Vocab in Context
Sentence: The museum’s new exhibition was hailed as a landmark in modern art.
Question: What does landmark most nearly mean?
A. Historical site
B. Critical point
C. Tall building
D. Tourist attraction
✅ Answer: B
💡 Explanation: In context, “landmark” refers to something groundbreaking or significant.
Choose the best version:
Sentence: Each of the dogs have been groomed.
A. No change
B. Each of the dogs has been groomed.
C. Each of the dog have been groomed.
D. Each dog have been groomed.
✅ Answer: B
💡 Explanation: “Each” is singular; use “has.”
Solve for x:
3x + 5 = 11
✅ Answer: x = 2
💡 Explanation: Subtract 5, divide by 3.
A triangle has angles measuring 30° and 90°. What is the third angle?
✅ Answer: 60°
💡 Explanation: Triangle sum = 180°
Passage Snippet:
“Every summer, Lake Redwood glistens beneath a once-stagnant surface. Over the past decade, dedicated cleanup efforts have reduced pollution, enabling fish and wildlife to thrive once more.”
Question: What is the author’s main purpose in this passage?
A) To describe a personal memory
B) To criticize conservation efforts
C) To inform about environmental recovery
D) To advertise lake tourism
✅ Answer: C
📘 Explanation: The passage highlights how cleanup efforts revived the lake’s ecosystem.
Sentence: She approached the negotiations with equanimity, never raising her voice or showing irritation.
Question: What does equanimity most nearly mean?
A. Anger
B. Nervousness
C. Calmness
D. Passion
✅ Answer: C
💡 Explanation: “Equanimity” means composure and mental calmness.
Sentence: The children’s excitement was palpable; they could barely sit still.
Which revision best keeps the meaning and fixes any punctuation error?
A. palpable: they
B. palpable, they
C. palpable; they
D. No change
✅ Answer: D
💡 Explanation: Semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses.
A store sells pens at 3 for $5. How much will 9 pens cost?
✅ Answer: $15
💡 Explanation: 3 sets of 3 pens × $5 = $15
A circle has a diameter of 10. What is its area?
✅ Answer: 78.5 (rounded)
💡 Explanation: r = 5 → A = πr² = 25π ≈ 78.5
Passage Snippet:
“Despite tight deadlines, Miranda approached the project with cautious optimism, balancing realism and hope as each milestone was met.”
Question: The phrase “cautious optimism” most nearly suggests Miranda feels:
A) Overly excited
B) Nervous and doubtful
C) Hopeful yet careful
D) Ambiguous and confused
✅ Answer: C
📘 Explanation: “Cautious optimism” indicates a hopeful outlook tempered by care or realism.
Sentence: The entrepreneur’s meteoric rise surprised even the harshest critics.
Question: What does meteoric most nearly mean?
A. Unusual
B. Sudden and brilliant
C. Expected
D. Temporary
✅ Answer: B
💡 Explanation: “Meteoric” refers to something rising very quickly, like a meteor.
Sentence: The council met every Tuesday they discussed zoning laws and development plans.
A. Tuesday. They discussed
B. Tuesday, they discussed
C. Tuesday; and they discussed
D. Tuesday; they discussed
✅ Answer: D
💡 Explanation: Two independent clauses should be separated by a semicolon.
If 2x + 4 = 3x – 5, what is x?
✅ Answer: x = 9
💡 Explanation: Rearranged: 2x – 3x = –5 – 4 → x = –9
A line passes through (0, 2) and (2, 6). What is its slope?
✅ Answer: 2
💡 Explanation: (6 – 2)/(2 – 0) = 4/2 = 2
Passage Snippet:
“Storm Clara uprooted trees and battered homes, but amid the chaos, the shelter’s open windows revealed a silver lining — unexpected bonds formed among neighbors as they helped one another.”
Question: The phrase “silver lining” most nearly means:
A) A rare opportunity
B) A hopeful aspect
C) A shiny cloud pattern
D) A warning sign
✅ Answer: B
📘 Explanation: “Silver lining” refers to something positive emerging from a negative event.
Sentence: The author’s style is laconic, preferring sharp, short sentences.
Question: What does laconic most nearly mean?
A. Verbose
B. Humorous
C. Brief
D. Dramatic
✅ Answer: C
💡 Explanation: “Laconic” means using few words.
Sentence: The computer programmer, who had never taken a formal design class, created the app’s interface himself.
What’s the function of the phrase "who had never taken a formal design class"?
A. Adverb clause
B. Restrictive clause
C. Nonrestrictive clause
D. Prepositional phrase
✅ Answer: C
💡 Explanation: It provides extra info and is correctly set off with commas.
If a car travels 300 miles in 5 hours, what is the average speed?
✅ Answer: 60 mph
💡 Explanation: Speed = distance ÷ time = 300 ÷ 5
What is the volume of a box 3 in. × 4 in. × 5 in.?
✅ Answer: 60 in³
💡 Explanation: V = l × w × h = 3×4×5
Passage Snippet:
“As Lily saw her test scores, her shoulders slumped and she closed the report with a soft sigh. Though she had prepared, the results still fell short of her expectations.”
Question: What can be inferred from Lily’s reaction?
A) She is relieved
B) She is disappointed
C) She is confused
D) She is angry
✅ Answer: B
📘 Explanation: Slumping and sighing suggest Lily feels let down, indicating disappointment.
Sentence: Her response was cursory, indicating she hadn’t really considered the question.
Question: What does cursory most nearly mean?
A. Careful
B. Brief and superficial
C. Thoughtful
D. Sarcastic
✅ Answer: B
💡 Explanation: “Cursory” means something done quickly and without detail.
Which revision best combines these two sentences?
She studied biology. She wanted to become a doctor.
A. Studying biology, she wanted to become a doctor.
B. Because she studied biology, she became a doctor.
C. She studied biology because she wanted to become a doctor.
D. She wanted to become a doctor, she studied biology.
✅ Answer: C
💡 Explanation: Best flow and cause/effect structure.
If a recipe uses 2 cups of flour for 5 cookies, how many cups are needed for 30 cookies?
✅ Answer: 12 cups
💡 Explanation: Set up ratio: 2/5 = x/30 → x = 12
What is the sum of the interior angles of a hexagon?
✅ Answer: 720°
💡 Explanation: (n–2)×180 = 4×180 = 720
Passage Snippet:
“Local leaders failed to allocate emergency funds ahead of the flood, and rescue teams arrived too late. In a scathing editorial, the newspaper lambasted the lack of urgency, arguing the inaction was inexcusable.”
Question: What is the tone of the editorial?
A) Supportive
B) Neutral
C) Frustrated/angry
D) Playful
✅ Answer: C
📘 Explanation: Words like “scathing,” “lambasted,” and “inexcusable” express strong frustration.