Science Practice — Weather, Waves & Body Systems

Earth science, physical science and life science

20 multiple choice  •  1 editing task  •  1 extended response  •  reading science passages · cause and effect · applying a model

Name: Date: Class:
How to use this practice test. Read each passage carefully, then answer the questions that follow. Choose the best answer and write its letter on the answer line.
PASSAGE 1Weather, Climate and Air Pressure
Weather, Climate and Air Pressure

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time; climate is the pattern of weather in a region averaged over many years. A single cold week does not change a region's climate, just as a single warm day does not.

Much of what we experience as weather is driven by differences in air pressure. Air moves from areas of high pressure toward areas of low pressure, and that movement is wind. Low-pressure systems are generally associated with rising air, cloud formation and precipitation; high-pressure systems are associated with sinking air and clearer skies.

Temperature and pressure are linked. Warm air is less dense than cool air, so it rises, leaving lower pressure beneath it. As that rising air cools with altitude, the water vapour it carries condenses into droplets, forming clouds. This is why afternoon storms are common on hot, humid days.

Questions 1–6 are based on Passage 1.

1.

According to the passage, what is the difference between weather and climate?

Nudge — The distinction is stated in the first sentence. The key difference is a matter of time span — look for the option that captures that.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
2.

According to the passage, wind is:

Nudge — The second paragraph defines wind in one clause. Match that definition rather than reasoning about what causes pressure differences.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
3.

Low-pressure systems are associated in the passage with:

Nudge — The passage pairs each pressure system with a set of conditions. Take care not to swap the two — high and low produce opposite weather.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
4.

Based on the passage, why does warm air rise?

Nudge — The third paragraph gives the physical reason in one word. Ask what property of warm air makes it move upward on its own.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
5.

A hot, humid afternoon is followed by a thunderstorm. Based on the passage, the best explanation is that:

Nudge — Trace the chain the passage describes: warm air rises, cools with altitude, and its vapour condenses. Match the option that follows that sequence.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
6.

A meteorologist says one unusually cold week does not indicate a change in climate. This is consistent with the passage because:

Nudge — Go back to the definition in the first paragraph and apply it. Watch for options that overstate — one claims two things are entirely unrelated.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
PASSAGE 2Waves, Sound and Light
Waves, Sound and Light

A wave transfers energy from one place to another without permanently moving the material it travels through. A wave's wavelength is the distance between one peak and the next; its frequency is the number of waves passing a point each second. For a given speed, wavelength and frequency are inversely related: as one increases, the other decreases.

Sound waves require a medium — air, water or a solid — because they travel by compressing and expanding the material. This is why sound cannot travel through the vacuum of space. Sound travels faster in water than in air, and faster still in most solids, because the particles are closer together and pass the disturbance along more quickly.

Light waves are different: they are electromagnetic and require no medium, which is why sunlight reaches Earth across empty space. Light travels far faster than sound. This difference explains why lightning is seen before its thunder is heard, even though both begin at the same moment.

Questions 7–13 are based on Passage 2.

7.

According to the passage, what does a wave transfer?

Nudge — The first sentence names what a wave carries and states explicitly what it does not permanently move. Read both halves.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
8.

Wavelength is defined in the passage as:

Nudge — Two terms are defined side by side in the first paragraph. Be careful not to select the definition belonging to the other one.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
9.

If the speed of a wave stays the same and its frequency increases, its wavelength will:

Nudge — The passage states the relationship between the two in one clause. “Inversely related” tells you which direction the other value moves.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
10.

Why can sound not travel through the vacuum of space?

Nudge — The second paragraph gives the reason directly. Look for the option that names what is missing in a vacuum.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
11.

According to the passage, sound travels fastest in:

Nudge — The passage ranks three states of matter. Note the reason it gives — particle spacing — and pick the one where particles are closest.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
12.

Why is lightning seen before thunder is heard?

Nudge — The passage says both begin at the same moment, which rules out one option immediately. The explanation must be about how fast each signal travels.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
13.

Which statement best captures a difference between sound and light described in the passage?

Nudge — Compare the second and third paragraphs on one specific point: what each type of wave needs in order to travel. Three options reverse or contradict the passage.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
PASSAGE 3Body Systems Working Together
Body Systems Working Together

No body system works alone. The respiratory system draws oxygen into the lungs, where it passes into the blood. The circulatory system then carries that oxygenated blood to every cell in the body and returns carbon dioxide to the lungs to be exhaled.

The digestive system breaks food into nutrients small enough to enter the bloodstream, which the circulatory system also distributes. Cells combine those nutrients with oxygen to release energy — the process of cellular respiration — producing carbon dioxide and water as waste.

The nervous system coordinates all of this, adjusting breathing rate and heart rate to match demand. During exercise, muscle cells need more oxygen and produce more carbon dioxide, so the nervous system signals faster breathing and a faster heartbeat. When exercise stops, those rates gradually return toward their resting levels.

Questions 14–20 are based on Passage 3.

14.

According to the passage, what does the circulatory system carry to the body's cells?

Nudge — Two paragraphs each name something the circulatory system distributes. The correct option should include both.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
15.

Where does oxygen pass from the air into the blood?

Nudge — The first paragraph states this location directly. Follow the path the passage describes, in order.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
16.

The process in which cells combine nutrients with oxygen to release energy is called:

Nudge — The passage names this process explicitly and sets it off with dashes. The other three options are systems or functions, not this process.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
17.

According to the passage, what coordinates breathing rate and heart rate?

Nudge — The third paragraph opens by naming the coordinating system. Watch for options claiming an organ acts independently — the passage's whole point is the opposite.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
18.

During exercise, breathing and heart rate increase mainly because:

Nudge — The passage gives the cause in one sentence. Trace it back to what the muscle cells are doing, not to what other systems stop doing.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
19.

A student holds their breath and soon feels a strong urge to breathe. Based on the passage, the best explanation is that:

Nudge — Combine two ideas from the passage: what waste gas cells produce, and which system responds to changing demand. Reject options describing something the passage says does not happen.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):
20.

Which statement best summarises the overall point of the passage?

Nudge — A summary must cover the whole passage, not one system. Watch for absolute words like all and only — they usually make an option too narrow to be the main point.
My answer:
Why I picked this (in my own words):

Editing Task

21. Read the paragraph below. Rewrite it correctly on the lines. Fix any grammar, punctuation, spelling, or sentence-structure errors.

“Sound waves needs a medium to travel through. They moves by compressing the air around them, this is why sound cannot travel in space. Light waves is different because they do not need a medium. That is why we sees lightning before we hear thunder.”
Nudge — Read it aloud one sentence at a time and check three things: subject–verb agreement (does each verb match a singular or plural subject?), comma splices where two complete sentences are joined by only a comma, and whether every verb form is standard.

Corrected paragraph:

Extended Response Writing Task

22. In a well-organized essay of 4–6 paragraphs, explain how systems in nature depend on one another. Use specific evidence from at least two of the passages in this test.

Nudge — Plan before you write. (1) State your thesis in one sentence. (2) Choose the two passages you will use and mark the exact lines before drafting. (3) Give each body paragraph one point supported by a passage detail. (4) Close by restating your thesis in fresh words — no new evidence in the conclusion.

Paragraph 1 — Introduction (include your thesis statement)

Paragraph 2 — Body Paragraph (evidence from your first passage)

Paragraph 3 — Body Paragraph (evidence from your second passage)

Paragraph 4 — Body Paragraph (connect the two — optional)

Paragraph 5 or 6 — Conclusion (summarize your main points)

Reflection / Self-Assessment

Which part was most challenging? Which questions did you need the nudge for? Name one skill you want to practice more before your next test.

— End of Practice Test —
You did a great job practicing these important skills.

FOR MENTOR USE — STUDY THIS TOGETHER

Mentor Guide

How to run this practice test, use the nudges, and review it without handing over a key

1. What the reason boxes reveal

After each answer the student writes why they picked it in their own words. That sentence is your real diagnostic — far more than the letter. A right answer with a vague reason is a future wrong answer; a wrong answer with sound reasoning is a near miss worth praising.

Read the reasons before the answers. Look for students pointing at the text (“it says…”) rather than answering from memory or general knowledge.

2. Running it

3. Using the nudges

Every question carries a Nudge — a hint about how to find and verify the answer. It never states or implies which option is correct, and never names a letter.

4. Reviewing WITHOUT a key

There is deliberately no answer key on the student pages. Review with the student, not by marking the page.

5. Editing-task model & essay scoring

Editing task — model corrected paragraph (do not show before the student attempts it):

Sound waves need a medium to travel through. They move by compressing the air around them, and this is why sound cannot travel in space. Light waves are different because they do not need a medium. That is why we see lightning before we hear thunder.