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Section 4: Sample Multiple-Choice Questions
WEST–E Agriculture Education (037)

The sample test questions in this study guide are designed to give you an introduction to the nature of the questions included in the Washington Educator Skills Tests—Endorsements (WEST–E). They represent the various types of questions you may expect to see on an actual test in this test field; however, they are not designed to predict your performance on the test as a whole.

Work through the sample questions carefully before referring to the answers. The correct response and test objective being assessed are provided for each question. When you are finished with the sample questions, you may wish to review the test objectives and descriptive statements provided in the test framework for this test field.

In addition to reading and answering the sample questions, you should also utilize the following preparation materials available in this study guide:

Read Section 2: WEST–E Test-Taking Strategies to understand how test questions are designed to measure specific test objectives and to learn important test-taking strategies for the day of the test.
Review Section 3: Test Summary and Framework to familiarize yourself with the structure and content of the test. This section contains general testing information as well as the percentage of the total test score derived from each content domain described in the test framework.

Practice Questions

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Foundations of Agricultural Education

Objective 0001: Demonstrate an understanding of the Career and Technical Education program.

1. One of the major functions of a Career and Technical Education (CTE) advisory committee is to:

work with CTE program directors to allocate funds in the district budget to specific CTE programs.
make hiring recommendations for CTE programs to CTE administrators.
review teaching methods, assessment, and unit content for faculty of specific CTE programs.
build support from the business community for specific CTE programs.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Objective 0002: Demonstrate an understanding of the integrated program approach and career development in agricultural education.

2. Students in an agricultural education class are participating in a semester-long exercise to investigate the effect of soil pH on the growth of tomato plants. Tomato plants will be grown in the school's greenhouse in soil with different pH levels. The height of the plants will be measured each week, and each plant assessed for signs of nutrient deficiencies. At the end of the semester, yields of each group of tomato plants will be compared. Which of the following aspects of this exercise most requires students to apply principles of the scientific method?

identifying the manipulated variables that must be controlled in the exercise
using proper materials and methods to accurately measure soil pH
recognizing and distinguishing between symptoms of different nutrient deficiencies
applying horticultural techniques for growing plants in a greenhouse

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

3. A supervised agricultural experience would be most appropriate for a student who is interested in:

engaging in independent research on a topic of interest.
starting and operating an independent business.
using work-based learning to become familiar with a field.
engaging in postgraduate coursework at a local college.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: C.

4. A graduating student is applying for several entry-level jobs in agriculture-related businesses. Which of the following approaches to writing a résumé would be most effective for the student to use?

Including all the student's educational and work experiences whether or not they seem directly relevant to the jobs.
Emphasizing the student's experience, knowledge, and skills that are most important for performing job-related tasks.
Detailing how the student's academic strengths and areas for improvement relate to requirements for each job.
Stating the student's expectations for salary, hours, and opportunities for advancement within the organization.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

Objective 0003: Demonstrate an understanding of the history of agricultural science and FFA, and the role of FFA in agricultural education.

5. Participating in FFA career development events (CDEs) benefits students in agricultural education primarily by:

helping teachers assess their knowledge of course material and identify gaps to be addressed.
assisting them in meeting and setting up job interviews with potential employers in agriculture.
introducing them to the job requirements and opportunities in a variety of agriculture careers.
helping them develop and showcase their technical knowledge and communication skills.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

6. One important role of a faculty advisor to a local Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter is to:

provide students with information about state and national competitions and help them prepare to participate in these activities.
develop a Program of Activities (POA) that best suits the needs and interests of the students who are members of the chapter.
prepare the agenda for each meeting and ensure that it is distributed to all student members before the meeting takes place.
esolve disputes among students and serve as parliamentarian to ensure that meetings proceed in an orderly fashion.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

Objective 0004: Demonstrate an understanding of procedures for ensuring safety in the agricultural classroom, laboratory, SAE, and FFA.

7. Which of the following strategies on the part of the teacher would be most appropriate and effective for maintaining a safe working environment in a high school agricultural science laboratory?

limiting access to lab equipment to students who have demonstrated responsibility in the past
monitoring student behavior to keep order and ensure that students remain focused on tasks
testing all equipment before each laboratory session to ensure that it is working properly
limiting lab exercises to those that have been demonstrated to pose no risk to participants

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

8. A horticulture class is using glacial acetic acid to control weeds in a greenhouse. Which of the following sources would provide the most complete information about safe handling, disposal, and storage of this chemical?

An introductory chemistry textbook.
The USDA publication about chemical herbicides.
The label on the container for the chemical.
The Material Safety Data Sheet for the chemical.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Animal Science

Objective 0005: Demonstrate an understanding of the classification, anatomy, and physiology of animals.

9. Which of the following is one reason why a maker of fine cheeses might use milk from Jersey dairy cows rather than from Holstein-Friesian cows?

Milk from Jersey cows contains larger quantities of natural rennet than milk from Holsteins.
Milk from Jersey cows is cheaper because the cows produce larger quantities of milk per year than Holsteins.
Milk from Jersey cows has a higher butterfat content than milk from Holsteins.
Milk from Jersey cows contains fewer bacteria and leukocytes because the cows are more resistant to mastitis than Holsteins.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: C.

10. In which of the following four chambers of the ruminant stomach does bacterial breakdown of cellulose take place?

the omasum.
the abomasum.
the rumen.
the reticulum.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: C.

Objective 0006: Demonstrate an understanding of animal production and management.

11. In general, the most serious economic effect of attacks by mosquitoes and ticks on horses and cattle in Washington State is caused by:

extensive blood loss in affected animals.
irritation of animals that leads them to go off their feed.
transmission of a variety of diseases to animals.
death of animals when larvae burrow into vital organs.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: C.

12. Silage is a plant-based animal feed that is commonly used in Washington State, especially during the winter. Which of the following statements best describes one difference between silage made from corn and silage made from alfalfa?

Silage made from corn is higher in carbohydrates and lower in protein than silage made from alfalfa.
Silage made from alfalfa requires bacterial fermentation to break down plant cell walls during digestion.
Silage made from alfalfa is less palatable to livestock than silage made from corn, resulting in less efficient feed.
Silage made from corn contains nine amino acids, while silage made from alfalfa contains seven amino acids.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

Objective 0007: Demonstrate an understanding of animal genetics and reproduction and principles of genetic engineering and biotechnology.

13. In genetic engineering, the ability of scientists to identify the genes that influence the expression of specific traits has been most enhanced by technological advances in:

DNA sequencing.
cloning.
DNA splicing.
cell enucleation.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

14. A rancher breeds a herd of purebred Hereford cows with a purebred Angus bull. Which of the following statements accurately describes the coat color distribution in the offspring?

Fifty percent of the calves have red coats.
All the calves have black coats with red patches.
Seventy-five percent of the calves have black coats.
All the calves have black coats.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Objective 0008: Demonstrate an understanding of environmental and facilities management in animal production systems.

15. A confinement facility for swine in Washington State uses an anaerobic lagoon to manage wastes. To minimize the possibility of polluting neighboring streams with runoff from the lagoon, it would be most important to include which of the following elements in its design?

a device for continuously agitating the liquid in the lagoon
an impervious layer of concrete or clay at the bottom of the lagoon
a system for diverting rainwater and snowmelt away from the lagoon
a method for excluding all solid wastes from entering the lagoon

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: C.

16. Which of the following statements accurately describes why piglets need supplemental heat at birth and for several days afterward?

Piglets are born with very few energy reserves to produce heat.
Piglets have very little hair to protect against heat loss from the skin.
Piglets do not develop the shivering response until they are several weeks old.
Piglets have a very high surface area to volume ratio causing rapid heat loss.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

Plant and Soil Science

Objective 0009: Demonstrate an understanding of soil science.

17. The number and kind of microorganisms present in a soil most directly affects which of the following characteristics of the soil?

texture
humus content
structure
pH

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

18. A farmer uses dolomite lime made from pulverized dolomite rather than calcite lime made from pulverized limestone to raise the pH of acidic soils. Which of the following statements best explains the primary reason for this practice?

Dolomite lime dissolves in rainwater and absorbs quickly into the root zone.
Dolomite lime is less likely than calcite lime to burn plant roots upon contact.
Dolomite lime can be spread at lower application rates than calcite lime.
Dolomite lime adds the essential plant nutrient, magnesium.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Objective 0010: Demonstrate an understanding of the classification, anatomy, and physiology of plants.

19. Which of the following organelles within the plant cell provides energy to the cell by converting the metabolic products of photosynthesis into ATP?

ribosome
Golgi apparatus
lysosome
mitochondrion

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

20. Which of the following plant tissues functions most like blood in vertebrates?

the meristem.
the parenchyma.
the phloem.
the collenchyma.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: C.

Objective 0011: Demonstrate an understanding of plant genetics, reproduction, and propagation.

21. Which of the following best explains why the flowers of grasses are small and inconspicuous compared with the flowers of most other flowering plants?

Grasses generally put more energy into vegetative growth rather than seed production.
Grasses are generally pollinated by small beetles that find the flowers by smell rather than sight.
Grasses generally reproduce by the spread of underground stolons rather than by seeds.
Grasses are generally pollinated by the wind rather than by insects or other animals.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Objective 0012: Demonstrate an understanding of crop production and management.

22. Which of the following best explains why fresh apples are often placed after harvest in an environment with increased carbon dioxide and reduced oxygen in the atmosphere?

The apples will suffer less damage after harvest because the high- CO₂/low-O₂ environment prevents insect eggs from hatching.
The apples will keep longer without softening because their respiration rate will be lower in a high-CO₂/low-O₂ environment.
The apples will taste sweeter because the high-CO₂/low-O₂ environment speeds the conversion of starches into sugars.
The apples will ripen faster because the high-CO₂/low-O₂ environment prevents the breakdown of ethylene gas into its inert components.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

23. Bitter pit in apples is caused by a deficiency of which of the following nutrients?

potassium
nitrogen
magnesium
calcium

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Objective 0013: Demonstrate an understanding of horticultural practices, principles, and methods of greenhouse, nursery, and landscape management, and principles of landscape design.

24. A bedding-plant grower plants tomato seeds in rows in a large tray. After the seedlings have emerged and the first true leaves have developed, the grower notices that seedlings in parts of several rows have toppled over. When the plants are examined, it is found that the stem is constricted at the soil level and the root is shriveled. Over the course of the next week, most of the seedlings in the tray have died. Which of the following measures should the grower have taken to prevent the appearance of this condition?

planting the seeds in a sterile growing medium
germinating the seeds in complete darkness
fertilizing the seedlings immediately after they emerged
watering the seedlings more frequently

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

25. Washington State ranks first in the nation in the production of which of the following horticultural crops?

cut flowers
Kentucky bluegrass turf
bedding plants
azaleas and rhododendrons

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

Agricultural Technology

Objective 0014: Demonstrate an understanding of operation and maintenance of power equipment and engines used in agriculture.

26. The ability of hydraulic systems to lift and support large loads in agriculture applications depends primarily on which of the following principles?

Fluids in a hydraulic system cannot be compressed when force is applied to the fluid.
The viscosity of fluids used in hydraulic systems is inversely proportional to the temperature of the fluid.
The application of force to a fluid in a hydraulic system leads to an increase in temperature of the fluid.
The types of fluids used in hydraulic systems have lower coefficients of friction than most other types of fluids.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

27. Accidents involving agricultural equipment are most often caused by:

absence of safety features.
environmental conditions.
equipment malfunction.
operator carelessness or error.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Objective 0015: Demonstrate an understanding of materials and techniques used in agricultural metal fabrication, construction, and water control systems.

28. Which of the following best describes the process of soldering when joining metal?

Soldering employs high pressures and temperatures to join metal surfaces without using filler metal and without melting the base metal.
Soldering uses high temperatures to melt and fuse together the adjacent base metal surfaces that are to be joined.
Soldering uses a low-melting-point filler metal to join metal surfaces together without melting the base metal.
Soldering uses low temperatures to melt an alloy that will coat the base metal surfaces and prevent oxidation during high-temperature welding.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: C.

29. Which of the following techniques is most effective for verifying that a stud wall is properly square?

Measuring and comparing the lengths of the top and bottom plate.
Using a spirit level to check whether the cap plate is level.
Measuring and comparing the two diagonals of the wall.
Using a spirit level to determine whether each stud is plumb.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: C.

Natural Resources and Environmental Science

Objective 0016: Demonstrate an understanding of ecological principles and their relationship to agriculture and the environment.

30. Which of the following best explains why long-lived pesticides such as DDT affect populations of raptors, such as eagles and ospreys, to a greater extent than populations of finches and warblers?

Raptors and other large birds have slower metabolisms than smaller birds and are unable to break down pesticides as effectively.
Toxic chemicals are unevenly distributed in the environment, and raptors live, feed, and nest in areas where concentrations are highest.
Raptors are long-lived birds and are likely to be exposed to these pesticides for a longer time during the course of their lives.
Toxic chemicals become more concentrated as they move up the food chain, and raptors are top predators in most ecosystems.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

31. Which of the following statements correctly describes how the movement of phosphorus, through the phosphorus cycle, affects how phosphorus is used as a fertilizer?

Phosphorus is highly soluble and moves quickly through the soil and plant tissues, causing leaching of the nutrient from leaves and soil during heavy rain.
Phosphorus readily forms bonds with other elements in the soil, much of it quickly becomes unavailable to plants until it is slowly released.
Phosphorus possesses mid-range solubility, resulting in a slow, even, and long-lasting release of the nutrient after it is applied as fertilizer.
Phosphorus is strongly hydrophilic, it quickly draws water from its surroundings, causing root burn if fertilizer is placed close to a plant.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

Objective 0017: Demonstrate an understanding of relationships between agriculture and the environment.

32. Which of the following crop production practices is most likely to increase soil erosion in an agricultural field?

using sprinkler systems to irrigate a growing crop
harvesting more than one crop from a field in a single year
using plastic or natural mulches to control weeds
leaving fallow fields uncovered by vegetation or crop residues

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Objective 0018: Demonstrate an understanding of natural resource management.

33. Which of the following forest management practices is most likely to improve wildlife habitat and increase the diversity of plant and animal species that inhabit an area?

controlling insect pests by spraying infested sections of the forest
opening the forest canopy by harvesting small patches of trees
preventing wildfires by removing dead standing and fallen trees
planting non-native vegetation that is well adapted to the area

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

34. Which of the following features is the principal defining characteristic of sustainable methods of agriculture?

Sacrifice of profitability for achievement of environmental goals.
Avoidance of chemical pest control, weed control, and fertilizers.
Use of shelterbelts and other methods of increasing wildlife habitat.
Determination to use renewable rather than non-renewable resources.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: D.

Agricultural Business

Objective 0019: Demonstrate an understanding of agricultural business management and entrepreneurship.

35. Which of the following is the best example of an agricultural cooperative?

A group of independent dairy farmers buys feed in bulk, distributes its products under the same label, and shares the profits.
An entrepreneur sets up a roadside stand to market his own vegetables and those he has purchased from neighboring farmers.
Several investors purchase a swine production facility and share in the profits according to the amount each has invested in the business.
A supermarket chain contracts with local growers to supply one of its stores with fresh produce throughout the growing season.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

Objective 0020: Demonstrate an understanding of principles of economics and their role in agricultural business.

36. A farmer decides to convert some marginal agricultural land to wildlife habitat. Which of the following represents the opportunity cost to the farmer of the decision to take the marginal land out of production?

the profit that would have been made if the land had been planted
the direct costs of converting the land to wildlife habitat
the average profit that is made per acre of land on the farm
the costs of planting the land to a crop in the previous year

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

37. Which of the following statements best explains why chemical fertilizer is considered to exhibit inelastic demand?

The supply of chemical fertilizer on the open market does not fluctuate over time.
A decrease in the price of chemical fertilizer does not lead to a corresponding increase in sales.
The amount of fertilizer used on farms is highly seasonal, with spikes in spring and summer and troughs in fall and winter.
There is little variation in the type and quality of chemical fertilizer that is offered by different distributors and retail outlets.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

38. An increase in the value of the dollar is most likely to have which of the following effects on the U.S. agricultural sector?

Prices for U.S. agricultural products will increase in other countries and lead to lower exports and reduced profits.
Domestic prices for U.S. agricultural products will increase as supply decreases leading to lower demand and reduced profits.
Domestic prices for agricultural imports from other countries will decrease leading to higher demand for U.S. agricultural products and higher profits.
Prices for U.S. agricultural products will decrease in other countries and lead to higher exports and higher profits.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: A.

Objective 0021: Demonstrate knowledge of agricultural marketing and sales.

39. A price-skimming strategy is one in which high prices are charged for a product in order to ensure high profits or recover high production costs. This type of pricing strategy is likely to be most effective for an agriculture product when:

a product is sold to a wholesaler or processor before being sold to the public.
a new product has little or no competition from similar products already on the market.
a product is marketed through the Internet or a catalog rather than through a retail store.
a new product is introduced to help prop up a line of related products that are experiencing lagging sales.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

40. Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the value-added concept in the sale of agricultural products?

A supermarket sells fresh and frozen turkeys at half-price during the week following Thanksgiving.
An apple grower makes cider and pies from part of the crop and sells them through local retail stores.
A farm stand charges much less per pound for a twenty-pound bag of onions than it charges for individual onions.
A small grocery store has a bin of fruit that is offered free-of-charge to children under the age of twelve.

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded: Correct Response: B.

Section 4: Sample Multiple-Choice QuestionsWEST–E Agriculture Education (037)