English

figures of speech

100

time is money

metaphor

200

my bag weighs 500lbs

hyperbole

300

every cloud has a silver lining

cliche

400

saying "Passed away" instead of "died"

Euphemism: A mild or indirect expression substituting an unpleasant one

500

Every breath you take, every move you make

anaphora: when a word is repeated multiple times within a phrase

figures of speech

100

busy as a bee

simile/cliche

200

The alarm clock screamed at me

Personification

300

The snake hissed menacingly

Onomatopoeia

400

"Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."

pun

500

"What lovely weather!" - Said during a severe thunderstorm.

irony

vocab words

100

abrasive

capable of polishing or cleaning a hard surface by rubbing or grinding.

"the wood should be rubbed down with fine abrasive paper"

OR

showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh.

"he acknowledged that he was at times abrasive toward staff"

200

patronize

treat in a way that is apparently kind or helpful but that betrays a feeling of superiority.

"she was determined not to be put down or patronized"

300

hubris

excessive pride or self-confidence.

"the self-assured hubris among economists was shaken in the late 1980s"

400

adept

extremely skilled

500

capricious

subject to whim, fickle (The young girl’s capricious tendencies made it

difficult for her to focus on achieving her goals.)

fixing grammar

100

(1) Walking dogs, cleaning kennels, hand-feeding newborn kittens, and supporting the pet-adoption process, the animal shelter is looking for volunteers to help with a variety of tasks. (2) Working at the animal shelter is a great way for young people, especially those who aspire to care for and protect animals, to gain valuable work experience. (3) In addition to hands-on training with animal care, volunteers will learn important job skills, such as punctuality, responsibility, and personal initiative. (4) Caring for animals can also help volunteers develop empathy, which is the awareness and understanding of the feelings of others.

sentence 1

200

(1) In 1976 the National Basketball Association (NBA) absorbed several teams of the American Basketball Association (ABA), including the New York Nets, who played in the Long Island area at the time. (2) The owner of the Nets decided to take the team to New Jersey after the team had financial troubles, where the Nets played for thirty-five seasons. (3) The New Jersey Nets had sixteen playoff appearances, including two appearances in the NBA finals. (4) Then in 2012, after a change in ownership, the team returned to New York and began playing under the name the Brooklyn Nets.

Sentence 2 contains a structural error. The current placement of the phrase “where the Nets played for thirty-five seasons” suggests the phrase is modifying the term “financial troubles,” which is illogical. The phrase “where the Nets played for thirty-five seasons” should immediately follow the location,

“New Jersey.” A revised version of the sentence might read: “After the team had financial troubles, the owner

of the Nets decided to take the team to New Jersey, where the Nets played for thirty-five seasons.

”

300

Which edit should be made in the sentence?

On May 8, 2018, Boston University student Zach Prescott ran a mile in

4 minutes 43.2 seconds while juggling three lacrosse balls, breaking the 32- year- old world

record in joggling a sport that combines jogging and juggling.

A. Delete the comma after 2018.

B. Insert a comma after student.

C. Delete the comma after lacrosse balls.

D. Insert a comma after joggling.

D. CORRECT. The appositive “a sport that combines jogging and juggling” further describes

the word “joggling.” An appositive requires separation with a comma because it is

nonessential, meaning that its removal would not change the overall meaning of

the sentence.

400

Maya was eager to present the findings, she arrived early to set up.

Question: Which choice best improves the sentence?

1. A) Maya was eager to present the findings; she arrived early to set up.
2. B) Maya was eager to present the findings, arriving early to set up.
3. C) Maya was eager to present the findings, and arrived early to set up.
4. D) Maya was eager to present the findings because she arrived early to set up.

Correct answer: A

Explanation: Two independent clauses joined by a comma need a stronger link. A semicolon is the clean, rule-based repair. (B) changes structure; (C) lacks a subject after and; (D) changes meaning.

500

Walking down the corridor, the experiment’s results were posted on a bulletin board.

Question: Which choice best revises the sentence to correct the dangling modifier while preserving the meaning?

1. A) Walking down the corridor, the experiment’s results were posted on a bulletin board by the researchers.
2. B) Walking down the corridor, the researchers posted the experiment’s results on a bulletin board.
3. C) The experiment’s results were posted on a bulletin board, walking down the corridor.
4. D) The researchers posted the experiment’s results on a bulletin board while walking down the corridor.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: The introductory modifier must describe the noun that immediately follows. Researchers can walk; results can’t. (B) attaches the modifier correctly and is concise.

general knowledge

100

Fill in the blanks
"To be, or ___ to be: that is___ _______" by _____ _________

To be, or not to be: that is the question

Hamlet, william shakespeare

200

Many migratory birds time departures by day length rather than temperature. As a result, unusually warm winters can still leave flocks underprepared for sudden cold snaps.

Question: Which inference is best supported?

1. A) Migration schedules never change.
2. B) Day length and temperature always match.
3. C) Some birds may face dangerous weather despite mild trends.
4. D) Birds adjust departures mainly based on temperature.

Correct answer: C 

Explanation: Warm winters don’t guarantee safety because departure is keyed to day length. Some birds may still face dangerous cold snaps. (A) and (B) use “never/always”; ( D ) contradicts the passage’s “rather than temperature."

300

Students would borrow tools if the college offered a tool-lending program.

Question: Which sentence best supports the claim?

1. A) “Our campus hosts more than 600 events annually.”
2. B) “Campus jobs increased by 4 percent.”
3. C) “The library expanded weekend hours last year.”
4. D) “Of 1,200 respondents, 73 percent said they would borrow tools at least once per term.”

Correct answer: D

Explanation: A quantifies demand directly (73 percent would borrow tools). (A), (B), and (C) don’t measure interest in borrowing tools.

400

[1] ______ [2] The researchers found that tree cover reduced sidewalk temperatures by up to 9°F. [3] They recommended planting along major bus routes.

Question: Which sentence best fills [1]?

1. A) The study tested whether tree cover lowers heat in pedestrian areas.
2. B) Urban planning has a complex history in the United States.
3. C) Since ancient times, shade has been important to people worldwide.
4. D) Trees are obviously good for cities.

Correct answer: A

Explanation: (A) previews the data in [2] and the recommendation in [3], creating tight cohesion. The others are too broad, off-topic, or opinion-based.

500

Maya was eager to present the findings, she arrived early to set up.

Question: Which choice best improves the sentence?

1. A) Maya was eager to present the findings; she arrived early to set up.
2. B) Maya was eager to present the findings, arriving early to set up.
3. C) Maya was eager to present the findings, and arrived early to set up.
4. D) Maya was eager to present the findings because she arrived early to set up.

Correct answer: A

Explanation: Two independent clauses joined by a comma need a stronger link. A semicolon is the clean, rule-based repair. (B) changes structure; (C) lacks a subject after and; (D) changes meaning.