JUNIOR HIGH PRACTICE SET 1
TOSS-UP QUESTIONS
1. SOCIAL STUDIES (Civics)
The United Nations has more than 190 members. In what city is the United Nations headquarters located?
ANSWER: New York City
2. SCIENCE (Earth Science)
What are the clouds of hydrogen gas and dust called in which stars are formed?
ANSWER: nebulas
3. MATHEMATICS (Algebra) COMPUTATION
What is the value of 2x2y when x = -9 and y = 0.6?
ANSWER: 97.2
4. SOCIAL STUDIES (Consumer Economics)
What red, octagonal device did William P. End design that earned him the title of “Father of Traffic Safety”?
ANSWER: stop sign
5. LANGUAGE ARTS (Spelling)
A peculiar odor was permeating from the trash can. Spell permeating.
ANSWER: p-e-r-m-e-a-t-i-n-g
6. MATHEMATICS (Computer Science)
What acronym for “picture element” refers to the minute dots that make up the image on
the monitor?
ANSWER: pixel
7. SOCIAL STUDIES (History)
What vice president took over the presidency when Richard Nixon resigned?
ANSWER: Gerald Ford
8. SCIENCE (Health)
What branch of medicine treats diseases of the skin, nails, and hair?
ANSWER: dermatology
9. FINE ARTS (Art)
Which struggling young artist kept warm by burning his own paintings during his early years in Paris, shortly before his “Blue Period” which lasted from 1901 to 1904?
ANSWER: Pablo Picasso
10. MATHEMATICS (Geometry) COMPUTATION
One acute angle in a right triangle measures 50 degrees. What is the measure of the other acute angle in this triangle?
ANSWER: 40 degrees
11. LANGUAGE ARTS (Vocabulary)
What is the Japanese name for a giant wave, such as the one that hit the shores of Thailand in 2004?
ANSWER: tsunami
12. SCIENCE (Physical Science)
What process is used to produce drinking water and salt from seawater?
ANSWER: distillation
13. MATHEMATICS (General Mathematics) COMPUTATION
Billy received his weekly commission check from the shoe store where he works. He gets a check for 20 percent of everything he sells. What were his total sales for the week if he received a check for $240?
ANSWER: $1,200
14. GENERAL INFORMATION (Sports)
What professional baseball player became the youngest player in major league history to hit 500 homeruns when he connected with number 500 on August 4, 2007?
ANSWER: Alex Rodriguez
15. LANGUAGE ARTS (Literature)
Who was the first god of the sun in Greek mythology whose Roman equivalent was Sol?
ANSWER: Helios
16. SOCIAL STUDIES (Geography)
What is the capital city of the state that was the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina in September 2005?
ANSWER: Baton Rouge
17. SCIENCE (General Science)
My name is Edwin Aldrin. I became a famous astronaut when Neil Armstrong, and I took our first moon walk. By what nickname am I better known?
ANSWER: Buzz
18. MATHEMATICS (Algebra) COMPUTATION
Give the following linear equation in slope-intercept form. 2x – 3y = 11?
ANSWER: y = 2/3 x – 11/3
19. FINE ARTS (Music)
According to the traditional version of the children’s song, “The Farmer in the Dell,” what character finally “stands alone”?
ANSWER: cheese
20. LANGUAGE ARTS (Grammar)
Beatrice wrote the following incorrect sentence. “Sam and Sally is busy today.”
Change one word in this sentence so that it is grammatically correct.
ANSWER: Sam and Sally are busy today. (change “is” to “are”)
21. SOCIAL STUDIES (Civics)
Who am I? I am the first Asian-American woman and the first Chinese-American to be appointed to a President’s cabinet in American history. I was appointed the Secretary of Labor
in 2001 and was George W. Bush’s longest-serving cabinet member.
ANSWER: Elaine Chao
22. SCIENCE (Life Science)
As part of the human body’s digestive system, what ten-inch tube connects the pharynx to the stomach?
ANSWER: esophagus
23. MATHEMATICS (Geometry)
When measuring angles, what unit is equivalent to one-sixtieth of a degree?
ANSWER: minute
24. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (Agriculture)
What breed of cow, originated in what is now the Netherlands, is easily recognized by its distinctive black and white, or red and white markings, and has outstanding milk production?
ANSWER: Holstein
25. LANGUAGE ARTS (Vocabulary)
What is another name for a base word that has no prefix or suffix?
ANSWER: root word
26. SOCIAL STUDIES (History)
This woman was the fifth pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Ancient Egypt. Who was this successful pharaoh who took power around 1479 B.C. after the death of her husband and half-brother, Thutmose II?
ANSWER: Hatshepsut
27. SCIENCE (Physical Science)
What type of mirror reflects so much light and shows such a large area that it is used in department stores to apprehend shoplifters?
ANSWER: convex mirror
28. MATHEMATICS (General Mathematics) COMPUTATION
Subtract the number of U.S. senators from the number of U.S. representatives.
ANSWER: 335
29. FINE ARTS (Music)
This man was one of the great masters of the Romantic Era of music. Who was this famous Polish conductor and piano virtuoso who composed the “Minute Waltz”?
ANSWER: Frederic Chopin
30. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (Home Economics)
What is the name of the thermal cooking vessel used for fast and more efficient cooking of food with enormous savings in time?
ANSWER: pressure cooker
31. SOCIAL STUDIES (Geography)
About 15 percent of this European island country is actually part of the United Kingdom. What is this country whose patron saint’s day is celebrated every year on March 17th?
ANSWER: Ireland
32. SCIENCE (Earth Science)
An impression that is made in a rock by a bone, leaf, or other object is called a fossil. What specific type of fossil is this impression?
ANSWER: mold
33. MATHEMATICS (Algebra) COMPUTATION
Solve for x in the following equation. x/9 – x/2 = 7/3
ANSWER: x = -6
34. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (Agriculture)
Complete the following analogy about animals. Sheep is to ewe as horse is to _____.
ANSWER: mare
35. LANGUAGE ARTS (Spelling)
We loved our dog, Pete, even if he was just a mongrel. Spell mongrel.
ANSWER: m-o-n-g-r-e-l
36. SOCIAL STUDIES (Consumer Economics)
My name is Gerry Thomas. I died in July 2005 at the age of 83 after a bout with cancer. While serving as a salesman for the C.A. Swanson Company in 1954, I invented a new revolutionary “one dollar” meal that changed the way Americans ate. What did I invent?
ANSWER: T.V. dinners (frozen dinners)
37. SCIENCE (General Science)
What word that describes a warm-blooded animal is also an adjective that describes a chemical change or reaction in which heat is absorbed?
ANSWER: endothermic
38. MATHEMATICS (Geometry) COMPUTATION
Ralph is facing southwest. He turns 270 degrees counterclockwise. What direction is he now facing?
ANSWER: northwest
39. FINE ARTS (Art)
Impressionists Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt used sticks of color to create many of their works of art. What were these bright, portable, colored sticks called?
ANSWER: pastels
40. LANGUAGE ARTS (Literature)
Some book critics have compared author Stephanie Meyers to J.K. Rowling, perhaps because of their enormous popularity with teens. What is the first book in Stephanie Meyers’ series that features Bella and a vampire named Edward?
ANSWER: Twilight
41. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (Agriculture)
What measurement equal to four inches is used to measure the height of a horse from the ground to its shoulders?
ANSWER: hand
42. SCIENCE (Life Science)
This stringy connective tissue has been given specific names such as anterior cruciate and medial collateral. What collective name is given to these tissues that fasten bones together?
ANSWER: ligaments
43. MATHEMATICS (Algebra) COMPUTATION
Simplify the following expression. x6y + 3xy6 + 6x6y + xy – 4xy6.
ANSWER: 7x6y – xy6 + xy
44. GENERAL INFORMATION (Sports)
What successful men’s college basketball team, coached by coach “K” starting in 1980 is nicknamed the Blue Devils?
ANSWER: Duke
45. LANGUAGE ARTS (Grammar)
What is the most commonly used adjective form of the noun desperation?
ANSWER: desperate
46. SOCIAL STUDIES (Geography)
The ten highest mountains in the world are all over 26,000 feet, and they all form part of a mountain system in south central Asia. Name that mountain system.
ANSWER: Himalayas
47. SCIENCE (General Science)
Ray is going to the hospital to have a CAT scan. What words do the letters C-A-T
represent in this medical acronym?
ANSWER: Computerized Axial Tomography
48. MATHEMATICS (Algebra) COMPUTATION
What is the result when you multiply -3x3y by 4x2y4?
ANSWER: -12x5y5
49. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (Agriculture)
What kind of oil-rich fish includes such varieties as Coho, Chinook, and Sockeye?
ANSWER: salmon
50. LANGUAGE ARTS (Literature)
What was the name of Harry’s godfather in the Harry Potter series, who was wrongly accused of killing Peter Pettigrew and twelve other muggles?
ANSWER: Sirius Black
51. SOCIAL STUDIES (Geography)
In which country can you find the world’s largest tract of swamp, the Pantanal, covering an area of 42,000 miles?
ANSWER: Brazil
52. LANGUAGE ARTS (Spelling)
Spell the antonym of the word antonym.
ANSWER: s-y-n-o-n-y-m
53. SCIENCE (Earth Science)
Which of the three basic types of galaxies first identified by Edwin Hubble is mostly composed of older stars, unlike the spiral and lenticular or other irregular galaxies?
ANSWER: elliptical
54. SOCIAL STUDIES (Civics)
Complete this analogy: Slander is to verbalized lies that damage someone’s reputation as _____ is to written lies that damage someone's reputation.
ANSWER: libel
55. LANGUAGE ARTS (Vocabulary)
What cooking verb, meaning to mix two or more ingredients together, is also the name for a consonant cluster in which each consonant can be heard?
ANSWER: blend
56. SCIENCE (Life Science)
For what scientific discovery were Dr. Francis Crick, Dr. James Watson, and Dr. Maurice Wilkins awarded the Nobel Prize?
ANSWER: DNA (the molecular structure of DNA)
57. SOCIAL STUDIES (History)
What color was the Albatross plane that earned Manfred von Richthofen his famed nickname during World War I?
ANSWER: red
58. LANGUAGE ARTS (Grammar)
What short horizontal line is used in printing or writing to indicate a pause or break in the sense of a sentence?
ANSWER: dash
59. SCIENCE (Physical Science)
What type of bond is formed between atoms that transfer electrons?
ANSWER: ionic
60. LANGUAGE ARTS (Literature)
Which 1988 novel by Jane Yolen tells the story of a contemporary Jewish girl who is transported back magically to a Nazi death camp?
ANSWER: The Devil’s Arithmetic
JUNIOR HIGH PRACTICE SET 1
BONUS QUESTIONS
1. LANGUAGE ARTS (4 Parts in Vocabulary)
For each multi-syllabic clue word, provide the correct monosyllabic synonym.
1. money
2. wager
3. repose
4. fabrication
ANSWERS: 1. cash (or coins or notes)
2. bet
3. rest (or nap or sleep)
4. lie
2. MATHEMATICS (5 Parts in Algebra)
Answer these questions about graphing linear equations.
1. What is the slope of the line in the following equation? 4x – 5y + 20 = 0
2. What is the y-intercept of the line in the following equation? 4x – 5y + 20 = 0
3. What is the slope of the line in the following equation? 8x + 3y – 24 = 0
4. What is the y-intercept of the line in the following equation? 8x + 3y – 24 = 0
5. Write the following equation in the slope-intercept form. 3x + 6y – 54 = 0
ANSWERS: 1. 4/5
2. 4
3. -8/3
4. 8
5. y = -1/2x + 9
3. GENERAL INFORMATION (4 Parts in Television)
Let’s see what you know about children’s television.
1. What television series is the longest-running American children’s program with over 4,000 episodes?
2. In what city is the setting for this show’s fictional neighborhood?
3. What famous puppeteer show is well known for creating the show’s characters?
4. What other classic show did this show surpass to become the longest-running American children’s program?
ANSWERS: 1. Sesame Street
2. New York City
3. Jim Henson
4. Captain Kangaroo
4. SOCIAL STUDIES (5 Parts in Geography)
Central America consists of seven republics with Belize and El Salvador being the smallest. What are the other five larger republics in Central America?
ANSWERS: (any order) Guatemala Honduras
Nicaragua Costa Rica
Panama
5. SCIENCE (5 Parts in Life Science)
Tell the type of joint that is located at each of these locations in the human body.
1. hip
2. elbow
3. between the radius and the ulna
4. at the base of the thumb
5. between the axis and the atlas vertebrae
ANSWERS: 1. ball-and-socket
2. hinge
3. pivot
4. saddle
5. gliding
6. LANGUAGE ARTS (5 Parts in Literature)
Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang have been around for more than 50 years. Let’s see what you know about these popular comic strip characters.
1. What is Charlie Brown’s little sister’s name?
2. What is Lucy’s standard fee for psychiatric help?
3. Which character has the same name as a famous 1960s music festival?
4. Who created the Peanuts characters?
5. What does Snoopy usually wear on his head when he goes traveling?
ANSWERS: 1. Sally
2. 5 cents
3. Woodstock
4. Charles M. Schultz
5. his supper dish
7. MATHEMATICS (5 Parts in General Mathematics)
Solve these fraction problems. Reduce all your answers to simplest terms.
1. Express 74/5 as an improper fraction.
2. Divide 13/4 by 1/16.
3. Find the product of 5/6 and 3/8.
4. Multiply 55/6 by 22/5.
5. Calculate the average of 1/2, 5/6, and 2/3.
ANSWERS: 1. 39/5
2. 28
3. 5/16
4. 14
5. 2/3
8. FINE ARTS (5 Parts in Music)
Name the flats in the order they appear from left to right in the key signature after B-flat
and E-flat.
ANSWERS: 1. A flat
2. D flat
3. G flat
4. C flat
5. F flat
9. SOCIAL STUDIES (4 Parts in History)
During World War I, the U.S. fought against the Central Powers. Name the four countries which made up the Central Powers.
ANSWERS: (any order) Germany Austria-Hungary
Bulgaria The Ottoman Empire (accept Turkey)
10. SCIENCE (5 Parts in Earth Science)
Plate boundaries are the places where two tectonic plates meet and interact. Scientists classify plate boundaries into three basic types, based upon their relative movements. Tell the type of plate boundary that’s associated with the following clues.
1. Two plates split apart.
2. Two plates slide past each other.
3. Two plates collide.
4. Trenches are most often associated with this type of boundary.
5. New crust if formed at this boundary.
ANSWERS: 1. divergent
2. transform or strike-slip
3. convergent
4. convergent
5. divergent
11. LANGUAGE ARTS (5 Parts in Spelling)
Spell the names of the following plants and vegetables.
1. shallot
2. rhubarb
3. rutabaga
4. broccoli
5. asparagus
ANSWERS: 1. s-h-a-l-l-o-t
2. r-h-u-b-a-r-b
3. r-u-t-a-b-a-g-a
4. b-r-o-c-c-o-l-i
5. a-s-p-a-r-a-g-u-s
12. MATHEMATICS (5 Parts in Geometry)
Determine these geometric numbers.
1. The number of equal angles in an isosceles triangle.