Vocabulary
What usually happens when two people influence each other?
a. They affect each other.
b. They ignore each other.
c. They make fun of each other.
d. They compete with each other.
a. They affect each other.
How does someone behave if she shows resilience in the face of a problem?
a. She completely ignores the problem.
b. She is able to recover from the problem.
c. She feels helpless about the problem.
d. She blames someone else for the problem.
b. She is able to recover from the problem.
Read the following sentence. Most people call Misha a prodigy, but I think his sister has more talent. Choose the answer that correctly identifies the personal pronoun and the proper noun in the sentence.
a. personal pronoun: Most; proper noun: Misha
b. personal pronoun: Misha; proper noun: prodigy
c. personal pronoun: I; proper noun: Misha
d. personal pronoun: I; proper noun: sister
c. personal pronoun: I; proper noun: Misha
The word monitor has several meanings. Which meaning is used in this sentence?
Cassie was chosen to be the class monitor this week.
a. a device that detects dangerous substances
b. a student appointed to help the teacher
c. a person who warns or gives directions to others
d. a device that displays video and is often attached to a computer
b. a student appointed to help the teacher
Which word in this sentence is an adverb?
Entire communities sometimes participate in efforts to help homeless people.
a. entire b. sometimes c. in d. homeless
b. sometimes
Which of the following is the best definition for connects?
a. meets at a preselected time and place
b. speaks to an unknown person
c. establishes a relationship
d. removes a covering
c. establishes a relationship
What kind of person most clearly displays perseverance?
a. a lazy person
b. an impatient person
c. a hard-working person
d. an old-fashioned person
c. a hard-working person
Which sentence contains both a common noun and a proper noun?
a. Sara was tired of trying to please her demanding mother.
b. The ambitious mother wanted her daughter to be a prodigy.
c. Susan thought Yolanda was more talented than Janelle.
d. The deaf piano teacher could not hear his student playing.
a. Sara was tired of trying to please her demanding mother.
Which of the following meanings of construction applies to its use in this sentence?
People who work in construction need to wear hard hats to prevent injuries.
a. the building industry
b. a structure or building
c. a grammatical pattern
d. the act of interpreting
a. the building industry
How many adverbs does this sentence contain?
A very poor person often lives a rather difficult life.
a. none b. one c. two d. three
b. one
Which situation would most likely cause a person to feel devastated? Base your choice on the meaning of devastated.
a. Jon’s younger sister cannot grasp his explanation of chemistry.
b. Komal graduates at the top of his high school class.
c. No one shows up for Joshua’s thirteenth birthday party.
d. Rosa must finish her homework before watching television.
c. No one shows up for Joshua’s thirteenth birthday party.
Which of these people most clearly displays generosity?
a. someone who says one thing but does the opposite
b. someone who displays many different skills and talents
c. someone who bores others with endless talk on a topic
d. someone who donates a lot of time and money to charity
d. someone who donates a lot of time and money to charity
Which word in this sentence is a possessive noun? Keisha and Dashawn liked Sam’s singing, but Taylor liked my piano playing.
a. Keisha b. Sam’s c. Taylor d. my
b. Sam’s
The word equal means “not varying from one person or part to another.” The word equality is formed by adding the Latin suffix -ity to the word equal. Based on your knowledge of -ity, choose the best example of equality.
a. a manager and a staff member wearing different uniforms
b. a team that includes only players who are above a certain age
c. a man and woman who receive the same pay for the same work
d. a plane’s seating divided into first, business, and economy classes
c. a man and woman who receive the same pay for the same work
What question does the adverb in this sentence answer?
The community recently built a soup kitchen, or free cafeteria, for needy people.
a. How? b. When? c. Where? d. How often?
b. When?
Which situation most clearly shows an example of squabbling? Base your choice on the meaning of squabbling.
a. Jose asks Leila for advice on how to fix his bicycle.
b. Kim and Li fight over who gets to go first up the stairs.
c. Jamal bores his friends with stories of winning video games.
d. Ed and Ramón discuss their differing opinions about politics.
b. Kim and Li fight over who gets to go first up the stairs.
The word equal means “not varying from one person or part to another.” The word equality is formed by adding the Latin suffix -ity to the word equal. Based on your knowledge of -ity, choose the best example of equality.
a. a manager and a staff member wearing different uniforms
b. a team that includes only players who are above a certain age
c. a man and woman who receive the same pay for the same work
d. a plane’s seating divided into first, business, and economy classes
c. a man and woman who receive the same pay for the same work
Which pair of definitions is most likely to be accurate? Base your answer on your knowledge of the Latin prefix in-.
a. If solvent means “having money to pay one’s bills,” then insolvent means “having more than enough money.”
b. If consolable means “able to be comforted,” then inconsolable means “able to give comfort to others.”
c. If comprehensible means “understandable,” then incomprehensible means “easily understood.”
d. If adequate means “average; sufficient; just enough,” then inadequate means “not enough.”
d. If adequate means “average; sufficient; just enough,” then inadequate means “not enough.”
Which word in this sentence is an adjective, and which word does it modify?
The grateful man warmly thanked the woman who had helped him.
a. The adjective is grateful. It modifies man.
b. The adjective is warmly. It modifies thanked.
c. The adjective is who. It modifies woman.
d. The adjective is helped. It modifies him.
a. The adjective is grateful. It modifies man.
Which word in this sentence does the adverb modify?
The homeless man lived outdoors in spite of the cold weather.
a. the noun man
b. the verb lived
c. the adjective cold
d. the noun weather
b. the verb lived
Which of the following is the best definition for lamented?
a. expressed sorrow about b. showed appreciation for c. expressed annoyance at d. showed anger about
a. expressed sorrow about
If Ashley encouraged Bob, which of these remarks did she most likely make?
a. “You’ll never be able do it, Bob.”
b. “I’m sorry I can’t be there for you.”
c. “You’re invited to my birthday party.”
d. “Come on, Bob, you’re going to be great.”
d. “Come on, Bob, you’re going to be great.”
The word competent means “able to do a specific job correctly.” The word incompetent is formed by adding the Latin prefix in- to the word competent. Based on your knowledge of in-, choose the most likely meaning of incompetent.
a. capable of doing many different jobs
b. having a set of skills that apply to various tasks
c. lacking the qualities needed to do something well
d. unable to maintain focus for long periods of time
c. lacking the qualities needed to do something well
Which words in this sentence are cumulative adjectives?
The tall, impressive speaker in the dark brown suit handed out a very important award.
a. tall and impressive
b. dark and brown
c. handed and out
d. very and important
b. dark and brown
Where in the following sentence should a comma be added to separate coordinate adjectives?
She wore a light blue evening gown to the lovely memorable ceremony.
a. after light
b. after blue
c. after lovely
d. after memorable
b. after blue