The Renaissance STAR Reading test is a computer adaptive exam and part of the STAR assessments taken in grades k-12 mainly in the United States, administered by Renaissance learning. Its main purpose is to measure a student’s overall reading skills and progression throughout each grade, although it is sometimes used as a placement test for gifted and accelerated reader programs.
*What is the STAR Reading test?
*STAR Reading test format
*STAR Reading test sample questions
*STAR Reading test scores
*STAR Reading test preparation
Students in grades k–12 are usually required to take at least two Renaissance STAR assessments, one of which is the STAR Reading assessment. The test was developed by Renaissance Learning basing its materials on each grade level of the common core reading standards. These standards ensure that students are only assessed on relevant material that is important in preparing them for the following grade, college, and their future careers.
The test is designed to determine a student's reading skills and weaknesses. It assists educators and schools in tracking students' progress and determining who may require more support and instruction.
The Renaissance STAR Reading assessment comes in two versions: the Enterprise version, which consists of 34 questions, and is administered a few times a year. The second shortened version of the test, consisting of 24 questions and is designed to be distributed more frequently, is also available for progress tracking.
Both versions take about 20-35 minutes to complete. The questions vary from sentences to short passages, all questions have three answer choices, and they are all multiple-choice. While the test is not timed, some questions have a time limit to keep the test moving and for security reasons.
The Test is a computer adaptive test, which means that it adapts to the student’s ability in real-time by selecting different questions from the pool in order to provide a more accurate measure of their ability level.
While reading concepts and skills vary between each grade and require varying degrees of comprehension, some subjects are covered in some way or another in almost all grades :
The word match has several of its meanings listed below. Choose the word meaning that does not go with this word.
a contest between two or more players or teams
to be suited to
to plan in advance
The correct answer is (C).
It is recommended to approach this question by eliminating the incorrect answer choices. Answer choices (A), and (B) are all meanings of the word "match." In order to help you understand the options better, the following sentences are examples of the definitions in the answer choices: Answer choice (A): He won the tennis match against his best friend.Answer choice (B): Your shirt color matches your eyes.The definition in answer (C) is the meaning of the word "prepare" and not of the word "match." Therefore, the correct answer is (C).
Read the sentences.
I found my new ______ in the basement.
A ______ flew over my head when I walked down the street.
Which word will fit in both places?
The correct answer is (C).
The word that fits in both places is a homograph. A homograph is a word that is spelled the same as another word, but which has a different meaning or pronunciation. Thus, the word that fits in both of the sentences above is spelled the same but has a different meaning in each sentence. The word that fits both places is "bat." A bat is a winged animal and a type of sporting equipment used in baseball. A bat is an animal that could fly over one's head and a piece of equipment you would find in someone's basement. Therefore, the correct answer is (C).Answers (A) and (B) are incorrect since these are not things that can fly over one's head, although they can be found in one's basement. Note that the word must fit in both places in this question. Paddle is a short and flat shaft used for steering a small boat or canoe, and mitten is a type of glove.
Read the sentences. Philip is one of my most honest friends. If I ask for his opinion about something, he will always tell me the truth. Philip is a credible friend.
What does credible mean?
wise
selfish
sincere
The correct answer is (C).
The meaning of the word "credible" can be inferred from the passage. The words "honest" and "truth" show that the best way to describe Philip is as a sincere friend. Therefore, the correct answer is (C). Answers (A) and (B) are incorrect because these characteristics cannot be inferred from the sentences.
Read the passage.
Eli Whitney was a young boy who lived on a farm, but he wanted to be an inventor. When he was only a teenager, he made and sold nails in his father's workshop. He grew up and became a teacher and a farmer.
He wanted more out of life, so he moved to the South. There he noticed that the farmers were spending a very long time picking cotton every day. He invented a machine called the "cotton gin." It picked cotton quickly and separated the sharp parts from the soft part of the cotton plant. This revolutionized the way that cotton was picked and increased the speed of the harvest, as well as cotton sales.
Which is the meaning of the word revolutionized in the story?
transformed
wrecked
preserved
The correct answer is (A).
The word "revolutionize" means "to produce a very great or complete change in something." The word closest in meaning to the word "revolutionize" from the answers above is "transform," which means "to change completely the appearance or character of something or someone." Therefore, the correct answer is (A).Answer (B) is incorrect because the word "wreck" means "to destroy something."Answer (C) is incorrect because the word "preserve" means "to keep something as it is."
Read the passage.
Maid [in the doorway] : A lady to see you, ma'am, a stranger.
Nora: Ask her to come in.
This passage is an example of which type of text?
A play
A story
A poem
The correct answer is (A).
Answer (A) is the correct answer because a play is a form of literature usually consisting of dialogue between characters. It is intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading, which is why there are usually added stage directions and descriptions in brackets. Answers (B) and (C) are incorrect because none of these types of text fit the structure in this passage.
Read the stanza and answer the question that follows.
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
( Taken from I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth)
Which is a simile from the poem?
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
The correct answer is B.
A simile is a literary device used to describe something by comparing it to something else using comparison words such as “like” or “as.” This stanza is taken from the poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” which discusses the relationship between a person and the natural world. The poet describes his feelings while wandering across the landscape. Like the cloud, he is detached from the landscape; he floats above the valleys and hills. The first line describes the speaker “as lonely as a cloud.” Pay attention to the use of “as,” which is a typical indicator of similes. Therefore, the correct answer is (B) Answers (A) and (C) are incorrect because they do not contain a comparison of one thing to another at all. Both are descriptions of the actions that the speaker does while floating as a cloud.
Read the passage.
Sophia stood alone at the corner of the classroom. She looked around as her classmates talked to each other enthusiastically. Although she would have liked to, she was too shy to join the group next to her or the group across the room. She wished someone would come over and start a conversation.
What does the author want us to think about Sophia?
She was bored.
She was outgoing.
She was lonely.
The correct answer is (C).
The author describes Sophia standing alone, hesitating whether or not to join her classmates. She wanted someone from her class to come and talk to her. It can be inferred from this information that Sophia was lonely. Therefore, the correct answer is (C).Answer (A) is incorrect because Sophia clearly showed interest and not boredom when she looked around at her classmates.Answer (B) is incorrect because even though Sophia is interested in some company, she was mostly described as being shy, the opposite of outgoing.
Which of the sentences is the most appropriate to convey imagery?
His face blossomed when his classmate flattered him.
She felt very sad when she came home and saw her fish was missing.
He closed the door silently so he wouldn't wake her up.
The correct answer is A.
Imagery is the use of figurative or descriptive language to present ideas, objects, and actions in a way that appeals to one of our five senses. Imagery can also be defined as a writer's use of words or figures of speech to create a vivid mental picture or physical sensations. Imagery is usually used in poetry, but it can be used in any other form of writing as well, and even in single sentences.Answer (A) is the correct one because it is the only sentence that uses descriptive language and is therefore the most appropriate to convey imagery. The word "blossomed" is a figurative way to describe that his face blushed, and it also appeals to one of our five senses—sight. Answers (B) and (C) are incorrect as these sentences do not use figurative language that appeals to one of our five senses, nor do they create a vivid physical sensation.
Which is the correct definition of "plagiarism"?
The act of taking the ideas of others and presenting them as if they were yours.
The way in which a plague is spreading among people.
The act of using the school's equipment without permission from the principal.
The correct answer is (A).
Plagiarism occurs when someone takes the work or the ideas of someone else and presents them without mentioning the source they were taken from. Whether you directly quote from someone else's work or take ideas from his or her work and write it in different words – a credit is needed. For example, if you take ideas from a book in order to write a paragraph for a school assignment, you need to mention the name of the author or authors of that book at the beginning or the end of the paragraph.Answer (C) is incorrect as plagiarism is about using others' ideas and not others' physical stuff.
DeAngelo is writing an article about the accomplishments of the city government this year.
Which of the following sentences supports this objective the best if it appears in the article?
There was a record number of candidates in the recent election.
After the repaving of the highways and the “Feed the Homeless” project in June, the Mayor’s approval rating reached a new high.
The President’s nominations for the Supreme Court have attracted a lot of attention.
The correct answer is (B).
There are two main criteria given to us about the objective of the article, and the sentence must be relevant to both of them—it must support the topic of the (1) accomplishments of the (2) city government. A sentence detailing the accomplishments of a different form of government, or negative (or even neutral) information about the city government, would only be relevant to one of the two criteria. The sentence in option B is clearly discussing matters of city government as the Mayor is the position at the head of city government, and the paving of roads and local charity endeavors are common tasks of city government. These are both positive feats, and they must have been successful since the sentence implies that they boosted the Mayor’s approval rating. Thus, this sentence is supporting the topic of the accomplishments of the city government. Answer (A) is incorrect because it is ambiguous as to which type of election it is referring to, and a record number of candidates does not imply any kind of accomplishment of the government itself.Answer (C) is incorrect because it is discussing the Federal government, as it mentions the President and the Supreme Court, and the sentence does not reveal the nature of the attention being attracted, which could either be positive or negative.
Each Renaissance Star assessments Score report contains four numerical scores and ranks:
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