More Exam Questions

Two of my three students are under the weather (Aravis has definitely caught something), so our day has been low-key. I did finish writing the exams, and each girl answered some of her questions. (Aravis answered two questions and then went to sleep, poor girl.)

Here are some more exam questions, modeled after the vintage PNEU exams at Ambleside Online (previous installment of winter exam questions here):

Cornflower (age 9, 3rd grade)

1. (Science) Tell about the history of guns. How does a revolver work? Why is a rifle called a rifle?

2. (Science) Describe the video you saw in which the man made noodles by stretching dough. What was the dough made of? How did it turn into noodles?

*****

Mariel (age 12, 6th grade)

1. (Current Events) What makes an athlete “great”? How much of an Olympic athlete’s success is derived from natural physical ability and how much comes from practice, mental focus, or character, or other qualities? (This question was adapted from this article at www.nytimes.com.)

2. (Science) What do you know of Archimedes’ study of numbers?

3. (Science) Describe two experiments with electricity. What is a magnet?

4. (Science) What is the difference between a chemical compound and a solution?

5. (Science) Explain what is meant by “affinity” in chemistry.

6. (Citizenship/Plutarch) Compare and contrast the characters of Cassius and Brutus.

7. (Citizenship/Animal Farm) Why did Napoleon first show contempt for Snowball’s windmill scheme and then endorse the project?

8. (Shakespeare) What were the consequences of Macbeth’s murder of Duncan?

*****

Aravis (age 15, 9th grade)

1. (History) Should the colonists have rebelled against King and Parliament? Should the British have resisted the rebellion? (Give reasons both for and against each question.)

2. (History) The American Revolution is called the first modern revolution in history. Why was it different from any other war before it? Some say that the American revolution was different from any war before it. Do you agree or disagree?*

3. (Citizenship) Compare and contrast the English Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.

4. (History/Virginia Declaration of Rights) How did the Declaration of Rights influence the writing of the Declaration of Independence?

5. (History) Show how Mozart’s “genius transcended all the concerns and burdens, the passing pleasures too, of a pitifully harried existence.” (A big thank-you to the HG at The Common Room for her discussion of this quote back in 2006. I remembered her point all this time and googled the post this morning.)

6. (Citizenship) ‘“There is a great deal to be said on both sides” of most questions.’ How does this statement apply to telling the truth?

7. (Geography) Write a letter from India, as if you were visiting there.

8. (Geography) Give some account of New Zealand, with map.

9. (Literature) Give some account of early American literature.

10. (Literature) What is a comedy of manners? Give examples.

*Altered to remove an assumption that I did not want to impose on my student.