English Pt. 1
The plans called for a 360-mile canal that would connect the Potomac River near Georgetown with the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. This project had been inspired by the Erie Canal, which connected New York City with the Midwest and turned villages like Rochester and Buffalo (that were) boomtowns.
A. NO CHANGE
B. which became
C. around
D. into
(D) Correct: "turned villages ... into ..." is in the same grammatical form as "connected New York City with ..." and conveys the intended meaning of the sentence
Diet and sunshine are also important for back (health, well-balanced) foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter.
Which punctuation fits best in the sentence?
A. NO CHANGE
B. health; well-balanced
C. health: well-balanced
D. health well-balanced
B is the correct answer because of semicolons. Semicolons separate two independent clauses.
He criticized the public adulation of celebrities.
What does Adulation most nearly mean?
A. state a fact
B. begin to growth rapidly
C. excessive flattery
D. show or represent by drawing
C. excessive flattery
I was thrilled by the wildness of the ocean and my grandmother's fearless relationship to it. I loved the way she never consulted her mirror after her swim, but always looked as if she had been born to the sea, a kind of aquatic heiress.
Which of the following is the most reasonable conclusion to draw about Lydia from the second sentence?
A) She had grown up near the sea and regretted the time she'd spent living so far away from it.
B) She usually spent hours in front of a mirror but seldom remembered to bring one to the beach.
C) She might look disheveled, but to the narrator she seemed elegantly in her element.
D) She loved to swim but acted overly formal at the beach, as though she were royalty.
(C) Correct: the narrator suggests that Lydia looks natural after swimming, suggesting a certain elegance
Today, Rowling spends much of her time working with her foundation, Lumos, which is named after a spell in the Potter series that brought light into darkness. She (founded) the nonprofit organization after seeing a photograph of a child in a caged bed who appeared to be screaming through its chain links. Rowling was overcome by the image that she vowed to use her money and popularity to raise awareness of the 8 million children who live in such institutions globally. According to research, over 80% of orphaned children have living relatives which cannot care for them because of poverty or disability. The staff at Lumos equip families with necessary resources to provide for their children rather than leaving them institutionalized. Lumos’ long-term goal is the closure of every orphanage around the world, by returning all children to live with its families, either biological or adoptive.
The underlined word most closely means:
A. discovered
B. created
C. realized
D. equipped
B is the correct answer because of clarity.
Diet and sunshine are also important for back health, well-balanced foods build lean muscles that support the spine. Lean proteins, (fresh fruits and vegetables, and plenty) of water to keep the body hydrated are best choices for a daily regimen. While Vitamin D is found in many foods such as salmon and green leaf lettuce. The sunshine is a body’s best source. At least ten minutes of day sunlight will strengthen bones and provide energy to the body’s systems, encouraging the body to stand straighter.
Which punctuation fits best within the sentence?
A. NO CHANGE
B. fresh fruits, and vegetables, and plenty
C. fresh fruits and vegetables and plenty
D. fresh fruits, and vegetables and plenty
A, no change, is correct because of commas.
I remember nothing so delicious as a yellow prickly pear peeled, by my grandmother. I can see her, “Nana” Herlinda, rinsing out the red stone laundry sink on the patio, (preparing to peel a few prickly pears for we). I was allowed to eat two before supper, after school. On Mondays, Uncle Antonio, would bring our weekly box of yellow prickly pears, or tunas from the original Spanish, from the market.
A. preparing to peel a few prickly pears for we.
B. preparing to peel a few prickly pears for I.
C. preparing to peel a few prickly pears for theirs.
D. preparing to peel a few prickly pears for us.
E. preparing to peel a few prickly pears for ours.
Getting to the answer, look at the subject and then decide which pronoun is the best within the sentence.
D is correct, "us" is the correct pronoun.
There is no difference between the two in quantitative terms.
What does Quantitative most nearly mean?
A. relating to the amount of something
B. the state of things as they actually exist
C. relating to the standard of something
D. requiring or using great exertion
A. relating to the amount of something
Swimming has developed from a primal mode of movement to an advanced hobby and competitive sport. Exercising nearly every muscle group, swimming is a rigorous sport and requires intense training. In competitions swimmers typically contend for the fastest time to complete a certain distance by performing a specific swimming stroke. Also, swimmers work to build endurance and an ability to swim over long distances. Because swimming has developed into a highly intricate competitive sport, where one wrong technique can disqualify a participant, it is interesting to ponder how the sport will evolve for people in the future, either advancing into a progressive purpose or regressing to a primal mode of movement.
Which of the following situations would fulfill the author’s prophecy for swimming?
A. Humans settling on the moon use swimming techniques to move through space.
B. Swimming remains a competitive Olympic sport.
C. Animals, including amphibians, begin to swim instinctively upon birth, as a dominant genetic trait.
D. People swim in home and community pools to relax and exercise.
E. Fish begin swimming at unprecedented speeds and extend the average life span.
A is correct.
This question refers you to the conclusion sentence. The author states clearly that swimming must either progress into a new form or regress to the primal mode of movement.
Choice A is an actual possibility as humans may very well be settling in outer space in the future. Choice A is the most realistic and relevant prophecy according to the premises developed by the author.
While many people may get frustrated with train delays, Joanne Rowling turned her experience into a life-changing story. She began writing about a young wizard while delayed at a Manchester station stop, and brought Harry Potter to life over the next five years. The Philosopher’s Stone was the first of seven children’s books published under her pen name J. K. The Harry Potter series has sold over 447 million copies worldwide and been translated into seventy-three languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.
The underlined portion most likely means:
A. Rowling gave birth to a child who she named Harry Potter
B. Rowling created a story about a boy named Harry Potter
C. Rowling was the puppeteer for a marionette called Harry Potter
D. Rowling resuscitated a child named Harry Potter who was riding a train
B is the correct answer because of idioms. Idioms are phrases with meanings that are not apparent based on dictionary definitions.
Prevention is the best way to maintain a healthy back. There are varieties of ways that people keep themselves pain free and functioning at optimum levels. Sleeping on your back with a pillow under the knees supports its natural curve during the night. When sitting at a desk, keeping ears, shoulders, and hips in line while resting the back firmly against the chair helps with posture. Standing straight with relaxed shoulders, hips, and knees will eliminate undue pressure on the spine. Walking with your head held high, chin tucked, and toes pointed forward will prevent slouching. (Plus, you will look fantastically confident.)
A. NO CHANGE
B. And, you will look fantastically confident.
C. Besides, you will look fantastically confident.
D. OMIT the underlined portion.
D. (OMIT the underlined portion) is the correct answer because of consistency.
From the options, choose the answer choice that works best in context.
Studying ice worms' ability to thrive in cold conditions may lead to scientific advances in other fields. The worms live in a setting that freezes most living tissue. In fact, they can survive only in temperatures (that fall in between the range of) twenty to forty degrees Fahrenheit.
A. NO CHANGE
B. that are within the range between
C. somewhere between the temperatures of
D. ranging from
(D) Correct: "ranging from" is clear and concise while maintaining the intended meaning.
When there is no clear grammatical issue in the underlined text, check the answer choices for clues. The choices use different wordings of varying lengths; this question is testing conciseness.
It's terribly tedious having to sit through all those long speeches.
What does Tedious most nearly mean?
A. unity or agreement of feeling
B. absolutely necessary
C. requiring or using great exertion
D. too long, slow, or dull
D. too long, slow, or dull
Swimming has developed from a primal mode of movement to an advanced hobby and competitive sport. Exercising nearly every muscle group, swimming is a rigorous sport and requires intense training. In competitions swimmers typically contend for the fastest time to complete a certain distance by performing a specific swimming stroke. Also, swimmers work to build endurance and an ability to swim over long distances. Because swimming has developed into a highly intricate competitive sport, where one wrong technique can disqualify a participant, it is interesting to ponder how the sport will evolve for people in the future, either advancing into a progressive purpose or regressing to a primal mode of movement.
The structure of this passage could be best described in what way?
A. An activity narrowed to a specific purpose and expanded to consider future implications.
B. An activity narrowed to a specific purpose and expanded to consider future deviations.
C. A hypothesis tested against certain conditions, developed into a larger thesis.
D. An activity and its purposes are explained.
E. A supposition regarding the prospect of an activity, analyzed for viability
B is correct.
The passage begins by introducing swimming, narrowing it down to competitive sports and then expanding the concept to figure out what swimming will turn into in the future.
The passage begins by introducing swimming, narrowing it down to competitive sports and then expanding the concept to figure out what swimming will turn into in the future. Choice A and choice B are close in meaning, but choice A refers to implications, or effects, rather than deviations, or different versions resulting from changes. This minor change separates the two choices and makes B superior. Choice D is relevant, but it does not include the entire scope of the passage. Choice E only focuses on the conclusion and stretches beyond what the passage actually accomplishes. Choice B is best.
Greek mythology is a vehicle that uses mythological characters and creatures to teach people about the dangers, beauties and possible outcomes of life. In many myths, characters face moral dilemmas involving honor and practicality. The protagonists of epics face creatures that represent values and challenges such as respect, temptation and redemption. How has Greek mythology inevitably evolved with time and new story tellers? Scholars that have interpreted Greek mythology seek to maintain the universal values conveyed in these stories, while ensuring the validity of adapting these stories to their own distinct cultures. It is up to each reader to seek their own truths and learn from epic Greek mythology as best they can.
Which word best describes the author’s account of Greek mythology?
A. idealistic
B. pessimistic
C. dubious
D. critical
E. mysterious
The author describes the high moral lessons learned from Greek mythology and how epics can instill key values in readers. Only choice A, idealistic, captures the sentiment attached to the author’s account of Greek mythology.
The underlined word or phrase with a number will correspond with sets of alternative words/phrases. From the options, choose the answer choice that works best in context.
A gua telinga is a bat (cave, and bats, I realized,) can find shelter in a small crevice.
A. NO CHANGE
B. cave, and bats I realized
C. cave and bats; I realized
D. cave, and bats I realized,
(A) Correct: a comma and FANBOYS conjunction ("cave, and") correctly separate two independent clauses, and a pair of commas correctly brackets off the nonessential phrase "I realized"
An average modern desktop computer is about 2,000 times faster than a PDP-1 and (have) about 100,000 times as much random-access memory.
A. NO CHANGE
B. are
C. has
D. is
(C) Correct: the singular verb "has" agrees with the singular subject "computer" and retains the sentences’ intended meaning
Although only a few people showed up at my party, it was still a quasi success because everyone who came to the event had fun.
What does Quasi most nearly mean?
A. producing much fruit or work
B. countries of Asia
C. seemingly
D. to block
C. seemingly
Disequilibrium at the interface of water and air is a factor on which the transfer of heat and water vapor from the ocean to the air depends. The air within about a millimeter of the water is almost saturated with water vapor and the temperature of the air is close to that of the surface water. Irrespective of how small these differences might be, they are crucial, and the disequilibrium is maintained by air near the surface mixing with air higher up, which is typically appreciably cooler and lower in water vapor content. The turbulence, which takes its energy from the wind mixes the air. As the speed of wind increases, so does the turbulence, and consequently the rate of heat and moisture transfer. We can arrive at a detailed understanding of this phenomenon after further study. The transfer of momentum from wind to water, which occurs when waves are formed is an interacting-and complicated phenomenon. When waves are made by the wind, it transfers important amounts of energy-energy, which is consequently not available for the production of turbulence.
This passage principally intends to:
A. resolve a controversy
B. attempt a description of a phenomenon
C. sketch a theory
D. reinforce certain research findings
E. tabulate various observations
The answer is B, because in the passage they author starts to describe what a phenomenon.
Meteorites are of three kinds: stones, irons, and stony irons. Each corresponds to a different part of planet formation. The stones resemble pieces of planetary crust and mantle, the irons the planet cores, and the stony irons the transitional area between core and mantle. In some stony irons, translucent crystalline structures interpenetrate with opaque mantle rock. Collectors sometimes cut stony irons into thin slices and illuminate them from one side for a gorgeous stained-glass effect. Only one per cent of all meteorites are stony irons. Five per cent are irons, and the remaining ninety-four per cent are stones.
The main function of the paragraph is to:
A) identify the three kinds of meteorites and provide information about each kind.
B) describe the chemical structure of the different types of rock found within the meteorites classified as stones.
C) explain why some meteorites contain both crystalline structures and opaque mantle rock.
D) list common ways collectors display pieces of meteorites.
In the paragraph, the author is describing different kinds of meteorites.
(A) Correct: this answer describes exactly what the author is doing in this paragraph
Umpires and team equipment managers have a dirty job to do before every Major League Baseball game. (While the) polished surface of a new baseball is so slick that it's difficult for pitchers to get a tight grip, increasing the chances of a wild pitch that might injure a batter.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Because the
C. As the
D. The
(D) Correct: this choice creates an independent clause conveying a complete idea ("The polished surface ... is so slick ...")
Among the technological wonders presented at the fair were primitive models of television, a new synthetic material called nylon (1) (and the first nylon stockings), and a speaking robot named Elektro.
Which choice would provide a detail illustrating a use of one of the technological marvels?
A) NO CHANGE
B) (it was man-made),
C) (previously natural materials had been used),
D) (not the same as Orlon),
(A) Correct: "and the first nylon stockings" describes a use for nylon material
Gordon Burghardt, who teaches animal behavior at the University of Tennessee, coined the term and articulated the discipline of "critical anthropomorphism" to permit scientists to gain insight, through human comparisons, into what an animal might be thinking?while remaining ever cognizant of its life history, biology, and ecology. Burghardt's goal is to encourage hard headed scientific testing of anthropomorphic hypotheses about various animals.
As it is used in the passage, the word cognizant means:
A. judgemental
B. critical
C. aware
D. ignorant
(C) Correct: being aware is the same as being mindful
The ancient Pueblos believed the Earth and the Sky were sisters (or sister and brother in the post-Christian version). As long as good family relations are maintained, then the Sky will continue to bless her sister, the Earth, with rain, and the Earth's children will continue to survive.
Which of the following statements best summarizes the main point of the paragraph?
A) The ancient Pueblos believed that people's survival on Earth depends upon the good relationship between the Earth and the Sky.
B) Although the Pueblos used to believe that the Earth and Sky functioned in unison, they now see them as separate entities.
C) The ancient Pueblos believed that the coming of rain depends on happiness between siblings in human families.
D) The ancient Pueblos believed that the Earth is more dependent on the Sky than the Sky is on the Earth.
(A) Correct: this correctly summarizes the main idea of the paragraph.
When asked about the function of a phrase, look a few lines before and after to get a sense of what the author is trying to convey to the reader. Here, the author is talking about a memory that he now realizes is inaccurate, so look for an answer that describes the discovery of something deceptive.
To see ancient fortifications, one can visit the venerable walled city of Chester in the northwest of England, near the highlands of Wales. Chester's name (1) indicates that it was once a military base.
At this point, the writer is considering adding the following true parenthetical information: (from the Latin castra, or "camp")
Should the writer make this addition here?
A) Yes, because it provides information that helps support the sentence's claim regarding the city's origin.
B) Yes, because it shows that the writer has knowledge of foreign languages.
C) No, because it provides evidence that contradicts the essay?s argument about the importance of history.
D) No, because it adds a detail that suggests Chester does not have a long history.
(A) Correct: the information should be added because it creates a connection between Chester's name and the city's historical role as a military base