10th Grade Test Prep & Vocabulary Practice: Questions, Answers and Tips

Looking for 10th grade test prep & vocabulary practice? Below are worked examples, the mistakes students make most, and practice questions with an answer key.

Every example below comes from BAMS Academy's Test Prep & Vocabulary practice, the same questions students answer on the site.

Test Prep & Vocabulary in 10th grade, skill by skill

Building vocabulary and skills for standardized tests. BAMS Academy breaks the unit into the skills below. Each comes with one of its practice questions.

Determine the precise meaning of high-frequency academic words in context

Consider how the word is used in academic writing. In academic writing, what does "nuance" mean? (Choices: A summary of the whole; A major contradiction; A subtle difference in meaning; A repeated idea.)

Answer: A subtle difference in meaning. A "nuance" is a fine shade of difference.

Consider how the word is used in academic writing. In academic writing, what does "viable" mean? (Choices: Visible to the eye; Already proven to work; Very expensive; Capable of working successfully.)

Answer: Capable of working successfully. "Viable" means workable or feasible.

Consider how the word is used in academic writing. In academic writing, what does "analogous" mean? (Choices: Directly opposed; Identical in every respect; Similar in a way that allows a comparison; Completely unrelated.)

Answer: Similar in a way that allows a comparison. Two "analogous" things are comparable in some relevant respect.

Use Latin and Greek roots and affixes to decode unfamiliar words

What does the prefix CIRCUM-, as in circumvent, circumspect, circumference mean? (Choices: before; through; around; against.)

Answer: around. Circum- means around, so to circumvent is to go around an obstacle rather than through it.

Roots let you decode words you have never seen. What does the root BENE-, as in benevolent, benefactor, benediction mean? (Choices: good or well; bad or ill; twice or double; below or under.)

Answer: good or well. Bene- means well. Its opposite, mal-, gives malevolent and malediction.

What does the root -GREG-, as in gregarious, congregate, segregate mean? (Choices: write; great or large; step or walk; flock or group.)

Answer: flock or group. Grex means flock, so a gregarious person seeks the group and segregation separates from it.

Worked examples

Example 1

Question: In academic writing, what does "concede" mean?

1. To restate your position
2. To ignore an objection
3. To win an argument
4. To admit a point to the other side

How to solve it: To "concede" is to grant that part of an opposing argument has merit.

Answer: To admit a point to the other side

Example 2

Question: In academic writing, what does "ambiguous" mean?

1. Deliberately dishonest
2. Open to more than one interpretation
3. Extremely detailed
4. Clearly wrong

How to solve it: Something "ambiguous" can be read in more than one way.

Answer: Open to more than one interpretation

Try these practice questions

1. Consider how the word is used in academic writing. In academic writing, what does "plausible" mean?

   1. Believable, though not proven
   2. Obviously false
   3. Very unusual
   4. Definitely true

2. In academic writing, what does "corroborate" mean?

   1. To support a claim with additional evidence
   2. To summarise an argument
   3. To prove a claim beyond all doubt
   4. To work together on a project

3. In academic writing, what does "empirical" mean?

   1. Based on theory alone
   2. Based on observation or experiment
   3. Based on popular opinion
   4. Based on tradition

4. Consider how the word is used in academic writing. In academic writing, what does "refute" mean?

   1. To dislike a claim
   2. To argue that a claim is false, with reasons
   3. To agree with a claim
   4. To repeat a claim

Answer key

1. Believable, though not proven — "Plausible" means reasonable enough to be believed, short of being proven.
2. To support a claim with additional evidence — To "corroborate" is to back something up with further evidence — support, not absolute proof.
3. Based on observation or experiment — "Empirical" evidence comes from observing or measuring the world.
4. To argue that a claim is false, with reasons — To "refute" is to disprove or argue against something using evidence.

Keep practicing

The fastest way to build confidence is a few questions at a time, with feedback on each answer. Start with Test Prep & Vocabulary practice for grade 10, where every question comes with a step-by-step explanation.

More from BAMS Academy:

• BAMS Academy English practice by grade
• Every 10th grade subject