Programming Readiness Test

This test shows whether you are ready to move from JavaScript to Python. 46 marks, plus 3 bonus.

All the code here is JavaScript. You already know it. Read carefully and take your time.

Answer every question. Then click Check my answers. You can also check one question at a time as you go. At the end you get a score, a verdict, and a list of what to practise again.

Marks: 46
Time: about 45 minutes
Paper version: Print or hand in

Section A: Quick Concepts

Choose the best answer. One mark each.

A1.What does a variable do in a program?
1 mark
- a)It stores a value so you can use it later
- b)It prints text to the screen
- c)It makes the program loop forever
- d)It changes the colour of a web page
A2.After this code runs, what is the value of score?
1 mark
```
let score = 10;
score = score + 5;
```
- a)10
- b)5
- c)15
- d)105
A3.In JavaScript, which symbol CHECKS if two values are equal?
1 mark
- a)=
- b)==
- c)=>
- d)!=
A4.What is the position (index) of the FIRST item in an array?
1 mark
- a)1
- b)0
- c)-1
- d)It depends on the array
A5.True or False: a while loop always repeats an exact number of times that you choose in advance.
1 mark
- a)True
- b)False
A6.In Scratch, the "repeat 10" block is most like which JavaScript idea?
1 mark
- a)an if statement
- b)a for loop
- c)a function
- d)a variable
A7.What does return do inside a function?
1 mark
- a)It prints a value to the screen
- b)It sends a value back to wherever the function was called
- c)It ends the whole program
- d)It restarts the function
A8.In JavaScript, what does "5" + 5 give you?
1 mark
- a)10
- b)"55"
- c)an error
- d)5

Section B: Trace the Code

Write exactly what each program prints, in order. Each console.log prints one line.

B1.What does this print?

2 marks

let x = 4;
let y = x * 2;
x = x + 1;
console.log(x);
console.log(y);

B2.What does this print?

2 marks

let age = 13;
if (age >= 13) {
  console.log("teen");
} else {
  console.log("kid");
}

B3.What does this print?

3 marks

let total = 0;
for (let i = 1; i <= 4; i++) {
  total = total + i;
}
console.log(total);

B4.What does this print?

3 marks

let count = 0;
while (count < 3) {
  console.log("hi");
  count = count + 1;
}
console.log(count);

B5.What does this print?

3 marks

let animals = ["cat", "dog", "bird"];
console.log(animals[1]);
console.log(animals.length);

B6.What does this print?

4 marks

for (let i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
  for (let j = 1; j <= 2; j++) {
    console.log(i + "-" + j);
  }
}

B7.What does this print?

3 marks

function double(n) {
  return n * 2;
}
let result = double(3) + double(5);
console.log(result);

Section C: Spot the Bug

Each program has one bug. Say what is wrong. Then say how you would fix it. Three marks each.

C1.This should print "Welcome!" only when the password is correct, but it prints it no matter what.
3 marks
```
let password = "cat";
if (password = "dragon") {
  console.log("Welcome!");
}
```
C2.This game should end when you run out of lives. But it never stops.
3 marks
```
let lives = 3;
while (lives > 0) {
  console.log("Playing...");
}
```
C3.This should print the last colour in the list. It prints undefined instead.
3 marks
```
let colors = ["red", "green", "blue"];
console.log(colors[3]);
```

Section D: Write Some Code

Write JavaScript, or write clear steps in plain English. Small syntax slips are fine if the logic is right.

D1.Write a loop that prints the numbers 1 to 10, one per line.
4 marks
D2.Write a function called greet that takes a name. It must return the text "Hello, NAME!". It must not print it. For example, greet("Sam") should return "Hello, Sam!".
5 marks
BONUS.Bonus. Write a function called isEven that takes a number. It returns true if the number is even. It returns false if the number is odd. Hint: n % 2 gives the remainder when n is divided by 2.
3 marks

0 of 21 answered

Teacher's versionHow to use this test, and the full marking guide.

This page marks itself, so the answers are in it. Anyone who opens the browser tools can read them. That is fine for practice and for a student checking their own work. Keeping the answers here is what makes the feedback possible.

For a test you are really grading, use the paper version. It holds no answers. The student downloads a text file to hand in. This site is public, so it does not publish the marking guide. Keep your copy as a local file and grade from that.

The student marks the written questions against a checklist. That is on purpose. No program grades a paragraph fairly. To tick the boxes, the student has to read the model answer closely. That teaches more than a number would.