Renaissance STAR Testing: Practice Questions with Tips

The answer is B: happy

Think about how you feel when you get something really special that you wanted - like a new toy or a yummy ice cream cone. Your face gets a big smile, your heart feels warm and excited, and you might even jump up and down! That's what being "delighted" means - it's when you're really, really happy!

In the story, the boy was delighted (super happy) when he got his new bike. He probably had a huge smile on his face and couldn't wait to ride it!

He definitely wasn't scared (A) or tired (C) - he was just filled with joy about his new bike!

So remember: delighted = very happy!

The correct answer is C the word "buy" - it's the one that means to get something by paying money for it.
Let's understand these three tricky words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings:

• "Buy" - When you give money to get something
• Example: "I want to buy new shoes."
• "By" - When you're talking about being next to something or who did something
• Example: "The cat walked by the door."
• "Bye" - What you say when you're leaving
• Example: "Bye! See you tomorrow!"

These words are called homophones - that's just a fancy way of saying they sound the same but mean different things and are spelled differently.
In the sentence "I need to ___ a birthday gift for my sister," we need a word that means "to get something with money." That's why "buy" is the right answer! We wouldn't say "I need to bye a gift" or "I need to by a gift" - those wouldn't make sense.
Think of it this way:

If you're getting something from a store → use "buy"
If you're saying goodbye → use "bye"
If you're showing where something is → use "by"

The correct answer is A: "After all, jewels are silly things to waste such a useful material on."
Here's why this is an opinion:

An opinion is someone's personal thought or feeling about something - not everyone has to agree with it

• When the author says jewels are "silly things," that's their personal view
• Using the word "waste" shows the author thinks using diamonds for jewelry isn't a good idea
• This is something people could disagree about - some might think jewelry is a perfect use for diamonds!

Let's look at why the other choices are NOT opinions:

• "Diamonds are found deep in the earth" (C) is a fact - we can prove where diamonds come from
• "Diamonds are not only used in rings and necklaces" (B) is also a fact - we can prove diamonds are used for other things

Remember: When you're looking for opinions, watch for:

• Words that show judgment (like "silly" or "waste")
• Statements that not everyone would agree with
• Ideas that can't be proven as true or false

Let me explain how we find the setting of this story!

The correct answer is C: The forest

The setting is where a story takes place, and in this story, we have lots of clues that tell us we're in a forest:

• The boy sees huge elm trees
• There are wild animals like squirrels, chipmunks, and deer
• There are red and yellow flowers growing
• The word "forest" is actually mentioned right in the first sentence!

Let's look at why the other answers aren't correct:

• "Wild plants" (A) is not the setting - wild plants are just one thing found IN the setting
• "Late Evening" (B) is incorrect because the story doesn't tell us what time of day it is

Think of the setting like a picture frame - it's the whole place where the story happens. In this case, all these nature details paint a picture of one main setting: a forest where this boy is exploring and discovering amazing things!

Remember: To find the setting, look for:

• Where the characters are
• Details about the place
• What the characters see around them

The correct answer is B.

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using "like" or "as". In this case:

1. The poet (speaker) is being compared to a cloud.
2. The comparison uses the word "as", a key indicator of a simile.
3. It directly compares the poet's loneliness to the solitary nature of a cloud.

Options (A) and (C) are incorrect because they don't contain comparisons using "like" or "as". They are descriptive phrases but not similes.

The correct answer is (C).

The author's craft here involves:

1. Positioning: Sophia is described as standing "alone" and separate from others.
2. Contrast: Her classmates are "talking enthusiastically" while she's silent.
3. Internal conflict: She "would have liked to" join but is "too shy."
4. Desire: She "wished someone would come over and start a conversation."

These details paint a picture of someone who wants connection but feels isolated, indicating loneliness. Options (A) and (B) are incorrect because the text doesn't support Sophia being bored or outgoing. In fact, her shyness directly contradicts being outgoing.

The correct answer is A.

The correct answer is (A) "His face blossomed when his classmate flattered him." This sentence best conveys imagery because:

1. Figurative language: It uses the verb "blossomed" metaphorically, comparing the person's face to a flower.
2. Visual imagery: It creates a vivid mental picture of someone's face changing (likely blushing or smiling).
3. Emotional connotation: "Blossomed" suggests a positive, vibrant reaction, enhancing the emotional impact.

Options (B) and (C) are more straightforward descriptions without strong imagery. They tell rather than show, lacking the vivid sensory or figurative elements that characterize effective imagery.

The correct answer is (B).

When evaluating text for relevance and support of an argument, consider:

1. Relevance to the main topic
2. Specificity of the information
3. Alignment with the stated objective

Analyzing each option:

A) While this relates to elections, it doesn't specifically mention city government or any accomplishments.

B) This sentence directly supports the article's objective because:

• It mentions specific city government projects (highway repaving, homeless support).
• It indicates these projects were successful (Mayor's approval rating increased).
• It clearly relates to city-level governance (mentions the Mayor, not state or federal officials).

C) This sentence discusses federal government (President, Supreme Court) and doesn't mention any specific accomplishments.

Option (B) is the most relevant and supportive of the article's objective, providing specific examples of city government accomplishments and their positive impact.

Let me help explain how to find the next number in this sequence!

The correct answer is B. 20.

Let's solve this step by step:

• First, let's look at how the numbers change:
• From 10 to 12: it goes up by 2
• From 12 to 14: it goes up by 2
• From 14 to 16: it goes up by 2
• From 16 to 18: it goes up by 2

Do you see the pattern? Each time we go to the next number, we add 2!

So, after 18, we need to add 2 again: 18 + 2 = 20

Why the other answers are wrong:

• 17 is incorrect because it's less than 18 (the numbers are going up, not down)
• 22 is incorrect because we only add 2 each time, not 4

Think of it like climbing stairs - in this sequence, we're taking the same size step (2) each time to get to the next number!

The correct answer is (C).

Let me help solve this step-by-step in a clear way!
The question shows two parts:

• "19 - □ = 4"
• "□ = ?"

Let's solve this:

In the first equation, we're trying to find what number, when subtracted from 19, gives us 4
We can solve this by thinking: "What number do we subtract from 19 to get 4?"
Or we can write it as: 19 - □ = 4

To find □, we add 4 to both sides:

• 19 - □ = 4
• -□ = 4 - 19
• -□ = -15
• □ = 15

So the number in the box must be 15 because:
19 - 15 = 4 ✓
Therefore, the answer is C) 15
We can check:

Put 15 in the box: 19 - 15 = 4 ✓
Put 5 in the box: 19 - 5 = 14 (not 4) ✗
Put 13 in the box: 19 - 13 = 6 (not 4) ✗

The correct answer is D.

The Goal: To find the value of 'x' that makes the equation true.

The Rules:

Keep things balanced: Whatever you do to one side of the equation, you must do to the other.

Get 'x' alone: We want 'x' on one side of the equation and everything else on the other.

Steps:

• Move 'x' terms together: Put all the terms with 'x' on the same side.
• Move number terms together: Put all the terms without 'x' on the other side.
• Divide to isolate 'x': Divide both sides by the number in front of 'x' to find the value of 'x'.

Example:

Start: 6x - 5 = 10 + 3x

• Step 1: Move 3x to the left side by subtracting it from both sides: 6x - 3x - 5 = 10 + 3x - 3x
• Step 2: Simplify: 3x - 5 = 10
• Step 3: Move -5 to the right side by adding 5 to both sides: 3x - 5 + 5 = 10 + 5
• Step 4: Simplify: 3x = 15
• Step 5: Divide both sides by 3: 3x / 3 = 15 / 3

Final answer: x = 5

The correct answer is C.

Let's solve this step by step:

First, what shape do we see?

• This is a parallelogram (it looks like a slanted rectangle)
• The formula for the area of a parallelogram is:
• Area = base × height

The base is the bottom length
The height is the perpendicular height (the straight up-and-down line), NOT the slanted side

Looking at the numbers in the picture:

• The base is 7 units
• The height is 12 units

Now let's multiply:

• Area = 7 × 12
• Area = 84 square units

Looking at our choices, we can see that C) 84 is the correct answer!

Remember: The trick with parallelograms is that we don't use the slanted side to calculate the area - we always use the perpendicular height (the straight up-and-down line). This is why parallelograms have the same area as rectangles with the same base and height.
Think of it like this: if you had a rectangle made of clay and pushed the top to make it slant, the area wouldn't change - you're just reshaping it!

The correct answer is (B).

An isosceles triangle features two equal angles.

• A) This triangle has angles of 35°, 70°, and 75°. It's not an isosceles triangle because all angles are different. This is a scalene triangle, where all sides and angles are different.
• B) This triangle has two equal angles of 72°, with the third angle being 36° (since triangle angles always sum to 180°). This is an isosceles triangle. The two equal angles indicate two equal sides opposite them.
• C) This is a 30-60-90 triangle, a special right triangle. While it has some interesting properties, it's not an isosceles triangle. It's a right triangle with one right angle (90°).
• D) This triangle has angles of 38°, 32°, and 110°. It's not an isosceles triangle. This is an obtuse triangle, with one angle greater than 90°.

The correct answer is C.

So the probability is 4/6

Let's solve this step by step:

1. First, let's identify what numbers are "below 5":

• That would be 1, 2, 3, and 4

2. Now, let's count:

• How many numbers are below 5? There are 4 numbers
• How many total numbers are on the die? There are 6 numbers

3. The odds can be written as:

• Number of favorable outcomes / Total number of possible outcomes
• In this case: 4/6

4. We can simplify 4/6:

• 4/6 can be reduced by dividing both top and bottom by 2
• 4 ÷ 2 = 2 and 6 ÷ 2 = 3
• So 4/6 = 2/3

5. Looking at our choices, C) 4/6 is the correct answer!

Think about it like this: if you roll the die many times, about 4 out of every 6 rolls will be a number less than 5. That's because there are 4 "winning" numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) out of 6 possible numbers.

Remember: When finding odds, we're comparing:

• What we want to happen (numbers below 5)
• To all possible things that could happen (all numbers on the die)

The correct answer is (C).

Each cross on the plot equals one dog. 

• We know: 3 "x"s (dogs) weigh 50 kg. 

• We want to find: How many dogs weigh 50 kg or more? 

Let's break it down: 

• 50 kg is the minimum weight. We're looking for dogs that weigh at least 50 kg. 

• 60 kg is more than 50 kg. So, dogs that weigh 60 kg also count. 

• Count the dogs: Find how many "x"s are at or above the 50 kg mark. 

In this problem: 

• There are 6 dogs that weigh exactly 60 kg (6 "x"s). 

• There are 3 dogs that weigh exactly 50 kg (3 "x"s). 

Adding them together: 

• 6 dogs (60 kg) + 3 dogs (50 kg) = 9 dogs 

So, there are 9 dogs that weigh at least 50 kg. 

The correct answer is S.
The letter that comes before the letter "T" in the alphabet is "S." This can be determined by reciting the alphabet in a sequential manner until reaching the letter "T" and seeing the previous letter, which is "S."

The correct answer is (B).

Let's solve this step by step:

Let's look at each word and count its letters:

• First item: Apple (5 letters)
• Second item: Milk (4 letters)
• Third item: Jam (3 letters)
• Fourth item: Eggs (4 letters)

Now, let's compare:

Jam has 3 letters
All other words have 4 or more letters

Looking at our choices:

The third item is Jam
So b) The third item is the correct answer!

Here's a fun way to remember:
Think of it like lining up the words from shortest to tallest - just like lining up kids in height order. The shortest word (Jam) would be at the front of the line!
Remember: When counting letters in a word, count each letter only once. It doesn't matter if the word is capitalized or not - we just count the letters!

The correct answer is B.

There are two forms for each letter in English: uppercase and lowercase. 

• Uppercase letters are also called capital letters, and they are used to begin sentences and the names of people, places.
• Lowercase letters do not begin sentences or names and are used for most of the text.

Some uppercase letters are just larger, taller versions of the lowercase ones, but in many cases the two versions of the letter look entirely different.

In this question, there are 4 lowercase letters: “u”, “d”, “w”, and “m”, so 4 is correct. There are 3 uppercase letters: “K”, “B”, and “N”.

The correct answer is C.

Let's solve this step by step:

1. Let's say each word out loud and listen for the long /a/ sound (like in "say" or "wait"):

• Picture a) shows a boat
  • We say "boat" - this has a long /o/ sound, not a long /a/
• Picture b) shows a kite
  • We say "kite" - Yes! This has a long /a/ sound (k-eye-t)
• Picture c) shows a cake
  • We say "cake" - This also has a long /a/ sound!

2. We found two words with long /a/ sounds:
   • kite (the 'i' makes a long /a/ sound)
   • cake (the 'a' with silent 'e' makes a long /a/ sound)
3. Looking at our choices, b) showing the kite is the correct answer!

Remember: A long /a/ sound is when the letter makes the same sound as its name in the alphabet (like in "day", "make", "rain"). Sometimes this sound can be spelled with:

• 'a' with silent 'e' (like in cake)
• 'ai' (like in rain)
• 'ay' (like in play)
• 'i' (like in kite)

This is why phonics can be tricky - sometimes different letters can make the same sound!

Let me explain how to choose the correct prefix to make "helpful" mean "not helpful"!
The correct answer is B. "un"
Here's why:

When we want to make "helpful" mean the opposite (not helpful), we need to add "un-" to make

• "unhelpful"
• "Un-" is the most common and natural prefix used with "helpful" in English

Let's look at why the other choices don't work as well:

• "Mis-helpful" isn't correct - "mis-" usually means "wrongly" or "badly" (like in "misunderstand" or "misbehave")
• "Non-helpful" is grammatically possible but isn't the common way we say it in English

Think about other similar words:

unhappy (not happy)
unsafe (not safe)
uncertain (not certain)
unfair (not fair)

The correct answer is C-"wet".

“Dry” is something that has no water in it, and “wet” is something that has a lot of water in it.

Therefore, “wet” is the opposite of “dry”.

Answer A is incorrect because the word “heavy” is not the opposite of “dry”; it describes weight and not the amount of water in something.

Answer B is incorrect. Although “rain” means drops of water from clouds, the word “rain” itself is not the opposite of “dry”.

Let me help you find the word that means the same as "happy"!

The correct answer is B: joyful

Here's why:

When Sammy saw the puppy, he was happy - he had a good feeling inside
"Joyful" means the same thing as happy - it describes feeling good and excited

Let's look at why the other choices are wrong:

• "Sad" (A) means feeling bad or unhappy - that's the opposite of happy!
• "Pet" (C) is just a noun meaning an animal someone keeps - it doesn't describe a feeling at all

Think about it this way:
If you saw a puppy and felt happy, you could say:
"I feel happy!"
OR
"I feel joyful!"
(They mean the same thing!)
Remember: When looking for words that mean the same (synonyms):

They should create the same feeling or meaning
You should be able to replace one word with the other and the sentence still makes sense

So "Sammy was very joyful when he saw the puppy" means exactly the same as "Sammy was very happy when he saw the puppy"! ✓

The correct answer is A. 

Let's solve this step by step:

1. First, let's understand what a "main topic" is:

• It's what the WHOLE paragraph is mostly about
• It's like the "big idea" that covers everything in the story

2. Let's look at what happens in the paragraph:

• Sarah goes to the zoo with her mother
• She sees giraffes eating leaves
• She watches monkeys that make her laugh
• She visits lions in the shade
• She enjoys the time with her mother

3. Now let's look at our choices:

• a) Sarah's visit to the zoo
• b) Giraffes are tall animals that eat leaves
• c) Sarah had fun with her mother

4. Let's think about each choice:

• Choice b) is only about giraffes - but the story talks about many animals
• Choice c) is part of the story, but misses all the zoo animals
• Choice a) covers EVERYTHING - the zoo visit, all the animals, and spending time with her mother

5. Therefore, a) Sarah's visit to the zoo is the correct answer!

Remember: When finding the main topic, ask yourself:

• What is the WHOLE paragraph about?
• Which answer includes all the important details?
• Which choice is too specific (too small) or too general (too big)?

Think of it like this: If you were telling a friend what this paragraph was about in one sentence, you'd say "It's about Sarah's trip to the zoo" - that covers everything!

The correct answer is C) 6.

At first there were 5 butterflies in the garden, and then 1 one more butterfly joined.

To find how many butterflies there are in the garden now, you have to add 1 to 5:

1+5 = 6.

Another way is to use the pictures: count the 5 butterflies and then the 1 butterfly, and see that they make 6 butterflies altogether.