E T S Praxis Series

Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (0014/5014)

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This test is available via paper delivery or computer delivery; other than the delivery method, there is no difference between the tests. The test content is the same for both test codes.

The following sample question provides a preview of the actual screen used in the computer delivered test.

The illustration shows a screen from the computer-delivered test containing the following question, Which of the following is the capital of the United States? There are four answer choices. The first answer choice is New York, NY, the second is Washington, DC, the third is Chicago, IL, and the fourth is Los Angeles, CA. The following text appears on screen below the answer choices: Answer the question above by clicking on the correct response.

Here is the same sample question presented as it would appear on a paper delivered test:

Which of the following is the capital of the United States?

  1. New York, NY
  2. Washington, DC
  3. Chicago, IL
  4. Los Angeles, CA

For the purposes of the test at a glance, the sample questions will be provided as they would appear in a paper delivered test.

The sample questions that follow illustrate the kinds of questions in the test. They are not, however, representative of the entire scope of the test in either content or difficulty. Answers with explanations follow the questions.

I. Language Arts

Directions:  Each of the questions or statements below is followed by four suggested answers or completions. Select the one that is best.

Questions 1–2 refer to the following poem:

 
Leave me, O love which reaches but to dust;
 
And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things;
 
Grow rich in that which never taketh rust,
 
Whatever fades but fading pleasure brings.

  1. In line 1 "dust" serves as a metaphor for

    1. ignorance
    2. death
    3. loneliness
    4. confusion

  2. The lines above comment on the speaker's desire to

    1. seek out immediate pleasures
    2. enrich himself
    3. reject that which is transitory
    4. revive the past

  3. According to research, which of the following is the single most important home-based activity for preschool children in building the knowledge required for children's eventual success in reading?

    1. Children's memorizing nursery rhymes
    2. Families' talking about school
    3. Parents' reading aloud to children
    4. Parents' teaching the alphabet

  4. Entries in outlines are generally arranged according to which of the following relationships of ideas?

    1. Literal and inferential
    2. Concrete and abstract
    3. Linear and recursive
    4. Main and subordinate

  5. Manuel is the tallest of the two boys.

    Which of the following statements about the above sentence is true?

    1. The sentence is written correctly.
    2. The subject and verb do not agree.
    3. The word "boys" should be possessive.
    4. "Tallest" modifies Manuel incorrectly.

  6. All of the following statements are descriptive of listening behavior EXCEPT:

    1. Careful listening can lead to anticipation of a speaker's actions.
    2. People learn to listen selectively and can even shut out what is undesirable.
    3. Listening comprises at least one-half of all communication.
    4. The ability to be a good listener comes naturally and without training.

II. Mathematics

  1. Riding on a school bus are 20 students in 9th grade, 10 in 10th grade, 9 in 11th grade, and 7 in 12th grade. Approximately what percent of the students on the bus are in 9th grade?

    1. 23%
    2. 43%
    3. 46%
    4. 76%

  2. Which of the following is equal to 84?

    1. 4,032
    2. 4,064
    3. 4,096
    4. 4,128

  3. In the formula x = 10y, if y is positive and the value of y is multiplied by 2, then the value of x is

    1. divided by 10
    2. multiplied by 10
    3. halved
    4. doubled

  4. A five-sided figure is formed by a rectangle combined with an isosceles triangle. The rectangle and triangle have one side in common. The height of the rectangle is 4 and the base of the triangle is 4. The length of the rectangle is 10. The height of the triangle is 6. The interior region of the figure is shaded.

    The area of the shaded region above is

    1. 30
    2. 52
    3. 64
    4. 116

  5. The figure shows a circle graph or pie chart that is divided into 5 pieces, each representing a percent of colored gems. The percentage of each gem is as follows: green gems 32 percent, blue gems 23 percent, yellow gems 21 percent, and red gems 20 percent. The remaining piece of the graph represents violet gems and is not labeled with a percentage.

    The circle graph above represents the percent of colored gems in a collection. If the collection has a total of 50 gems, how many gems are violet?

    1. 2
    2. 3
    3. 4
    4. 5

III. Social Studies

  1. Mount Rainier is located in which of the following mountain ranges?

    1. The Cascades
    2. The Rockies
    3. The Appalachians
    4. The Alps

  2. Which of the following is believed to have occurred during the last Ice Age as a result of a land bridge created between what are now Siberia and Alaska?

    1. The invention of new technologies for sheltering humans against sustained cold
    2. The blockage of important trade routes
    3. The establishment of human settlements in North America
    4. Widespread famine

  3. Since the end of the United States Civil War in 1865, all of the following have been major objectives of groups seeking civil rights for Black people EXCEPT

    1. passage of affirmative action legislation
    2. desegregation of public educational facilities
    3. creation of a third party in national politics
    4. passage of antilynching laws

  4. What percent of the seats in the United States House of Representatives are up for election every two years?

    1. 33%
    2. 50%
    3. 66%
    4. 100%

  5. Historically India's society has been organized into hierarchical groups known as

    1. tribes
    2. castes
    3. clans
    4. denominations

  6. A bar graph shows the amount of crude oil produced by nine countries in the year 1974 and in the year 1975. The x-axis shows the nine countries: Soviet Union, United States, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Venezuela, Iraq, Kuwait, Nigeria, and United Arab Emirates. The y-axis shows the units of crude oil in 0.5 increments from 0 to 3.5. All numbers given are approximate. The Soviet Union produced 3.3 units in 1974 and 3.6 units in 1975. The United States produced 3.2 units in 1974 and 3.1 units in 1975. Saudi Arabia produced 3.1 units in 1974 and 2.6 units in 1975. Iran produced 2.3 units in 1974 and 1.9 units in 1975. Venezuela produced 1.1 units in 1974 and 0.8 units in 1975. Iraq produced 0.6 units in 1974 and 0.7 units in 1975. Kuwait produced 0.9 units in 1974 and 0.7 units in 1975. Nigeria produced 0.9 units in 1974 and 0.6 units in 1975. United Arab Emirates produced 0.7 units in 1974 and 0.6 units in 1975.

    According to the graph above, how many of the countries shown produced more crude oil in 1975 than 1974?

    1. 1
    2. 2
    3. 3
    4. 4

IV. Science

  1. Which of the following geological processes adds new rock to the surface of the Earth?

    1. Volcanic activity
    2. Glacial activity
    3. Soil erosion
    4. Weathering

  2. The diagram shows four phases of the Moon. In the first phase, only a sliver of the Moon is visible on the left side and the remaining area is darkened in. In the second phase, the left half is darkened in and only the right half of the Moon is visible. In the third phase, only a sliver of the Moon is visible on the right and the remaining area is darkened in. In the fourth phase, most of the Moon is visible, with only a sliver on the left in darkness.

    Which of the diagrams above best depicts the Moon as viewed from Earth at the first quarter of the lunar cycle?

    1. 1
    2. 2
    3. 3
    4. 4

  3. Which of the following is NOT a way in which mammals keep themselves warm in winter?

    1. Shivering
    2. Perspiring
    3. Fluffing out coat hair
    4. Contracting certain blood vessels

  4. Which of the following would be observed in a vacuum if a feather and two stones of different weights were dropped simultaneously from a height of ten feet?

    1. Both stones would hit the ground at the same time, but before the feather.
    2. The heavier stone would hit the ground first.
    3. The lighter stone would hit the ground first.
    4. All three objects would hit the ground at the same time.

  5. Which of the following laboratory instruments would be most appropriate to use in determining the volume of a large block of wood of unknown density?

    1. A metric ruler
    2. A triple-beam balance
    3. A 200 mL volumetric flask
    4. A micrometer

  6. Which of the following best describes a scientific hypothesis?

    1. It ensures that successful results will be obtained from an experiment.
    2. It must be accepted as true by the scientific community.
    3. It is a testable proposal that may lead to experimentation.
    4. It must be formulated by a renowned scientist.

  7. Which of the following is the broadest category in the biological taxonomy?

    1. Kingdom
    2. Order
    3. Genus
    4. Species