Words in Context
Artist Marilyn Dingle’s intricate, coiled baskets are ______blank sweetgrass and palmetto palm. Following a Gullah technique that originated in West Africa, Dingle skillfully winds a thin palm frond around a bunch of sweetgrass with the help of a “sewing bone” to create the basket’s signature look that no factory can reproduce.
A) indicated by
B) handmade from
C) represented by
D) collected with
B) handmade from
Several of the early science fiction novels imagined futures with flying cars and underwater cities. Some of these visions came true, but others remain works of fantasy. What unites many of these works is their faith in technological progress. The genre’s early optimism ______ a deep belief in human potential.
A. reflect
B. have reflected
C. reflects
D. were reflecting
C. reflects
As the children sang along to the old songs of The Sound of Music, ______ began to feel happy.
A) they
B) she
C) you
D) it
A) they
Mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz used the metaphor of the “butterfly effect” to explain how seemingly minor events can have major impacts on future weather. According to Lorenz’s metaphor, the wind from a butterfly flapping ______blank in Brazil might eventually grow into a storm elsewhere across the globe.
A) its wings
B) its wings’
C) it’s wing’s
D) it’s wings’
A) its wings
The invention in 1958 of the integrated circuit (or microchip) radically altered the semiconductor industry. In fact, some historians argue that it fundamentally ______blank the industry by enabling it to take advantage of mass production methods for the first time.
A) overwhelmed
B) bypassed
C) obstructed
D) transformed
D) transformed
On the island of Madagascar, certain species of lemurs are active only during twilight hours. This timing helps them avoid predators that hunt during the day or night. Their adaptations extend beyond sleep schedules and include specialized diets. These crepuscular habits ______ scientists with clues about evolutionary trade-offs.
A. provide
B. provides
C. provided
D. providing
A. provide
When you become an adult, ______ must assume many responsibilities such as money management, food preparation, and housekeeping.
A) one
B) they
C) you
D) he
C) you
In January 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense, an appeal for freedom from the British monarchy that famously helped ignite the desire for independence among the American colonists. After the colonies achieved their independence, Paine moved to Paris, where the provocative ______blank would contribute to another revolution—the French Revolution.
A) authors political writings
B) author’s political writings
C) author’s political writing’s
D) authors’ political writings’
B) author’s political writings
At first [the rose] lay lightly on the surface of the fluid, appearing to imbibe none of its moisture. Soon, however, a singular change began to be visible. The crushed and dried petals stirred and assumed a deepening tinge of crimson, as if the flower were reviving from a deathlike slumber.
As used in the text, what does the phrase “a singular” most nearly mean?
A) A lonely
B) A disagreeable
C) An acceptable
D) An extraordinary
D) An extraordinary
In the years following World War II, many cities in Europe launched large-scale rebuilding efforts. Warsaw, nearly destroyed during the war, was reconstructed using a combination of historical records and modern techniques. Today, its Old Town district stands as both a tourist attraction and a testament to resilience. The restoration of its buildings, long awaited by residents and now beloved by tourists, ______ the commitment of residents to preserving their cultural heritage.
A. demonstrate
B. demonstrates
C. have demonstrated
D. demonstrating
B. demonstrates
Although great white sharks are responsible for one-third to one-half of all shark attacks worldwide, research suggests ______ "sample bites" out of curiosity, not a desire to hunt and eat humans.
A) my attacks are
B) their attacks are
C) her attacks are
D) our attacks are
B) their attacks are
It can take time for proposed amendments to the US Constitution to become law. For example, the Twenty-Second Amendment, which limits the number of ______blank can serve, was first proposed in 1947 but wasn’t approved by the required three-fourths majority of state legislatures until 1951.
A) terms presidents
B) term’s presidents
C) term’s president’s
D) terms president’s
A) terms presidents
Drivers who strongly believe that the toll they must pay to use the Lewis and Clark Bridge, which spans the Ohio River to connect Indiana and Kentucky, is currently too high are unlikely to be ______blank a proposal to increase the toll. Advocates for a higher toll are likely to have more success if they instead direct their arguments toward a more persuadable segment of the population.
A) receptive to
B) apprised of
C) incensed by
D) cited in
A) receptive to
Each of the artist’s new installations features a unique blend of sculpture, sound, and interactive technology. Viewers are encouraged to explore the exhibit by walking through and even triggering sensory changes. Although the components may appear simple at first, the underlying structure and embedded programming ______ highly complex.
A. is
B. has been
C. was
D. are
D. are
China’s Great Green Wall is the government’s full-fledged attempt to intentionally increase forest cover through tree planting projects, but scientists have yet to determine ______ effectiveness.
A) its
B) their
C) this
D) that
A) its
French philosopher René Descartes doubted whether he could prove his own existence. Eventually, he found proof in his famous phrase “I think, therefore I am.” The ______blank complexity: only those who exist would be able to ponder their existence.
A) phrases’ simplicity masks its
B) phrases simplicity masks their
C) phrase’s simplicity masks their
D) phrase’s simplicity masks its
D) phrase’s simplicity masks its
Rejecting the premise that the literary magazine Ebony and Topaz (1927) should present a unified vision of Black American identity, editor Charles S. Johnson fostered his contributors’ diverse perspectives by promoting their authorial autonomy. Johnson’s self-effacement diverged from the editorial stances of W.E.B. Du Bois and Alain Locke, whose decisions for their publications were more ______blank.
A) proficient
B) dogmatic
C) ambiguous
D) unpretentious
B) dogmatic
A series of mysterious sounds recorded in the Pacific Ocean has puzzled scientists for years. Some suggest the noises come from underwater volcanic activity, while others believe they may be biological in origin. These low-frequency hums have even been detected by deep-sea exploration robots. This series of unexplained events (a puzzle even the most modern technologies have failed to resolve) ______ the subject of recent documentaries.
A. have become
B. has become
C. become
D. were becoming
B. has become
Starfish are, remarkably, able to clone ______ by literally tearing off a limb; that limb then undergoes its own process of rapid cell regeneration.
A) itself
B) himself
C) themselves
D) themself
C) themselves
In a recent analysis of lyrical trends in 350,000 songs, researchers cite increases in certain measures, such as the ratio of choruses to verses, as evidence music lyrics are becoming more repetitive. For instance, from 1970 to 2020, ______blank chorus-to-verse ratios trended similarly, with each genre’s data indicating that relative to the number of unique verses, the number of repeated choruses in songs increased.
A) rocks and raps
B) rock’s and rap’s
C) rocks and rap’s
D) rock and rap’s
B) rock’s and rap’s