Sentence Structure
In the early days of railway_________ passenger comfort was not a high priority. Passenger railroad cars were noisy, dirty from the soot of the coal-fired engine, and typically equipped with rows of hard wooden benches and few amenities.
Which choice complete the text to conform to the conventions of standard English?
A. travel B. travel, C. travel; D. travel, and
B. travel,
EASY
Although most products we buy today are make abroad in places well-known to Americans, such as Mexico and China, a quick check of many clothing labels will reveal the name of a country that might not be____________.
A. expected Vietnam B. expected; Vietnam
C. expected: Vietnam D. expected. Veitname
C. expected: Vietnam
MEDIUM
Today, the SanDiego Zoo Wildlife Alliance _____ on educating their visitors and integrating transdisciplinary solutions into their sustainable conservation efforts.
A. are concentrating
B. was concentrating
C. concentrates
D. will concentrate
C. concentrates
MEDIUM
What do mosquitoes, mussels, giraffs, sharks, plant burrs, and dog hair all have in common? In addition to being a part of the natural world that surrounds us, _____ have inspired significant advancements in modern technology through a practice called biomimicry.
A. we need to B. it continues to
C. these biological entities D. the natural world
C. these biological entities
EASY
Considered the father of the montage, a popular cinematic technique, _____ work contains a clarity and sharpness of composition that make the depth of his plots easily accessible to most viewers.
A. the modern movie has one of its principal architects Russian director Sergei Eisenstein, whose
B. the modern movie has Russian director Sergei Eisenstein to thank as one of its principle architects, because his
C. the Russian director Sergei Eisenstein was one of the principal architects of the modern movie. His
D. critics name the Russian director Sergei Eisenstein as one of the principal architects of the modern movie, because his
C. the Russian director Sergei Eisenstein was one of the principal architects of the modern movie. His
HARD
Studies have shown that the charged particles released by solar flares, associated with sunspots, can react with Earth's magnetic __________the radiation can disrupt satellite communications, radio broadcasts, and even cell phone calls.
A. field, B. field; C. field, however D. field so the
B. field;
MEDIUM
What is it in a best-selling novel that causes the modern reader to continue turning the pages? Is it the psychological realism of the characters? Is it the modern author's consciousness of the position as author and the _________ with her readers?
A. relationship––distant or intimate, serious or playful––that develops
B. relationship––distant or intimate, serious or playful, that develops
C. relationship: distant or intimate, serious or playful––that develops
D. relationship: distant or intimate, serious or playful, that develops
A. relationship––distant or intimate, serious or playful––that develops
MEDIUM
On the back of the old bookshelf _____ a set of dusty journals that once belonged to the school’s founder.
A. sits
B. sit
C. was sitting
D. is
B. sit
HARD
(Inverted sentence. The subject is “a set of dusty journals,” which is plural → “sit.”)
Akira Kurosawa' unique blend of Western film themes and Eastern settings made _____ arguably the most important Japanese filmmaker in history.
A. them B. he C. him D. his
C. him
EASY
In contrast to the guests at zoos and parks that focus on exotic animals, a children's _____ rarely feel intimidated because they are surrounded by many animals with which they are already familiar.
A. zoos visitors B. zoos visitors'
C. zoo's visitors D. zoo's visitors'
C. zoo's visitors
Early jazz music generally used chord tones to create melodies. Bebop jazz, in contrast, relied heavily on chromatic ornamentation and borrowed notes from altered ________ new harmonic opportunities for musicians.
A. scales. Opening up B. scales; opening up
C. scales, opening up D. scales, and opening up
C. scales, opening up
HARD
Graphic designers wield a powerful influence over the modern consumer by crafting how we perceive products, services, and ideas. Business_______ on billboards, websites, and streaming platforms; layouts in print and online media; and product designs from T-shirts to the decorated cardboard of cereal boxes.
A. logos advertisements B. logos, advertisements
C. logos; advertisements D. logos: advertisements
C. logos; advertisements
HARD
A bouquet of tulips, along with some wildflowers and ferns, _____ placed on each table at the reception.
A. were
B. have been
C. was
D. are
C. was
With its amazing physical feats that highlight athletes' agility and ingenuity, parkour captured the world's attention. Part of _____ appeal is how accessible the sport is––there are not direct costs associated with participating.
A. their B. your C. it's D. its
D. its
MEDIUM
When planning a family, _____ a report from the US Department of Agriculture estimates that the average cost of raising a child born in 2015 until age 17 is over $230,000.
A. financial considerations should be kept in mind by future parents, since
B. financial considerations should be at the forefront of parents' thinking, since
C. future parents should keep financial considerations in mind, since
D. financial issues are of paramount importance and should be considered as parents prepare, since
C. future parents should keep financial considerations in mind, since
On May 6, 1937, in Lakehurst, New Jersey, as the 804-foot airship Hindenburg ________ suddenly burst in to flames, killing 36 of the 97 passengers and crew aboard.
A. landed, it B. landed. It
C. Landed; it D. landed––it
A. landed, it
HARD
Few people think of art as a mode of _____ from early cave paintings and intricate craftwork of ancient civilization to contemporary abstract works that challenge traditional notions of aesthetic representation, art has played an essential role in visual communication.
A. communication, however,
B. communication, however
C. communication; however
D. communication; however,
D. communication; however,
HARD
The museum’s newest exhibit, which highlights the stories of immigrants from over a dozen countries, _____ a range of personal artifacts and interactive displays.
A. include
B. includes
C. have included
D. were including
A. includes
The council of international researchers, though often divided in their opinions about environmental policy, ultimately released a unified report. Central to _____ recommendation was the urgent call for cross-border cooperation in climate action.
A. their
B. there
C. it’s
D. its
D. its
The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, revolutionized women's tennis. When compared to her sister, _____ she has won nearly 50% more single titles than Vanessa did throughout the course of their respective careers.
A. Serena is considered the more successful:
B. Serena's success is notable higher;
C. the scoreboards reflect Serena's success:
D. success has been more plentiful for Serena:
A. Serena is considered the more successful:
MEDIUM
Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean, has a complicated history influenced by several international _________ was first colonized by the Portuguese in 1511, followed by the Dutch, the French, and the British.
A. powers, it B. powers and it
C. powers; and it D. powers: it
D. powers: it
HARD
Scientists researching higher efficiencies experimented with using the oxide ______ in solar panels.
A. mineral perovskite
B. mineral, perovskite
C. mineral perovskite,
D. mineral, perovskite,
A. mineral perovskite
HARD
The engineers who _____ the design and safety checks for the new prototype are scheduled to present their findings next week.
A. oversees
B. oversee
C. has overseen
D. is overseeing
B. oversee
Brenda gave Johnny a book about entrepreneurship, but _____ said it wasn’t what they were looking for.
A. he
B. they
C. Brenda
D. Johnny
D. Johnny
The new climate policy received mixed reactions from environmental groups. While some activists criticized certain loopholes, _____ had the strongest objections to its lack of enforcement mechanisms.
A. the criticisms made by the more radical organizations
B. the more radical organizations themselves
C. those who were from more radical organizations
D. it was the more radical organizations who
B. the more radical organizations themselves