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PRAXIS II Agriculture California Exam

The Agriculture (CA) exam of the PRAXIS II series is the assessment exam for future high school agriculture teachers in California and Oregon. This exam covers six general topics normally taught in undergraduate agricultural degree programs, and they are approximately divided in the following manner to total 148 multiple choice questions:

40 questions covering Plant and Soil Science
30 questions covering Animal Science
25 questions covering Agricultural Management
25 questions covering Agricultural Mechanics
18 questions covering Agriculture and Society
10 questions covering Agricultural Resources Management

The area of Plant and Soil Science covers taxonomy of plants, reproduction and growth of plants, and the purpose of various plant parts.

Questions regarding Animal Science will cover everything from breeding to marketing. Examinees should have knowledge of industries related to animals and animal products and of the management of the businesses and operations, as well knowledge sanitation and health of the animals.

The Agricultural Management questions will focus primarily on the business and economic aspects of agriculture including marketing, management, accounting, and insurance, as a few examples.

Agricultural Mechanics questions will cover many of the materials and procedures used in agriculture. This includes, but is not limited to, tools and machinery, uses of power, fencing, sketches, the layout of fields, irrigation, and the use of soil and water.

The questions that pertain to Agriculture and Society will focus on the role that agriculture plays in economics and politics, the status of agriculture sociologically, jobs in agriculture, and leadership in agriculture. This topic also covers the concerns associated with the quality of water and the safety of food.

The area of Agricultural Resources Management concentrates on ecology and the affects of agriculture and energy on the environment. This includes the preservation of wildlife, forests, land used for grazing, and land used for recreation purposes.

The Agriculture (CA) exam is a two hour exam. Individuals who take the exam should expect to demonstrate knowledge of these topics as well as display proficiency in these areas as related to real life circumstances.

PRAXIS II Agriculture In California Practice Questions

1. Agricultural science requires knowledge of:

A. social science
B. earth science
C. mathematics
D. engineering
E. All of the above

2. What are some practical lessons learned by studying agricultural science?

A. Gain understanding of the interconnectedness of earth's resources
B. Improve critical thinking skills
C. Design workable solutions
D. Learn to interact with a diverse group of people
E. All of the above

3. Which of the following does not affect climate change?

A. Tornadoes
B. Shift in the sun's intensity
C. Variation in ocean circulation
D. Burning fossil fuels
E. Urbanization

4. Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?

A. Carbon dioxide
B. Methane
C. Propane
D. Nitrous oxide
E. Chlorofluorocarbons

5. Marketing activities of California agricultural products include:

A. promotions
B. research
C. maintenance of quality standards
D. costs are shared
E. All of the above

Answers Key For Agriculture In California

1. Answer: E

Webster's New Explorer Desk Encyclopedia defines agriculture as the "science or art of cultivating the soil, growing and harvesting crops, and raising livestock. More of the world's aggregate manpower is devoted to agriculture than to all other occupations combined." Using this basic definition, agricultural science is the study and care of soil, plants, and animals and how their relationships produce and process food, fiber, and fuel. It is an interdisciplinary science that requires knowledge in and understanding of a wide range of fields such as:

PHYSICAL SCIENCE is the study of the interaction of matter, motion, energy, space, and time.
LIFE SCIENCE or biology is the study of living organisms, their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution.
SOCIAL SCIENCE studies human behavior.
EARTH SCIENCE studies all things related to the earth: geology, hydrology, meteorology, and oceanography.
ENGINEERING is the application of physical, mathematical, and mechanical principles to design, construct, and operate structures.
MATHEMATICS explains the logic of and relationship between numbers.
ECONOMICS studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

2. Answer: E

Students who study agricultural science develop an understanding of the interconnectedness of all the earth's resources: plant, animal, human. They learn the importance of managing scarce natural resources and caring for the environment. They discover the necessity of humane treatment of all living things as scientific and technological breakthroughs change the relationships and interactions between and among species. Students become aware of social issues such as food security, as well as the reasons for and effects of both subsistence and commercial farming practices.

Another result of studying agricultural science is the growing ability to think critically, design workable solutions to complex problems, and make thoughtful decisions. Since it is a global, interdisciplinary field, students learn to interact with a diverse cross-section of scientists, researchers, and environmentalists from many nations. Each person brings a unique perspective to universal issues based on experiences and conditions in his homeland. From planning, production, processing, and distribution, an individual country's economy and fiscal policies has an impact on the global marketplace.

3. Answer: A

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), climate change refers to "any significant change in measures of climate such as temperature, precipitation, or wind lasting for an extended period (decades or longer)." It can be caused by natural factors (a shift in the sun's intensity or the earth's orbit), natural processes (variation in ocean circulation), and human activities (burning fossil fuels, deforestation, urbanization, etc.).

Global warming is an average increase in the temperature near the earth's surface and the troposphere (lowest part of the atmosphere) that "contribute to changes in global climate patterns." The climate has changed many times since the earth was formed from ice ages to sustained periods of heat. Natural causes include volcanic eruptions, shifts in the earth's orbit, and varying energy levels released from the sun. Beginning with the Industrial Revolution in the late eighteenth century, human-induced activities have probably influenced the climate in various ways.

4. Answer: C

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the greenhouse effect as "a natural phenomenon that helps regulate the earth's temperature." Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons. They act like an "insulating blanket" and prevent solar energy from escaping into space. Without this natural protection, the earth's temperature would be about 60 F lower and life as we know it would be unsustainable.

Since the late eighteenth century, humans have significantly contributed to the greenhouse effect by burning fossil fuels and reducing the number and density of forests. Worldwide as rural communities have shrunk, and cities and suburbs have grown, populations are more concentrated. Because of this human shift, greenhouse gas emissions are increasing. According to the EPA, "human activities have caused the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane to be higher today than at any point during the last 650,000 years. Scientists agree that it is very likely that most of the global average warming since the mid-20th century is due to human-induced increases in greenhouse gases rather than to natural causes."

5. Answer: E

According the California Department of Food and Agriculture website, government-sanctioned marketing programs offer agricultural producers and handlers "an organizational structure which allows them to solve production and marketing problems collectively that they could not address individually." Activities include "promotions, research, and maintenance of quality standards."

Statute prohibits volume control and establishment of price cooperatives. All programs are authorized by the California Marketing Act of 1937, which requires the department to monitor all marketing activities. Programs are initiated by the industry and typically require an industry-wide vote before being implemented. Since everyone benefits, all producers and handlers of a targeted commodity are required to participate in and share the cost of any approved marketing activity.