1+1 = 4) and deduct from the original number's hundreds digit (6 – 4 = 2). You can immediately eliminate options A and D. Next, add the ten digits (9 + 6 + 0 = 15), add to the previous 4 (which is now 40 in tens (40 + 15 = 55), and deduct again from the tens of the overall number (65) (65 – 555 = 10), You can now eliminate option B, and you remain with option C which is correct.

Text:

1 Gardening is a wonderful activity that people of all ages can enjoy. It's not just for grown-ups; many kids find gardening fun and interesting too. In a garden, you can grow flowers, vegetables, or even fruits. Watching plants grow from tiny seeds into full-grown plants is exciting. When gardening, you can dig in the dirt, plant seeds, and water your plants to help them grow.

2 One of the best things about gardening is seeing the colorful flowers and tasting the fresh vegetables you've grown yourself. It's like having a little piece of nature right in your backyard. Gardens also attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, making your garden a lively place.

3 Gardening is good for you too. It gets you outside in the fresh air and sunshine, which is healthy. It also helps you learn about nature and where food comes from. Plus, taking care of plants teaches responsibility and patience because plants need time to grow.

4 You don't need a lot of space to start a garden. You can grow plants in a small area in your yard or even in pots on a balcony or windowsill. All you need are some seeds, soil, water, and sunlight. With a little care, you can watch your garden come to life.

Q4: What can you grow in a garden?

a. Toys

b. Cars

c. Flowers and vegetables

d. Computers

A4: The correct answer is C.

The text specifically mentions that in a garden, you can grow flowers, vegetables, or even fruits, making it clear that these are things you can cultivate in a garden. The other options (A, B, D) are unrelated to gardening.

Q5: Why is gardening good for you?

a. It teaches you how to drive

b. It gets you outside and is educational

c. It helps you cook better

d. It makes you a faster runner

A5: The correct answer is B.

Gardening is beneficial because it involves being outdoors in fresh air and sunshine, and it teaches about nature and the growth process of plants, as mentioned in the text. The other options (A, C, D) are not supported by the information in the passage.

Q6: What do you need to start a garden?

a. Video games

b. Seeds, soil, water, and sunlight

c. A bicycle

d. A television

A6: The correct answer is B.

These are the necessities for starting a garden as outlined in the text. The other options (A, C, D) do not provide the essential elements needed for plant growth and are not mentioned in the context of gardening.

Q1: Sam wants to grow his own vegetable garden. The plot of land Sam plowed for his garden has two obtuse angles. Which figure could be the one Sam plowed?

a. Square

b. Obtuse triangle

c. Trapezoid

d. Rectangle

A1: The correct answer is C.

The easiest way to solve this problem is to try and draw it. If you start with a straight line and form an obtuse angle at each end of the line, this means that the new lines extend outward from the straight line and away from one another, as opposed to acute angles, in which the lines extend inward toward each other. After drawing two connected obtuse angles, one will see that none of the shapes above can be formed besides the trapezoid.

You can also solve the problem mathematically: An obtuse angle is an angle that is greater than 90°. Since all the angles in both a rectangle and a square are equal to 900, you know these figures cannot be the right ones.

An obtuse triangle contains one obtuse angle, but its other two angles are always acute—less than 90°. This is because the sum of a triangle's angles must always equal 1800. Thus, if one angle is greater than 90°, the sum of the other two angles must be less than 90°. Therefore, there can only be one obtuse angle in an obtuse triangle. Once you’ve ruled these three options out, you can know for certain that the answer is a trapezoid. A trapezoid can have two obtuse angles, so it fits the question's description.

Q2: A man lifts two different weights at the gym.

· Weight H weighs 3.2 pounds.

· Weight I weighs 6.38 pounds.

What is the total weight of both weights?

A2: The correct answer is 9.58.

The answer requires addition with decimals. To answer this question, add each digit to the corresponding digit in the second number:

6.38 + 3.20 → 0.08 + 0.00 = 0.08

6.38 + 3.2 → 0.3 + 0.2 = 0.5

6.38 + 3.2 → 6 + 3 = 9

9 + 0.5 + 0.08 = 9.58.

Q3: Use the function table below to answer the question.

How many pencils does each child have?

a. 2

b. 3

c. 9

d. 36

A3: The correct answer is B.

Find the rule that connects the number of children with the number of pencils. Going from left to right, it cannot be an addition, because each pair has a different amount added on. Therefore, check the multiplication options. To get from each number of children to the number of pencils, you must multiply by three: 3 x 3 = 9 5 x 3 = 15 8 x 3 = 24, and so on. Therefore, if there were just one child, you can multiply by three to find the number of pencils: 1 x 3 = 3. So, each child must have three pencils each. Therefore, the correct answer is (B).

Text:

The Mystery of the Missing Cookie

SCENE 1 1 [In the school cafeteria, during lunch break. Emma and Alex are sitting at a table with their lunches.]
2 EMMA: I brought my favorite chocolate chip cookie for dessert today. I've been looking forward to it all morning!
3 ALEX: Yum, that sounds delicious! I wish I had one too.
4 [Emma opens her lunchbox to find her cookie missing.]
5 EMMA: Oh no! My cookie is gone! I was sure I packed it this morning.
6 ALEX: That's strange. Are you sure you didn't eat it already?
7 EMMA: Positive. I've been saving it for last.
8 ALEX: Let's look around; maybe it fell out of your lunchbox.
9 [They search the area but don't find the cookie.]
10 EMMA: It's really gone. I wonder what happened to it.

SCENE 2
11 [After lunch, in the classroom. Emma and Alex are talking to their teacher, Mrs. Green.]
12 EMMA: Mrs. Green, someone took my cookie during lunch.
13 MRS. GREEN: Are you sure, Emma? Maybe it's just misplaced.
14 ALEX: We already looked everywhere in the cafeteria.
15 MRS. GREEN: Let's not jump to conclusions. Cookies don't just walk away on their own.
16 EMMA: I know, but it's missing, and I didn't eat it.
17 MRS. GREEN: Let's think this through. Is there anyone who might have seen your cookie?
18 [Emma and Alex think for a moment.]
19 EMMA: Maybe Lily saw something. She sits at the next table.
20 MRS. GREEN: Alright, let's ask Lily after class.

SCENE 3
21 [Later, Emma and Alex approach Lily.]
22 EMMA: Lily, did you see what happened to my chocolate chip cookie at lunch?
23 LILY: Oh, your cookie? I saw a crow fly in through the open window and grab something from your table. Maybe that was it?
24 EMMA: A crow? I didn't even notice!
25 ALEX: That explains it! The mystery of the missing cookie is solved.
26 EMMA: I'm relieved it wasn't stolen by someone. Thanks for your help, Lily.
27 LILY: You're welcome. Next time, we should keep an eye on those sneaky crows!

Q1: Why is Emma upset in Scene 1?

a. She forgot her lunch at home.

b. Her favorite chocolate chip cookie is missing.

c. She doesn't like what's in her lunchbox.

d. Alex took her cookie.

A1: The correct answer is B.

Emma explicitly states in Scene 1 that her cookie, which she had been looking forward to, is gone. The other options are incorrect because they do not match the information provided in the text.

Q2: What does the word "misplaced" mean in line 13?

a. Forgotten at home.

b. Lost forever.

c. Put in the wrong place.

d. Stolen by someone.

A2: The correct answer is C.

In the context of Mrs. Green's statement in line 13, "misplaced" suggests that the cookie might have been put somewhere unexpected or incorrect, rather than being lost or stolen. Option A is incorrect because there's no implication that Emma forgot it at home.

Option B is too extreme as "misplaced" doesn't necessarily imply permanent loss. Option D is incorrect because "misplaced" doesn't suggest theft.

Q3: Which line from the story best supports the idea that Emma realizes the cookie wasn't stolen by a person?

a. EMMA: Oh no! My cookie is gone! I was sure I packed it this morning. (line 5)

b. EMMA: It's really gone. I wonder what happened to it. (line 10)

c. EMMA: I know, but it's missing, and I didn't eat it. (line 16)

d. EMMA: I'm relieved it wasn't stolen by someone. (line 26)

A3: The correct answer is D.

This line directly reflects Emma's realization and relief that the disappearance of her cookie was due to an unexpected event (a crow taking it) rather than a person intentionally taking it. The other options (A, B, C) do not clearly support the idea that Emma realized her cookie wasn't stolen by a person.

Q1: Rosie has a long ribbon that is 31.76 inches in length. She wants to cut it into eight matching ribbons of equal length. What is the length of each ribbon in inches?

a. 3.75 in.

b. 3.97 in.

c. 4.05 in.

d. 3.50 in.

A1: The correct answer is B.

To solve this question, you must use long division. You want to divide 31.76 by 8.

8 ⟌ 31.76

First, try to divide 8 into 3. 8 cannot go into 3 since it is larger than 3, so you put a 0 as your first digit in the answer on top, above the 3.

0

8 ⟌ 31.76

3

Since 8 did not go into 3 at all, you must bring the 3 down together with the next digit, 1, and try to divide 8 into 31.

0

8 ⟌ 31.76

31

The number 8 goes into 31 three times, so you must put a 3 above as your next digit in the answer. When 8 went into 31 three times, it only reached 24, so it still had 7 left to reach 31. Therefore, you must bring down that 7 and put it before the next digit, and that forms the next number that 8 needs to divide into: 77.

03

8 ⟌ 31.76

77

The number 8 goes into 77 nine times, reaching 72, with 5 left to reach 77. So put the 9 on top as your next digit and bring the 5 down with the 6, forming the last number you need to divide 8 into: 56. Remember to keep your decimal point in the same place above.

03.9

8 ⟌ 31.76

56

The number 8 goes into 56 exactly 7 times. So put the 7 on top as your final digit in the answer, and there is no remainder to bring down. You are left with your final answer.

03.97

8 ⟌ 31.76

56

Or: 3.97

Q2: Read the passage.

The boy was wandering around the forest, looking curiously at the wild animals and plants around him. There were huge elm trees, beautiful red and yellow flowers, squirrels, chipmunks, and occasionally he even saw a few deer. Suddenly he let out a cry of

excitement—he saw a female deer and her young fawn. The fawn was the most adorable thing the boy had ever seen.

What is the setting of the story?

a. wild plants

b. deer and fawn

c. late evening

d. the forest

A2: The correct answer is D.

The setting of a story is the place, time, and duration the story takes place in. The only relevant detail that is mentioned in the story is the forest. Therefore, answer (D) is correct. Answers (A) and (B) are incorrect because even though they contain details from the story, those details are not the setting of the story. Answer (C) is incorrect because the passage does not mention that the story happens in late evening.

Q3: A student is creating a poster about the different states of matter. Which sentence should the student include to explain the process of freezing?

a. Gas expands and fills a container.

b. Solid matter breaks down into a liquid.

c. Liquid water becomes ice.

d. Heat turns liquid into gas.

A3: The correct answer is C.

Explanation: The process of freezing involves a liquid turning into a solid as its temperature drops below its freezing point. In the context of water, freezing occurs when liquid water cools down enough to become ice. This is why option C is correct, as it accurately describes the process of freezing where liquid water turns into ice. Option A is incorrect because it describes the behavior of gases, not the freezing process. Option B describes melting, which is the opposite of freezing. Option D describes vaporization or boiling, where a liquid turns into a gas due to heat, not the process of freezing.

Q1: As part of a local survey, Merry asked 700 people from his village to name their favorite food. The results showed that 28 of the villagers like mushrooms best. What percentage of the villagers surveyed prefer mushrooms to all other food?

a. 0.04%

b. 25%

c. 40%

d. 4%

A1: The correct answer is D.

To solve this question, you must set up a fraction of 28 over 700.

28/700

To get the percentage, you must make sure the denominator is equal to 100, since all percentages measure the value out of 100. In order to get the denominator from 700 to 100, we must simply divide by 7, as 100 goes into 700 seven times.

700/7=100

To make sure the fraction remains the same proportion, we must also divide the numerator (28) by 7.

28/7=4

After dividing each by 7, we are left with:

4/100

This is equal to 4%, so we know that is the correct answer.

Q2: The city of Genoa (Italian: Genova) is located in the north of Italy and is the sixth-largest city in Italy. Its uniqueness becomes evident when you start wandering around its streets. As you walk along the port, the smell of fresh fish surrounds you, nearly engulfing the strong smell of the ocean.

The ocean is particularly beautiful in this city, with the water waltzing in the light wind and glowing in the evening sun with a unique hue. As you keep walking, you can hear the whisper of the waves on one side and the musical, loud Italian on the other; yes, the Genovese are warm, kind, and loud! Genoa is nicknamed "The Vertical Town" because of its many narrow, steep stairways in the middle of the street, many of which can only be climbed by one person at a time.

The stairways are often the only way to get from one place to another in the streets of Genoa, so be prepared to climb quite a lot.

Which of the following is used in the passage to create a mental image of the city of Genoa?

a. personification

b. simile

c. irony

d. alliteration

A2: The correct answer is A.

The passage describes the city of Genoa and uses many adjectives to create a mental image of the city; it appeals to the senses and describes the sights, smells, and sounds of the city. One technique that the author uses in the text is personification—assigning the qualities of a person to something that is not human.

The two examples of personification that can be found in the text are: "…the water waltzing in the light wind" and "the whisper of the waves." Water cannot waltz; this verb is used to describe the movement of the water. Similarly, waves cannot whisper; this verb is used to describe the sound of the waves. Therefore, the correct answer is (A).

Answer (B) is incorrect because a simile is a comparison, saying one thing is like another, often with the word "like" or "as." The passage does not contain similes. Answer (C) is incorrect because an irony is the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning, for example, saying "It will be just fine" when you actually mean "It will be terrible." The passage contains no irony. Answer (D) is incorrect because an alliteration is a series of words that begin with the same sound. The passage contains no alliteration.

Q1: Belladonna wants to buy a new cake pan to bake a seed cake for her guests. The pan should be cylinder in shape, 9 inches in radius, and 162π in volume. What would be its height in inches?

a. 2 in.

b. 8 in.

c. 4 in.

d. 6 in.

A1: The correct answer is A.

The formula used to calculate the volume of a cylinder is the area of the base times height. To find the height of a cylinder, you need to divide the volume by the area of the base. First, find the area of the circular base.

Since you know the radius of the base is 9, you need to multiply 9 squared by π, which is 81π. Now that you have the area of the circular base, you need to divide the volume of the cylinder, 162π, by the area of the base, 81π. The result of 162π / 81π is 2, which is the correct answer.

Q2: Read the paragraph.

My friends and I organized a petition for a Black History class at our school. Most students signed, and when the principal saw the petition, he invited me to argue our cause in front of the school board. I was nervous about what they would ask me and asked my friend Laura, who had organized the petition with me, to help me practice. She played devil's advocate and I answered her flawlessly. Thanks to her, I was much less nervous when I stood in front of the board; I spoke confidently and did not forget a single detail.

What is the meaning of the phrase "play devil's advocate"?

a. Teach a class.

b. Give someone courage to speak in front of many people.

c. Present counter arguments when strongly disagreeing with a cause.

d. Present counter arguments to a cause, even while agreeing with it.

A2: The correct answer is D.

The correct meaning of "play devil's advocate" is "present counter arguments to a cause, even while agreeing with it." Even if you do not know this phrase, you can understand its meaning from the paragraph: the narrator and her friend want a Black History class, and the narrator must argue the case in front of the school board.

She is nervous about what she will be asked and asks Laura to help her practice; therefore, Laura probably presented arguments against the cause to help the narrator see what she might be asked.

You know from the context that, even though she presented counter arguments, Laura agrees with the cause because she helped organize the petition. Therefore, the correct answer is (D).

Note that answer (C) is incorrect because Laura helped the narrator organize the petition, so it is unlikely that she disagrees with the cause.

Q1:Look at the scores of the final English exam:

What is David's score, if the mean is 75?

a. 65

b. 70

c. 75

d. 80

A1: The correct answer is B.

• The mean is the average of a data set (exam scores in this case). To find it, you add up all the data set items and divide the sum by the number of items.
  
  
• In this question, you are given most of the data set and its mean, so you can find the missing value by creating an equation and marking David's score with a variable (x):

• To solve this equation, multiply both sides by 6:

• Using the formed equation, you could discover the missing item of the data set, David's score on the exam (70), and therefore (B) is the correct answer.
  
  
• Another way of solving is by using the mean's property- the sum of the distances from the mean must be zero. If you then add the differences of all scores, including David's, from 75, it should be equal to zero.
  
  
• You can create an equation of the distances of all scores from 75 and mark David's score difference from 75 as x:
  
  88 is 13 points higher than 75 (+13), 62 is 13 points lower than 75 (-13), 100 is 25 points higher than 75 (+25), 49 is 26 points lower than 75 (-26), and 81 is 6 points higher than 75 (+6).
  Now you can create the equation to find David's difference and discover his score:
      
               
• David's score should be 5 points lower than 75 (-5): 75 - 5 = 70 → David's score in the exam is 70 and (B) is the correct answer.

Q2: Read the following passage from Mark Twain’s TOM SAWYER and answer accordingly:

After dinner all the gang turned out to hunt for turtle eggs on the bar. They went about poking sticks into the sand, and when they found a soft place they went down on their knees and dug with their hands. Sometimes they would take fifty or sixty eggs out of one hole.

They were perfectly round white things a trifle smaller than an English walnut. They had a famous fried-egg feast that night, and another on Friday morning.

a. Imagery

b. Hyperbole

c. Metaphor

d. Allegory

A2: The correct answer is A.

Imagery is a literary device used to help the reader better visualize what things look like, and it is accomplished through descriptive language of appearances. The passage uses imagery when it describes the eggs as “perfectly round white things” and states that they are “a trifle smaller than an English walnut.” This indeed helps the reader visualize the eggs as it describes their color and size, painting a vivid image in the mind of the reader. Option B is incorrect because there is no hyperbole in the passage. Hyperbole is a literary device in which authors exaggerate the truth in order to emphasize something or create a strong impression.

Though the words used in hyperbole are not meant to be taken literally, the idea behind the impression they create is accurate. One might get confused and think that the author uses hyperbole when he writes, “Sometimes they would take fifty or sixty eggs out of one hole.” However, there is no reason to believe that this is an exaggeration.

It does emphasize that a lot of eggs can be found in one hole, but not through hyperbole. The author seems to be giving an estimate of the actual number of eggs, not emphasizing a point by exaggerating.

If it had said that there were a million eggs, that would clearly be an exaggeration because it would be impossible, or at least highly improbable, if understood literally. Since there is no exaggeration, this is not an example of hyperbole. Option C is incorrect because there are no metaphors in the passage.

The eggs are described by comparing their size to that of English walnuts, but this is not a metaphor. A metaphor compares two things by saying figuratively that one thing is the other, such as saying, “That man is a tank,” meaning that he is a powerful force. However, saying that a certain aspect of something is similar or equivalent to that of something else, such as an egg being the same size as a walnut, is not a metaphor.

Option D is incorrect because the passage is not an allegory. An allegory is a literary work or passage that, in addition to its literal meaning, has a deeper level (or levels) of understanding. Each character or event in the work (or anything else found in the story) represents either a different character or event, or some kind of broader idea.

For example, an animal that leads its peers could be representing the leader of a country in real life, the jungle they live in could represent the country that he leads, and doves that fly around in the story could represent the idea of peace in that country.

This is clearly not taking place in the passage. Note: If you chose allegory, it is possible that you confused it with the literary device “alliteration.” This is when there are words close together that begin with the same sound. Alliteration is, in fact, used in the passage, with the phrase “famous fried-egg feast.” However, alliteration is not one of the answer choices.

Q3: What role do both mitochondria and chloroplasts play in plant cells?

a. Storing genetic information

b. Providing structure and support

c. Breaking down waste materials

d. Converting energy into usable forms

A3: The correct answer is C.

Mitochondria and chloroplasts are both involved in energy conversion processes within plant cells. Mitochondria are known as the "powerhouses" of the cell because they convert glucose into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) through cellular respiration, which is a form of chemical energy that cells can use for various functions.

Chloroplasts, on the other hand, are involved in photosynthesis, a process that converts light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in glucose molecules. Therefore, option D is correct as it accurately describes the common function of converting energy into forms that the cell can use.

Option A is incorrect because mitochondria and chloroplasts do contain their own DNA, but their primary role is not storing genetic information for the cell.

Option B is incorrect because providing structure and support is a function of the cell wall and cytoskeleton, not mitochondria and chloroplasts. Option C is incorrect because breaking down waste materials is primarily the role of lysosomes and peroxisomes in the cell.

Q4: Which principle of government is primarily reflected in the system of checks and balances within the U.S. Constitution?

a. Popular sovereignty

b. Federalism

c. Separation of powers

d. Judicial review

A4: The correct answer is C.

The system of checks and balances is a fundamental principle in the U.S. Constitution that ensures no single branch of government (executive, legislative, or judicial) can dominate or control the others. This system is a direct reflection of the separation of powers, where each branch has its own distinct responsibilities and powers, and the ability to check the powers of the other branches. This is to prevent any abuse of power and to maintain a balance within the federal government, making option C the correct answer.

Option A, popular sovereignty, refers to the idea that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives. While related to the broader concepts of democracy and governance, it does not directly pertain to the system of checks and balances.

Option B, federalism, describes the division of power between the national (federal) government and the individual state governments. While federalism is a key feature of the American political system, it does not specifically relate to the checks and balances between the branches of the federal government.

Option D, judicial review, is the power of the courts to declare laws and actions of the executive and legislative branches unconstitutional. While judicial review is an important part of the checks and balances system, it is not the overarching principle that encompasses the entire system of checks and balances.