Science STAAR Category Two

Monahans Sandhills State Park in Texas has almost 4,000 acres of sand dunes. Some of the dunes are as tall as a six-story building.

The dunes in the park are formed by —

• rainstorms

• tornadoes

• earthquakes

• strong winds

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Fertilizers used on farms near the coast can be carried to the ocean when runoff occurs during rain showers. These fertilizers can decrease the populations of fish and shellfish.

Which other populations most likely decrease as a result?

• Organisms that eat algae

• Organisms that live on farms

• Organisms that eat fish and shellfish

• All of these

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

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A student records the following information about a planet

Which planet is the student studying?

• Saturn

• Uranus

• Jupiter

• Mars

The diagram shows an electric circuit with four bells that a student plans to build.

When the student connects the wires as shown, which of the bells will ring?

• Bell 1 only

• Bells 1 and 4 only

• Bells 3 and 4 only

• Bells 1, 2, 3, and 4

Many desert animals depend on the prickly pear cactus

What role does the prickly pear cactus play in a desert food web?

• It obtains energy from producers.

• It returns nutrients to the soil. C

• It preys upon other organisms.

• It provides energy to consumers.

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NGSS.MS-LS1-6

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In an investigation hot water is poured into a clear plastic cup. Another clear plastic cup is placed upside down over the cup of hot water.

Which of these is likely to occur during the next three minutes?

• The hot water will become hotter because air and heat are trapped in the top cup.

• The water level will rise in the bottom cup because of evaporation.

• Water droplets will form on the inside of the top cup as the water vapor cools.

• Water from the bottom cup will become solid as the hot water cools.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Which of these best explains why the sun appears to move across the sky each day?

• 
• 
• 
• 

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The table gives information about four types of fish. These fish all have mouth structures that allow them to eat different types of food.

Which of these fish has mouth structures that allow it to eat algae by taking large bites of the hard coral on which the algae grows?

• Parrotfish

• Koi

• Goby

• Seahorse

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Some buildings and homes are heated by energy produced from an alternative to fossil fuels. Which of these is an example of a building or home heated using an alternative energy source?

• A home heated by energy generated by a hydroelectric dam

• A building that has emergency electric generators that run on gasoline

• A home heated by energy produced from a coal power plant in a city

• A building that has furnaces powered by natural gas

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NGSS.MS-PS3-3

The two pictures show part of an investigation. A magnet, a book, and a paper clip are on a sheet of lined paper. In Picture 1 a student slides a magnet closer to the book. The student holds the book still in both pictures.

Which statement about this investigation can be supported by the result shown?

• Work was done on the magnet, the book, and the paper clip.

• Work was done on the magnet and the paper clip only.

• Work was done on the magnet and the book only.

• Work was done on the magnet only.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-5