Science STAAR Prep #17

A woodpecker eats berries, wood grubs, and tree sap. A robin eats worms and fruit. A woodpecker’s beak differs from a robin’s beak. A woodpecker uses its beak to —

• crack rocks open
• pull worms from the ground
• crack the bark on a tree
• dig in the ground for buried nuts

This owl hunts its prey using —

• keen eyesight and sharp talons
• sharp talons and feather coloring
• sharp beak and short body 
• feather coloring and sense of smell

The African savanna is covered in tall grasses.  There are also trees spread out across the land.  The animals of the savanna are adapted to exist on this land.  Which is not an animal adaptation that helps animals survive on the savanna?

• fur that is camouflaged in the grass
• long necks that help giraffes to reach their food
• sharp teeth that help herbivores tear the thick grass
• powerful hind legs that help with hunting and migrating

After long periods of rain, landslides may occur because —

• large amounts of water mix with soil and flow downhill 
• wind weathers sand dunes over a long period of time 
• lava flows from volcanoes and melts layers of bedrock 
• ice flows downhill and deposits the soil in a new place 

A flash flood occurs several times a year in Death Valley, CA. This causes the sediment to quickly flow out of the area. The sediment can be carried up to 100 miles away.  What landforms are formed in this area?

• plateaus from deposition
• canyons from erosion 
• deltas from weathering
• sand dunes from erosion

Which object requires only mechanical energy to perform its main function?

• Hammer

• Thermometer

• Fan

• Iron

A student created a diagram to compare the characteristics of the Earth and the Moon.
Which of the following characteristics could be placed in the center part of the diagram?

• orbits another object
• strong gravitational pull
• rotates every 24 hours
• has an atmosphere

• Samples 1 and 2
• Samples 3 and 4
• Samples 1 and 3
• Samples 2 and 3

In a grassland ecosystem, lions prey on wildebeest. The population of lions has declined steadily because of illegal hunting. What will most likely happen to the population of wildebeest?

• The wildebeest population will increase.

• The wildebeest population will decrease.

• The wildebeest population will remain the same.

Which statement correctly describes the Sun's apparent movement across the sky?

• As Earth spins on its axis, it makes the Sun appear to move across the sky.
• As the Sun spins around Earth, it moves across the sky.
• Earth rotates around the Sun every 24 hours, making the Sun appear to move across the sky. 
• The Sun rotates around Earth every 12 hours, making the Sun appear to move across the sky.