Miscellaneous
They preferred using it as fishing bait to seeing them on their dinner tables.
A. NO CHANGE
B. some
C. these
D. it
D. it
The pronouns need to agree in number!
They preferred using it as fishing bait to seeing it on their dinner tables.
Using ledgers filled up or left behind, the artists provided richly illustrated accounts of their individual and tribal histories—important gatherings—symbolic dreams, and triumphs in battle.
A. NO CHANGE
B. histories: important gatherings,
C. histories; important gatherings,
D. histories, important gatherings;
B. histories: important gatherings,
Use of a colon after a complete sentence to introduce a list.
Note: You can only use a colon after a complete sentence. You don't need one before every list.
They are heading for a specific melaleuca bush that is hanging 225 feet above the ocean.
F. NO CHANGE
G. bush, that is, hanging
H. bush, that is hanging,
J. bush that is hanging,
F. NO CHANGE
There are no commas needed in this sentence.
Though scientists have long known that light levels influence our ability to fall asleep, recent studies suggest that certain kinds of light effect the body more than others.
A. NO CHANGE
B. affect the body more than
C. effect the body more then
D. affect the body more then
B. affect the body more than
affect=verb
than=comparison
then=next
effect=noun
The preserve, bearing his name, is now named Senator Fong’s Plantation and Gardens, complete with a visitors’ center and guided tours.
F. NO CHANGE
G. preserve, which includes a visitors’ center,
H. preserve, having been named after Fong,
J. preserve
J. preserve
The sentence later clarifies that the preserve was named after Fong. We don't need to repeat this information.
Messages can be transmitted by clicking a flashlight on and off, by flashing a mirror in the sun, or simply blinking.
F. NO CHANGE
G. flashing a mirror in the sun can work,
H. a mirror can be flashed in the sun,
J. flashing a mirror in the sun,
J. flashing a mirror in the sun,
F is right because parallel structure is needed with the verbs "clicking," "flashing," and "blinking."
We need to eliminate the word "by" to make the second item structured like the final item.
Among European colonists, though, plenitude did not lead to popularity. Snippets of quotations are often spun to bolster such stories of colonists’ disdain for the crustacean.
F. NO CHANGE
G. the colonists
H. colonist’s
J. colonists
F. NO CHANGE
We need the apostrophe in "colonists" to show ownership. We need it after the "s" since there are more than one colonist.
On the sands of the Bristol Channel, a large, spray-painted, “X” promises buried treasure.
F. NO CHANGE
G. large, spray-painted “X,”
H. large spray-painted “X,”
J. large, spray-painted “X”
J. large, spray-painted “X”
Commas are needed between "large" and "spray-painted" because they are coordinate adjectives.
Remember, if you can swap the two adjectives and the sentence still makes sense, add a comma between them
Plains artists found that the ledger paper, with it’s high silk content, allowed them to create more detailed drawings than buffalo hide did.
A. NO CHANGE
B. paper with it’s
C. paper with its'
D. paper with its
D. paper with its
"Its" refers to the noun "paper" and shows possession.
Remember,
it's=a contraction for it is
its= shows possession
its'=NOT A WORD
Specialized boats, called smacks, were constructed to enable lobstermen to catch and hold large numbers of live lobsters.
A. NO CHANGE
B. usually referred to in the singular as a smack or in
the plural as smacks,
C. which were often referred to by most people as
smacks,
D. usually called smacks by most people,
A. NO CHANGE
This option is the most concise way to get the point across.
Two of the insects were transported to the Melbourne Zoo, where invertebrate conservation expert Patrick Honan, took charge of it.
A. NO CHANGE
B. them.
C. that.
D. this.
B. them.
The pronoun "them" is referring back to the two insects so we need the plural form.
One function is, vision—the eye receives the input
necessary for sight.
A. NO CHANGE
B. is vision:
C. is: vision
D. is vision,
B. is vision:
The colon follows a complete sentence to set up a list or example.
Although nearly no one knows what this artist looks like, there are many who know his work.
F. NO CHANGE
G. like. There
H. like; there
J. like there
F. NO CHANGE
Use a comma to join a dependent and independent clause.
Remember, words like "since," "when," "although," or "because" signal a dependent clause. You only add a comma after a dependent clause if it's at the beginning of the sentence.
Using pages from these same ledgers, Montileaux faithfully sets down his tribe’s history in a style drawn from original ledger art, creating scenes of warriors and buffalo, horse herds and camping sites, in a style modeled closely on that of the original ledger artists.
F. NO CHANGE
G. sights, in a style modeled closely on these
H. sights, in a style modeled closely on this
J. sites, in a style modeled closely on them
F. NO CHANGE
site=a place
sight=vision
Option F uses the correct word "that" rather than "these." (Referring to the singular noun "style").
Wingless and up to fifteen inches long, the men see Dryococelus australis—a nocturnal species that had been believed to be extinct for over eighty years.
A. NO CHANGE
B. the men have found
C. the insects are
D. DELETE the underlined portion.
C. the insects are
A modifier needs to be right next to the noun that it is describing. The phrase "wingless and up to fifteen inches long" is describing the insects.
Blue wavelengths of light are particularly adept at slowing melatonin release.
A. NO CHANGE
B. is found to be
C. has been
D. is
A. NO CHANGE
"Blue wavelengths" is the subject so we need the plural verb "are."
Tip: You'll never find the subject of a sentence after the word "of."
The result is surreal and stimulating exactly what you might expect from NASA’s inaugural artist in residence.
F. NO CHANGE
G. stimulating: and
H. stimulating—
J. stimulating;
H. stimulating—
Use a dash to offset an interrupting phrase.
The animals thrived on Lord Howe Island until 1918, when a British supply ship ran aground while the ship was being repaired, rats escaped onto the island and quickly wiped out the stick insects.
A. NO CHANGE
B. aground and while the ship was being repaired,
C. aground. While the ship was being repaired,
D. aground, while the ship was being repaired
C. aground. While the ship was being repaired,
"The animals thrived on Lord Howe Island until 1918, when a British supply ship ran aground." is a complete sentence. C is the only option that adds a period at the end.
Using ledgers filled up or left behind, the artists provided richly illustrated accounts of their individual and tribal histories—important gatherings—symbolic dreams, and triumphs in battle.
F. NO CHANGE
G. richly illustrated accounts of there
H. rich illustration accounts of their
J. rich illustrated accounts of there
F. NO CHANGE
"Their" is the correct form because it shows possession. We need the adverb "richly" to describe the verb "illustrated."
Starting with only thirty eggs, Honan was able to activate the population of these rare insects.
(Context: This passage is about a species on the brink of extinction)
A. NO CHANGE
B. retrieve
C. revive
D. rouse
C. revive
Revive is the best way to describe bringing a population back to live.
Anderson went on to stage technology-enhanced performance art, direct music videos, and invent tools to manipulate sound.
F. NO CHANGE
G. the invention of
H. inventing
J. to invent
F. NO CHANGE
This option has correct parallel structure. The verbs "stage," "direct," and "invent" are all structured the same way.
Carlile and Hiscox’s find raised a question—what should be done with the rare insects?
F. NO CHANGE
G. question; what should be done,
H. question, what should be done,
J. question, what should be done
F. NO CHANGE
Use a dash to offset interrupting information.
Two of the insects were transported to the Melbourne Zoo, where invertebrate conservation expert Patrick Honan, took charge of it.
F. NO CHANGE
G. expert, Patrick Honan,
H. expert, Patrick Honan
J. expert Patrick Honan
J. expert Patrick Honan
Don't include commas around information that is essential to the meaning of the sentence.
In 1995, however, the US Coast Guard suspended it’s usage of Morse code, including the international distress signal SOS.
A. NO CHANGE
B. its’ usage
C. it’s use
D. its use
D. its use
"Its" is a possessive pronoun referring back to the singular noun "Coast Guard."
To some, the decision signaled the end of Morse code.
A. NO CHANGE
B. closed the book on the final chapter
C. portended the ill-fated demise
D. manifested the cessation
A. NO CHANGE
Always get the point across in the most concise manner possible. Avoid repetition or unnecessary words.