More than 80 percent of Moorpark High School sophomores passed the California High School Exit Exam administered in the spring.

This was their first opportunity to take the test, said Anna Merriman, assistant superintendent of instruction for Moorpark Unified School District.

Tenth-graders who passed the test won't have to retake it and those who failed will have additional opportunities to pass it.

The exit exam is designed to ensure that all students graduate with at least the basic level of knowledge and skills needed in the workplace and in life, said Jack O'Connell, chief Superintendent of state schools.

It's only one of the many requirements needed for graduation from California public schools.

One section of the English test quizzed students on their ability to grasp a story's meaning and the intentions of the author.

Multiple-choice questions in the math section examined a student's ability to understand number relationships. Easy queries included items such as this one: "If Freya makes 4 of 5 free throws in a basketball game, what is her free-throw shooting percentage?" Answers give a choice of A. 20 percent, B. 40 percent, C. 80 percent or D. 90 percent.

A 12th-grade student in the class of 2007 who didn't pass will have up to three more opportunities to take the exam during his or her senior year. The state has set aside funding to help them succeed.

Only four seniors in Moorpark Unified School District didn't pass the high school exit exam in 2006, Merriman said.

"If they choose to come back, they can try again in October," she said.

--Sylvie Belmond