ACT Science

1 ACT Science Improving College Admission Test Scores Student Workbook Contributing writers: Aaron Klein Michael Reddy Lynne Kranik Alan Sills John O'Neill Editors: Brian Barnhart, Elisabeth Evertsz, Kimberly Koury Rosemary Middelmann InstructiVision, Inc. 16 Chapin Rd, Unit 904. Pine Brook, NJ 07058. Copyright 2014 Instructivision Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, for commercial or educational use, without permission in writing from the publisher.

2 Material from earlier editions copyright 1992, 2004, 2005, 2010. ISBN 978-156749-393-1. Copyright 2014 Instructivision Inc. 2 All rights reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page Foreword .. 4. Introduction .. 5. Practice Test A .. 7. Practice Test B .. 21. Practice Test C .. 36. Practice Test D .. 49. Skill Builder One: Data Representation .. 64. Skill Builder Two: Research Summaries .. 82. Skill Builder Three: Conflicting Viewpoints .. 99. Copyright 2014 Instructivision Inc. 3 All rights reserved. FOREWORD. The purpose of this workbook is to help improve competency in important academic content and reasoning skill areas, the kind of capabilities that are examined in college admission tests such as the ACT.

3 The workbook will also develop familiarity with testing formats used for the ACT. A review of academic knowledge and skills, together with familiarity with testing formats, can help you to perform to your potential on college admission examinations. The ACT measures competencies in four fields: English, mathematics, reading, and Science . It gauges your educational development and academic achievement. The exercises in this workbook cannot substitute for years of solid class work. They can, however, reinforce prior schoolwork as well as correct some deficiencies. Use this workbook as a diagnostic tool and as a refresher/review program to build confidence and self-assurance.

4 Instructivision wishes you the best of success on examination day. Copyright 2014 Instructivision Inc. 4 All rights reserved. INTRODUCTION. The ACT is a comprehensive test as part of a viewpoint next to that section of the text. If you system of data collection, processing, and reporting spend two to three minutes reading each passage, you designed to assist students in the transition from high will have 35 to 41 seconds to answer each question. It school to college. Used in combination with a is important not to spend too much time on any one student's high school record, the ACT score report question.

5 Use any remaining time to review or to summarizes information about each student's inter- return to questions that seemed difficult. Because ests, plans, college choices, and current level of there is no penalty for guessing, you are encouraged educational development. It offers useful information to answer every question. that can help high school counselors advise their The scale on which ACT academic test scores students about suitable colleges and programs and are reported is from 1 to 36, with a mean of 18, based can help colleges compare and assess student on a nationally representative sample of October- qualifications.

6 Tested 12th grade students who plan to enter two-year The academic tests in English, mathematics, or four-year colleges or universities. One score is reading, and Science emphasize reasoning and reported for the ACT Science Test: a total test score problem-solving skills. The test items represent based on all 40 questions. A guidance counselor will scholastic tasks required in college level work and be glad to answer questions regarding the scoring are oriented toward the major areas of high school process and the score reports. and college instructional programs. ACT questions are designed to measure a wide range of abilities and knowledge.

7 Consequently, How to Use the Science Workbook some of the items are difficult while others are fairly easy. It is important not to become discouraged when The Student Workbook consists of the you encounter questions you find difficult. introduction, four practice tests , and skill builders The ACT Assessment represents a singular covering essential reading comprehension skills. The intellectual challenge to high school students. A objectives of the program are to build self- background of strong academic courses combined confidence, refresh cognitive skills, identify strengths with a thorough review will enable you to meet this and weaknesses, and give practice in working with challenge successfully.

8 Test questions. Practice tests : There are four full-length The Science Test practice tests in this workbook. Under actual testing conditions, you would be allowed 35 minutes to The ACT Science Test is a 40-question, 35- answer all the questions in a full-length test. We minute examination that measures the interpretation, therefore recommend that you take at least one of the analysis, evaluation, reasoning , and problem-solving practice tests in the time allotted on the actual test. skills required in the natural sciences. The test The instructions should be followed carefully.

9 Includes seven sets of questions, each of which Answers should be marked on the appropriate spaces consists of some scientific information (the stimulus) of the student book. and related multiple-choice test items. In order to select the best answer to each question, you must Skill Builders: The skill builders are designed examine the choices, and, applying abilities and skills to reinforce Science reasoning skills in the principal in scientific reasoning , select the best answer. subsections of the test; they may or may not conform Read and examine all the scientific informa- to the length of passages and number of questions tion presented before responding to the questions.

10 Found in the actual test. Underlining important ideas may prove useful, as will noticing possible flaws in experiments and NOTE: The answers to the sample tests and the skill determining ways that experiments can be improved. builder exercises are not found in the Student Making notes in the margins of the test booklet is Workbook. They are included in the Teacher Manual. encouraged. In the set that focuses on conflicting viewpoints, you should consider summarizing each Copyright 2014 Instructivision Inc. 5 All rights reserved. Points to Remember arithmetic computations may be needed for some questions.