Choosing answers in vocabulary reading measures

The easyCBM vocabulary assessments measure students ability to figure out meaning based on the context in which words are used in a sentence.

"JoVonne's father used base language when he hurt his finger in the door. Here base means:

a. aircraft home

b. foul and nasty (correct answer)

c. safe place

"base" language is "unrefined" language. As an example, in the case of the Grade 3 Spring Benchmark Item #16, the other answer choices are meanings of the word "base" with which students (and adults) might be more familiar. Based on the context in which the word is used in the sentence, though -- where a person hurts themselves and reacts vocally -- the only answer option that makes sense is "foul and nasty."

These vocabulary items were written by elementary school teachers. Although we might hope that elementary students might be unfamiliar with "bad language," I suspect that by the time they reach third grade students have been exposed to the concept.