PACT Writing Practice Questions

The librarians got into a heated arguement over the buoyancy of potatoes. No error. a librarians b arguement c buoyancy d potatoes e No error.

"Argument" is the correct spelling.

Read the following sentences before answering the question below. (1) Grey clouds rushed across the horizon, bringing with them sheets of rain and swirling winds. (2) The tornado sirens blasted through the storm and night air, sounding out an alarm to those who could hear. (3) Parents rushed their children from their beds and down to the relative safety of the basement. Which transition word or phrase would fit best at the beginning of sentence 3? a Accordingly b Similarly c First d For example

A. Sentence 3 is the effect of the sirens going off in sentence 2, so the best choice is the cause and effect transition word "accordingly."

What's wrong with this sentence? All three of Kelly's children were on the honor roll in high school in addition to being a star athlete. No error. Evaluate each of the choices.

A) All three This is correct. All can be followed directly by a number. B) children were This is correct. Children is a plural noun, so we use the plural form of be, which is were. C) in addition to being This is correct. The phrase in addition to is followed by a noun or gerund. D) a star athlete. This is incorrect. This it is referring to a plural noun, Kelly's three children, so it should be plural; star athletes is correct. E) No error. Since there is a noun-noun agreement issue, there is an error.

What's wrong with this sentence? Neither John nor Lisa are going to school this week because their family is on holiday. No error. Evaluate each of the choices.

A) Neither John nor Lisa This is correct. Neither is used in combination with nor. B) are This is incorrect. A singular verb should be used when two singular subjects are connected by neither/nor. C) their family is This is correct. Family is a collective unit, so we follow it with a singular verb. D) on holiday This is correct. This is a common expression to mean taking a vacation. E) No error. Since there is a subject and verb issue, there is an error.

What's wrong with this sentence? Frank is the most couragous man I know; he is a firefighter and has saved the lives of many people and even some animals. No error. Evaluate each of the choices.

A) couragous The word courageous is spelled incorrectly, it should be spelled "courageous". B) I know; he This is correct. The sentences are closely connected and can be separated by a semi-colon. C) the lives of many people This is correct. Lives is the plural form of life. D) even some animals This is correct. Some is followed by a plural noun. E) No error. Since there is a spelling issue, there is an error.

What's wrong with this sentence? The coach asked each player on the team to get their soccer ball, find a partner and face each other about ten yards apart. No error. Evaluate each of the choices.

A) each player This is correct. Each is followed by a singular noun. B) their This is incorrect. Each player is singular, so the pronoun should be singular, his or her, not their. C) each other This is correct. It's common to use each other to refer to two people. D) ten yards apart This is correct. The adverb apart modifies the phrase ten yards. E) No error. Since there is a pronoun issue, there is an error.

What's wrong with this sentence? She still needs to buy a few Christmas presents: some perfume for her friends; an electronic book reader for her Niece; and a travel guide for Southeast Asia for Aunt Mary. No error. Evaluate each of the choices.

A) presents: some This is correct. It is not necessary to capitalize the first word after a colon unless it is a full sentence. B) her Niece This is incorrect. Niece should not be capitalized. It's a title, without the name of a person. C) a travel guide for Southeast Asia This is correct. Southeast Asia is a proper noun in this sentence. D) Aunt Mary This is correct because it is the proper name of a person and her title. E) No error. Since there is a capitalization issue, there is an error.

Jonah couldn't bare the noise any longer, so he grumpily asked his nextdoor neighbors to turn the music down. No error. a bare b longer, so c grumpily asked d nextdoor neighbors e No error.

A. "Bare," meaning "to uncover," is incorrect. "Bear," meaning "to put up with," is the correct choice.

Sasha was doing really good in chemistry this semester because she studied her chemistry notes every night, completed all of her homework assignments, and attended Mr. Homer's tutorials. No error. a really good b semester because c homework assignments, d Mr. Homer's tutorials. e No error.

A. "Good" is an adjective and should be replaced with "well," an adverb.

Landing on my outstretched hand, I kept perfectly still as Joey's pet parakeet tentatively moved its wings back and forth before quickly flying away. No error. a Landing on my outstretched hand b kept perfectly still c tentatively d its e No error.

A. A modifier is a word or phrase that modifies, or describes, another word or phrase. A misplaced modifier is a modifier that appears to modify the wrong word or phrase because it is too far from the word or phrase that it should modify. Because "Landing on my outstretched hand," is closest to the clause "I kept perfectly still" makes it sound as if the speaker is landing on his own hand. The corrected sentence should read, "I kept perfectly still as Joey's pet parakeet, landing on my outstretched hand, tentatively moved its wings back and forth before quickly flying away."

A teacher has just finished teaching her class how to write a strong thesis statement. Now the students need to choose supporting details that are relevant to the topic and will provide sufficient support for their arguments. To scaffold this skill, which of the following could the teacher provide to the students? a a list of details for them to order from strongest to weakest b a list of sentence stems to use in their essays c a Venn diagram with some sample information filled in d a list of transitional phrases and examples of their uses

A. Organizing details in order of strongest to weakest helps students to learn what makes a detail strong and decide what details would be best to include in their writing.

Every Spring I volunteer on Saturday mornings at the local farm. I feed the chicken and goats and help Farmer Ted to plant tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and broccoli. No error. a spring b saturday c farmer d No error.

A. Seasons are not proper nouns and should not be capitalized.

Read the following excerpt from The Forest: The White Pine in Europe by H. Mayr. The White Pine has proved so valuable as a forest tree that it has partly overcome the challenges which every foreign tree has to fight against. The tree is perfectly hardy and is not injured by long and severe freezing in winter, nor by untimely frosts in spring or autumn, which sometimes do great harm to native trees in Europe. On account of the softness of the leaves and the bark, it is much damaged by the nibbling of deer, but it heals quickly and throws up a new leader. Which of the following best describes this type of text? a informative b persuasive c narrative d reflective

A. The excerpt informs the audience about some characteristics of White Pines in Europe.

A fifth-grade teacher is preparing for a round of book groups in her class. Students get to choose their own texts from a preselected list. She is writing a paragraph for each book, providing an overview about what to expect with each option. Which mode of writing will most likely describe these paragraphs? a informative b persuasive c reflective d narrative

A. These paragraphs will be used to inform the students about what to expect in the text.

Shaking from head to toe, Josie's anxiety would not go away before her big presentation. a Josie was shaking from head to toe, as her anxiety b Shaken from head to toe, Josie's anxiety c Josie, shaking from head to toe, anxiety d Having been shaking from head to toe, Josie's anxiety

A. This is the only sentence that fixes the misplaced modifier and phrases the sentence in a way that is grammatically correct. Josie is mentioned at the start of the sentence and then referred to with the possessive pronoun "her" later in the sentence.

Which sentence is correctly punctuated? a It's hard to believe that the twenty-year-old computer has software that is up to date. b It's hard to believe that the twenty-year-old computer has software that is up-to-date. c Its hard to believe that the twenty-year-old computer has software that is up to date. d It's hard to believe that the twenty year old computer has software that is up to date.

A. This sentence does not contain an error which needs to be corrected.

An excerpt from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (1) "Good day!" said Monsieur Defarge, looking down at the white head that bent low over the shoemaking. (2) It was raised for a moment, and a very faint voice responded to the salutation, as if it were at a distance: (3) "Good day!" (4) "You are still hard at work, I see?" (5) After a long silence, the head was lifted for another moment, and the voice replied, "Yes—I am working." This time, a pair of haggard eyes had looked at the questioner, before the face had dropped again. (6) The faintness of the voice was pitiable and dreadful. It was not the faintness of physical weakness, though confinement and hard fare no doubt had their part in it. Its deplorable peculiarity was, that it was the faintness of solitude and disuse. It was like the last feeble echo of a sound made long and long ago. So entirely had it lost the life and resonance of the human voice, that it affected the senses like a once beautiful colour faded away into a poor weak stain. So sunken and suppressed it was, that it was like a voice underground. So expressive it was, of a hopeless and lost creature, that a famished traveller, wearied out by lonely wandering in a wilderness, would have remembered home and friends in such a tone before lying down to die. Which sentence would best improve the organization of this passage if inserted after the first sentence of paragraph 6? a The faintness was caused by the shoemaker's long solitude and isolation. b It was the faintness of reproach and hatred, as Monsieur Defarge was responsible for the shoemaker's position. c It was made faint by the howling winds outside the windows and the loud crowds below. d It was the faintness of hunger and weariness, as the old man was surely near his end.

A. This statement most logically fits the passage's organization as the next statement backs it up.

I am way behind at work, so I think I will just dissappear under this mountain of files until Wednesday. No error. a work, so b dissappear c mountain of files d Wednesday. e No error.

B. "Disappear" is the correct spelling.

Katrina and Josue won the first and second place trophy for the spelling bee last week, and then both placed in the top ten at the district spelling bee. No error. a Katrina and Josue b trophy Because Katrina won a trophy and Josue won a trophy, "trophies" should be used instead of the singular form. c week, and d district spelling bee e No error.

B. Because Katrina won a trophy and Josue won a trophy, "trophies" should be used instead of the singular form.

(1) The Renaissance period was a time where science fused with many other studies to create new ideas. (2) Painters during The Renaissance began to use scientific study to better depict the human body in their art. (3) Architects used advanced mathematics to design more intricate and structural buildings. (4) Inventions such as the microscope and telescope allowed for new scientific discoveries. (5) These advancements and changes in thought eventually lead to The Scientific Revolution. Which transition word should be inserted at the beginning of Sentence 2 to improve the paragraph's organization? A) Consequently, B) For example, C) First, D) Likewise,

B. The first step in answering this question is to determine what organizational style this paragraph is using. Sentences 2, 3, and 4 are all examples of ways in which science improved Renaissance studies (sentence 1), so the best transition word is B. Option A depicts a contrasting relationship, which doesn't match the relationships between sentences 1 and 2. Option C would be used if the paragraph was listing information in order. Option D might fit as a transition before sentences 3 or 4, but it's not the best transition to start the list of examples.

I hate eating breakfast and would rather just wait until snack time or lunch, but my mom disagrees. My mom says it is important to eat breakfast every day even if you don't feel very hungry when you wake up. I don't know if that is true, but if I have to eat breakfast, instant oatmeal is the best breakfast option there is. You might think regular oatmeal is better than instant oatmeal, but you are probably not thinking about all the benefits that come in those little brown packets. First of all, it is so fast. Instant oatmeal is way faster than regular oatmeal. It also tastes better. My mom says that is because of all the extra sugar. My mom talks a lot about sugar all the time. Apparently, everything has too much sugar, but I don't care because it is delicious. Which of the following best describes this student's purpose for writing? a describe b inform c reflect d persuade

D. The student's purpose is to persuade his audience that instant oatmeal is the best breakfast.

The following is an excerpt from a lecture written by Ralph Emerson in his collection "Representative Men" (1) This range of Plato instructs us what to think of the vexed question concerning his reputed works,—what are genuine, what spurious. It is singular that wherever we find a man higher, by a whole head, than any of his contemporaries, it is sure to come into doubt, what are his real works. Thus, Homer, Plato, Raffaelle, Shakespeare. For these men magnetize their contemporaries, so that their companions can do for them what they can never do for themselves; and the great man does thus live in several bodies; and write, or paint, or act, by many hands; and after some time, it is not easy to say what is the authentic work of the master, and what is only of his school. (2) Plato, too, like every great man, consumed his own times. What is a great man, but one of great affinities, who takes up into himself all arts, sciences, all knowables, as his food? He can spare nothing; he can dispose of everything. What is not good for virtue is good for knowledge. Hence his contemporaries tax him with plagiarism. But the inventor only knows how to borrow; and society is glad to forget the innumerable laborers who ministered to this architect, and reserves all its gratitude for him. When we are praising Plato, it seems we are praising quotations from Solon, and Sophron, and Philolaus. Be it so. Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests, and mines, and stone quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. And this grasping inventor puts all nations under contribution. (3) Plato absorbed the learning of his times,—Philolaus, Timaeus, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and what else; then his master, Socrates; and finding himself still capable of a larger synthesis,—beyond all example then or since,—he traveled into Italy, to gain what Pythagoras had for him; then into Egypt, and perhaps still further east, to import the other element, which Europe wanted, into the European mind. This breadth entitles him to stand as the representative of philosophy. He says, in the Republic, "Such a genius as philosophers must of necessity have, is wont but seldom, in all its parts, to meet in one man; but its different parts generally spring up in different persons." Every man, who would do anything well, must come to it from a higher ground. A philosopher must be more than a philosopher. Plato is clothed with the powers of a poet, stands upon the highest place of the poet, and (though I doubt he wanted the decisive gift of lyric expression) mainly is not a poet, because he chose to use the poetic gift to an ulterior purpose. Which of the following best describes the way Emerson organizes his argument in support of Plato? a He describes differences between the quality and content of Plato's work with the works of great minds that came before him. b By listing experiences, he breaks down how events in Plato's life were the main influence of his writings. c He provides evidence to prove that, despite some examples of plagiarism, the vast importance of Plato's work still has value. d He briefly introduces a claim made by some, that Plato stole from the work of other scholars, then explains his perspective on why Plato's work should not be considered plagiarism.

D. This best describes the way Emerson organizes his argument.

(1) Whenever travellers penetrate into remote regions where human hunters are unknown, they find the wild things half tame, little afraid of man, and inclined to stare curiously from a distance of a few paces. It takes a long time and much restraint to win back their confidence. This is ideal, a paradise for the naturalist and the camera hunter. (2) In the early days of the West, when game abounded and when fifty yards was the extreme deadly range of the hunter's weapons, wild creatures were comparatively tame. The advent of the rifle and of the lawless skin hunter soon turned all big game into fugitives of excessive shyness and wariness. One glimpse of a man half a mile off, or a whiff of him on the breeze, was enough to make a Mountain Ram or a Wolf run for miles, though formerly these creatures would have gazed serenely from a point but a hundred yards removed. (3) The establishment of the Yellowstone Park in 1872 was the beginning of a new era of protection for wildlife; and, by slow degrees, a different attitude in these animals toward us. In this Reservation, and nowhere else at present in the northwest, the wild things are not only abundant, but they have resumed their traditional Garden-of-Eden attitude toward man. Which of the following changes would best improve the logical organization of the first paragraph in the passage? a Remove the third and fourth sentence. b Move the last sentence to follow sentence one. c Move sentence one to follow sentence two. d Move sentence three to the end of the paragraph.

B. The last sentence would be best following the first sentence since it relates to the conditions described in that sentence.

Which of the following statements best describes a situation in which an author would utilize the second person point of view? a an author writes a story including the thoughts of several characters b an author writes a step-by-step guide for how to use a computer c an author writes a memoir about his life growing up on a rural farm d an author writes a biography about a famous musician

B. The second person point of view is frequently used in teaching texts or instructional tools. This is the case because the "you" pronoun present in second person texts draws in the reader, including him or her as a character in the text.

Note: The original source of the text below was written in the late 19th century. (1) Previous to April 1858, Dakota Territory for a century or more had been the hunting ground and undisputed possession of the Yankton Sioux. (2) For some years before this date many adventurous, enterprising settlers in the adjoining states of Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska had cast covetous eyes across the borders. (3) Not a few even followed their eyes and entered in spite of the prohibition of the government and the hostilities of the Native Americans. (4) Many more, encamped along the borders were watching the negotiations between the government and the Yanktons, eager and alert to step over the line the very instant the door should be opened. (5) The first attempt at a settlement at Yankton was made in the spring of 1858 by one W.P. Holman, his son C.J. Holman, both of Sergeants Bluff, Iowa, and Ben Stafford, together with four or five others from Sioux City. (6) In anticipation of an early treaty these men came to the Nebraska side of the river and, crossing over at Yankton, built a camp. (7) This settlement only lasted a month. (8) The Native Americans, protective of their hunting grounds and suspicious of the designs of the intruders, drove them back across the river. (9) Meanwhile, similar conflicts were happening in other locations throughout North America. (10) The next May, however, on the strength of a false rumor that the treaty had been ratified, these men floated logs across from their Nebraska camp, working all night, and next day laid twelve foundations. (11) The following day construction of the first log cabin was begun. But before this could be finished some seventy-five Sioux appeared and began to hurl the newly founded city of Yankton into the river. (12) The new settlers had left their guns on the other side. (13) Had they had their arms, they would have put up a fight, but they still would have been outnumbered by the Native Americans. Which sentence, if added immediately following sentence 13, would be the most suitable conclusion to paragraph 3? a The first permanent buildings, as far as we can ascertain, were those of the Frost, Todd Co. Trading Post. b As it was, the intruders resorted to diplomacy and succeeded in saving most of their belongings. c What luck! d A hard-learned lesson, the men were unlikely to forget their weapons on future excursions into Native American territory.

B. This sentence successfully concludes the paragraph by describing the outcome of this conflict with the Native Americans. It also keeps within the style of the original sentences.

he following is an example of student writing. When I go home, I eat. I play and take a bath and watch tv. We read The Hungry Caterpillar every night. Dad makes spaghetti, and mom watches my baby brother. I play with my toys and snuggle with my bear. What does the student most need to revise to make the writing more clear? a the word choice b the organization c the use of transitions d nothing; the writing is clear.

B. This student has listed activities out of order. The writing would be more clear if organized chronologically. c is not because Time-order transitions (first, second, then) would improve this, but the ideas need to be organized before transitions can be added.

Apparently, it is no one's business that Baxter had desert for breakfast. No error. a Apparently b business c desert d breakfast e No error.

C. "Desert" means to abandon, or could also refer to a dry sandy region; it is often confused with "dessert," which is the sweet course eaten after a meal.

Of the provided options, which of the following is most important to consider when supporting the main ideas in both informative and persuasive essays? a appealing to the audience's emotions b emphasizing facts and provable information c ensuring support is sufficient and relevant d avoiding personal opinion

C. Both informative and persuasive essays will rely on sufficient and relevant support for the thesis. It is important to ensure that students, in an attempt to include sufficient evidence, make sure all details are relevant.

We love everything about our new house aside from the fact that one of the neighbors have a dog that is constantly barking. a the neighbors have (no change needed) b the neighbor's have c the neighbors has d the neighbors' have e the neighbor's has

C. This correctly changes the conjugation of the verb have. Neighbors is plural, but we are referring to "one of our neighbors," which is a singular subject, so we must use the singular verb form, "has."

When she went to the gym, Maudie liked to run on the treadmill for 45 minutes, lifting weights, then to take a yoga class. No error. a When she went to the gym, b to run on the treadmill c lifting weights, d to take a yoga class. e No error.

C. This is a break in parallel structure. The verb should be in the infinitive form ("to lift weights").

Anita was a multi-talented student, who couldn't decide whether she wanted to be an astronaut; a veterinarian; or a professor, but she knew she wanted to focus on science. No error. a multi-talented b student, who c astronaut; a veterinarian; d professor, but e No error. There is an error in this sentence.

C. This list calls for commas, not semicolons.

The following passage uses which organizational pattern to present information? The wildfire started as a spark from an unattended campfire. The spark spread outward amongst the dry leaves, blazing a trail to the north and northwest of the campsite. After hitting the river's edge, the blaze turned east along the riverbank for six miles before rangers were finally able to control and extinguish the fire. a problem and solution b cause and effect c spatial d chronological

C. This passage uses directional terms to describe the path of the fire. It is organized spatially.

It had no instrument panel with push-button controls. It was not operated electronically or jet-propelled. But to many 19th-century people the sewing machine was probably as awe-inspiring as a space capsule is to their 20th-century descendants. It was expensive, but, considering the work it could do and the time it could save, the cost was more than justified. The sewing machine became the first widely advertised consumer appliance, pioneered installment buying and patent pooling, and revolutionized the ready-made clothing industry. It also weathered the protests of those who feared the new machine was a threat to their livelihood. The practical sewing machine is not the result of one man's genius, but rather the culmination of a century of thought, work, trials, failures, and partial successes of a long list of inventors. History is too quick to credit one or two men for an important invention and to forget the work that preceded and prodded each man to contribute his share. Since the sewing machine has been considered by some as one of the most important inventions of 19th-century America, of equal importance to this story of the invention is the history of the sewing machine's development into a practical, popular commodity. Many new companies blossomed overnight to manufacture this very salable item, and still the list is probably incomplete. Many of the companies remained in business a very short time or kept their activities a secret to avoid payment of royalties to patent holders. Between paragraph 1 and 2, the writer's approach shifts: a from describing life before the invention of the sewing machine to describing life after the sewing machine was invented. b from reflecting on the machine's impact to explain how inventions are made. c from describing the capabilities of the invention to describing previous iterations of it. d from describing the importance of the invention to explaining that many people contributed to the process of inventing it.

D. This is the correct analysis of the passage's organization.

he following sentences is correctly punctuated? A) To celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, my sisters and I planned to deliver flowers to their house; arrange a dinner at the Seaside Grill, the restaurant where they met; and surprise them with a trip to the Bahamas. B) To celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary, my sisters and I planned to deliver flowers to their house; arrange a dinner at the Seaside Grill, the restaurant where they met; and surprise them with a trip to the Bahamas. C) To celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, my sisters and I planned to: deliver flowers to their house; arrange a dinner at the Seaside Grill, the restaurant where they met; and surprise them with a trip to the Bahamas. D) To celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, my sisters and I planned to do the following: Deliver flowers to their house; Arrange a dinner at the Seaside Grill, the restaurant where they met; And surprise them with a trip to the Bahamas.

Choice A is punctuated correctly. The apostrophe comes after parents because both parents are being referenced, not one parent. The semicolons are correctly used to separate the punctuated item in the list. Choice B has an error with the apostrophe in "parent's." The apostrophe should come after the s. Choice C should not have a colon in it. A colon is used to introduce a list of items, but should not be included if the items on the list are incorporated into the flow of the sentence. Choice D uses the colon correctly since "do the following" was added to introduce the list, but the items on the punctuated list should not be capitalized - that is not a standard grammar rule.

From the mountaintop, Julian and Libby looked down upon the valley, under a double rainbow, blooming before them. No error. a From the mountaintop, b upon the valley, c under a double rainbow, d blooming before them. e No error.

D. "Blooming before them" is incorrectly placed, and therefore confusing. It modifies "valley," and this should immediately follow it.

"How many cups of coffee must I drink," she asked herself, "in order to study all night for her test?" No error. a drink," b she asked herself, c "in order to study d her test?" e No error.

D. "Her" is incorrect in this instance. Because the quote is in the first person, the pronoun should be "my."

In order to practice different genres of writing, a teacher asks her class to imagine they are small business owners looking for potential investors. Which genre would be the most appropriate for students to choose? a a persuasive speech describing why their product/service is useful b an advertisement for a newspaper c a biographical piece about the company d an informative brochure about the business including data and financial information

D. An informational brochure is the best genre for this assignment. Students would be able to include all the relevant information for an investor such as biographical information, financial statements, and data about the company in an easy to read format.

During morning meeting, Mr. Rios' students chart the weather, write the date, and discuss. No error. a During b meeting c chart d discuss e No error.

D. Because there is no direct object after "discuss," there is a break in the parallel structure of this sentence. What the students are actually discussing should be mentioned.

(1) The queen bee — or the mother bee, as she may more properly be called — is the common mother of the whole colony. (2) She reigns by a divine right as a queen in her own family. (3) Her shape is entirely different from that of the other bees; for example, she is not nearly as bulky as a drone. (4) Her body is longer and more tapered than that of a worker, so that she has a somewhat wasp-like appearance. (5) Her wings are also proportionately much shorter than those of the drone. (6) The underpart of the queen's body is of a golden color, and the upper part darker than that of the other bees. (7) Her motions are usually slow and matronly, although she can, when she pleases, move with astonishing quickness. Which of the following changes best improves the organization of the passage? a Switch the position of sentences 1 and 2. b Remove sentence 7. c Move sentence 6 to follow sentence 3. d Move sentence 5 to follow sentence 3.

D. Both sentence 3 and sentence 5 contrast the queen with a drone, so those two sentences would be better placed together in the paragraph.

Note: The original source of the text below was written in the late 19th century. (1) Previous to April 1858, Dakota Territory for a century or more had been the hunting ground and undisputed possession of the Yankton Sioux. (2) For some years before this date many adventurous, enterprising settlers in the adjoining states of Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska had cast covetous eyes across the borders. (3) Not a few even followed their eyes and entered in spite of the prohibition of the government and the hostilities of the Native Americans. (4) Many more, encamped along the borders were watching the negotiations between the government and the Yanktons, eager and alert to step over the line the very instant the door should be opened. (5) The first attempt at a settlement at Yankton was made in the spring of 1858 by one W.P. Holman, his son C.J. Holman, both of Sergeants Bluff, Iowa, and Ben Stafford, together with four or five others from Sioux City. (6) In anticipation of an early treaty these men came to the Nebraska side of the river and, crossing over at Yankton, built a camp. (7) This settlement only lasted a month. (8) The Native Americans, protective of their hunting grounds and suspicious of the designs of the intruders, drove them back across the river. (9) Meanwhile, similar conflicts were happening in other locations throughout North America. (10) The next May, however, on the strength of a false rumor that the treaty had been ratified, these men floated logs across from their Nebraska camp, working all night, and next day laid twelve foundations. (11) The following day construction of the first log cabin was begun. But before this could be finished some seventy-five Sioux appeared and began to hurl the newly founded city of Yankton into the river. (12) The new settlers had left their guns on the other side. (13) Had they had their arms, they would have put up a fight, but they still would have been outnumbered by the Native Americans. In context, which is the best correction of the underlined portion of sentence 2? For some years before this date many adventurous, enterprising settlers in the adjoining states of Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska had cast covetous eyes across the borders. a 1858 b April, 1858 c then d this date (no change)

D. No change is necessary to improve the underlined portion of the sentence.

The use of cameras at red lights is becoming more common, but yet some people claim they exist to raise revenue instead of to protect public safety. Which of the following is the most effective revision for the underlined portion of the sentence? a some people claim b but yet some people claim c even though some people claim d but some people claim

D. The phrase "but yet" is redundant; the word "yet" should be removed.

Jada decided that from now on, she was going to stop considering how her body looks, and she decided to focus on how her body feels and performs instead. No error. a from now on, b considering c looks, and d feels and performs e No error.

E. There is no error in this sentence.

What's wrong with this sentence? Although he apologized for his mistake, I will neither forgive or forget how he treated me when we were together. No error.

Evaluate each of the choices. A) Although he apologized The conjunction although is followed by a subject/verb clause. B) mistake, I The comma comes at the end of the clause beginning with a conjunction. C) neither forgive or forget The correlative conjunction "neither...nor" should be used in this sentence. It's not proper to use "neither....or." D) after our argument The conjunction when is followed by a subject/verb clause. E) No error. Since there is a an issue with the correlative conjunction, there is an error.

What's wrong with this sentence? When comparing all of my siblings, my youngest sister, Pamela, is the funnier; She has the best sense of humor. No error.

Evaluate each of the choices. A) When comparing This is correct. It is usual to follow "when" with a gerund ("comparing"). B) my youngest sister, Pamela, This is the correct superlative and the correct use of punctuation and capitalization. C) the funnier This is incorrect. The superlative funniest should be used because the speaker has more than one sibling. This is implied with the phrase "all of my siblings." D) the best This is the correct superlative form. E) No error. Since there is a comparative / superlative issue, there is an error.

Read the introductory paragraph from a student's compare/contrast essay below and answer the question that follows. (1) Apples and oranges are two delicious foods. (2) Apples and oranges grow on trees. (3) Apples and oranges are considered fruits, not vegetables. (4) I like apples more than oranges. (5) Even though apples and oranges look different on the outside, they have a lot of traits in common. Which sentence should be removed from the paragraph to maintain clarity and purpose? A) Sentence 1 B) Sentence 2 C) Sentence 4 D) Sentence 5

Given that the prompt indicates this is a compare/contrast essay sample, the best sentence to remove would be Sentence 4. The student's opinion on which fruit is best is unnecessary information for this type of essay. An introductory paragraph should focus on previewing what facts and details will be discussed later in the essay. Sentence 1 is a topic sentence and should be included. Sentence 2 previews a main point of comparison between the fruits. Sentence 5 is the thesis statement and should not be removed.

Select the word or phrase that is redundant and can be removed without changing the meaning of the text. After the spy retrieved the classified documents, he descended down the basement stairs and escaped through the alleyway. A) classified B) down C) basement D) alleyway

Since to "descend" inherently means to go "down" something, adding "down" to "descend" is a redundancy error. If the spy is descending the basement stairs, we know he is going down them. A) The adjective "classified" is needed to describe the type of documents. C) The adjective "basement" is needed to describe where the stairs will lead. D) The noun "alleyway" is needed to describe where the spy escaped.

In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho writes, "it's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting." writes, "it's (no change needed) writes, "its writes "it's writes, "It's

writes, "It's The first word of a quote should be capitalized when it's a complete sentence.

What's wrong with this sentence? After failing his first test, the teacher gave Tom, the best student in the class, another chance to retake it the following week. A) After failing his first test, the teacher gave Tom, the best student in the class, a chance to retake it the following week. B) After failing his first test, Tom, the best student in the class, was given a chance to retake it the following week. C) After failing his first test, a chance was given to Tom, the best student in the class, to retake it the following week. D) After failing his first test, the following week, the teacher gave Tom, the best student in the class, a chance to retake it.

Let's talk through this sentence. Tom, the best student in the class, failed his first test. We need to find the option that puts Tom as close to the modifying phrase After failing his first test as possible. Evaluate each of the choices. A) After failing his first test, the teacher gave Tom, the best student in the class, a chance to retake it the following week. Choice A is the same as what is in the question prompt. We would choose this one if it was correct as is. But it's not. The verb "failing" at the start of the sentence needs mention of who is doing the "failing." This sentence contains a dangling modifier and implies that the teacher failed the test, not Tom. This needs to be changed in order to be clear. B) After failing his first test, Tom, the best student in the class, was given a chance to retake it the following week. This is correct because, in this example, the modifying phrase comes directly before Tom, the subject which the phrase is modifying. C) After failing his first test, a chance was given to Tom, the best student in the class, to retake it the following week. This sentence contains a dangling modifier and implies that "a chance" is doing "the failing," which doesn't make sense. The subject, Tom, is being modified and thus, should directly follow the modifying phrase. D) After failing his first test, the following week, the teacher gave Tom, the best student in the class, a chance to retake it. The phrases in this sentence are out of order. The subject, Tom, is being modified and thus, should directly follow the modifying phrase.

A student wrote the following essay draft in class. The day started innocently enough with a simple breakfast and time with my sister. I went to soccer practice early in the morning as usual, and my coach had us running drills all over the field. I was more tired than usual from staying up late doing math homework. I could blame my teammate or my clumsiness, but my fall was hard and dramatic. As I laid there with my broken foot, I knew my season was over. Which of the following modes of writing is represented by this excerpt? a persuasive b description c expository d narrative

Narrative writing tells a story which is what the student does in this essay excerpt.

What's wrong with this sentence? Which dessert should I choose (1)? Last time I choose (2) chocolate cake and I was disappointed. This time I think I'll choose (3) lemon pie. No error. A) choose (1) B) choose (2) C) choose (3) D) No error.

People commonly confuse the words choose and chose because they don't follow the typical rule of using "-ed" for past tense. The present tense of "to make a choice" is choose. It is a verb, which is an action word. Therefore, Choice B is correct because it contains the error. The past tense for "to make a choice" should be "chose" because the author has indicated past tense with the words last time.

Read the passage and answer the question that follows. Today, the Vikings are mostly known as violent pirates and raiders. It is true that Vikings did raid and destroy many towns and villages along coastlines, all the way from what is now northern Russia to Morocco. However, the Vikings were also traders and merchants and didn't simply destroy things. They built towns and markets of their own, including Hedeby, which in the 10th century had a population of 1,500, making it the largest trading town in northern Europe. At their height, the Vikings attacked, settled, or traded on four continents. They were active all the way from Canada (they became the first Europeans to travel to the Americas) to present-day Istanbul. Which technique does the author use to organize the selection about Vikings? A) cause and effect B) problem and solution C) compare and contrast D) claim and refutation

Remember, look for key transition words. The author gives a statement, then uses "however", and then gives more facts. Choice D is best. The author is refuting the claim of Vikings being solely "violent pirates and raiders" by bringing up counterpoints about the other things Vikings have done. The other choices are not as strong. A) Although the author does admit the cause of the Viking's bad reputation, he doesn't elaborate on an effect. B) The author doesn't introduce a problem or a solution. C) The selection solely focuses on Vikings; the author doesn't compare or contrast them with anything.

Read the passage and answer the question that follows. (1) Tornadoes are a naturally occurring and destructive phenomenon. (2) The word "tornado" comes from the Spanish word tornar, which means to turn. (3) Tornadoes occur when hot air and cold air clash together, causing the air to turn and mix together into a giant funnel of spinning air and debris. (4) Hurricanes are another natural phenomenon with spinning hot and cold air. (5) Tornadoes are frequently accompanied by rain, hail, or thunderstorms. (6) Tornadoes most frequently occur in the United States, but they can happen in other regions of the world.

Remember, first determine what the author is trying to do. This is an informational passage about tornadoes. The author is presenting various facts about what a tornado is. Sentence 4 is irrelevant information, it switches the focus of the passage for one sentence before the passage comes back to the main idea. Therefore, Sentence 4 should be removed. The other choices are not as strong. A) Moving Sentence 4 to the end of the passage doesn't fix the issue that the paragraph is about tornadoes, not hurricanes. C) While moving Sentence 6 is an option for improving organization, it is not a stronger choice than removing Sentence 4. D) Sentence 6 is relevant information to the main idea, and removing it does not help the organization more than removing Sentence 4.

Which of the following sentences is written with parallel structure? A) At the beginning of his new job, Randy made sure to make a good impression by quickly learning everyone's name and his exceptional organizational skills. B) The toddler threw the squeaky toy, the fuzzy blanket, and the orange snack cup out of the wagon while his mother pulled him to the park. C) Wendy walked into the room, noticing a beautiful display of flowers, but forgot to tell Jane how much she loved them. D) Classical music is known to promote productivity, awareness, and clear the mind of the listener.

The correct answer is Choice B. The squeaky toy, the fuzzy blanket, and the orange snack cup are all noun phrases that follow the pattern of "the" plus adjective plus noun. This sentence is written with parallel construction. In Choice A, the two items in the list quickly learning everyone's name and his exceptional organizational skills are not parallel; one is a verb phrase and one is a noun. This sentence does not contain parallel construction. In Choice C, the actions taken by Wendy are not all the same tense. Walked and forgot are both past tense, but noticing is a present participle. This sentence does not contain parallel construction. In Choice D, productivity and awareness are nouns, but the third item is a verb phrase clear the mind. This sentence does not contain parallel construction.

Choose the best answer to complete the sentence and maintain parallel structure. Running into the arena, the gladiator waved, selected a weapon, and ____ A. began to fight bravely. B. is fighting bravely. C. was brave while fighting. D. fought bravely.

The correct answer is Choice D. The first two items in the list use the past tense verbs waved and selected. The final item in the list should also be a past tense verb. The best option to maintain parallel structure is the past tense fought. Choices A, B, and C use different verb tenses that do not create parallel construction.

(1) There is no limit to the marvelous things animals do. (2) Elephants, for example, will carry leafy palms in their trunks to shade themselves from the hot sun. (3) A mother cat will dutifully care for her young. (4) Some apes will use heavy stones to crack nuts. (5) Many items that humans have invented, like sun shades and hammers, are mirrored in the way animals use their natural environment. Which sentence should be removed from this paragraph to maintain clarity and purpose? a sentence 2 b sentence 3 c sentence 4 d sentence 5

The focus of this paragraph is to describe examples of animals using items in nature to benefit themselves. Sentence 3 does not support that focus. Instead, this sentence describes a basic animal behavior that involves nothing specific from their environment.

The teacher displays the following excerpt from Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. She asks the students to read the excerpt and determine the text's point of view. The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down, and emptied my pockets. There was nothing in them but a piece of bread. When the church came to itself,—for he was so sudden and strong that he made it go head over heels before me, and I saw the steeple under my feet,—when the church came to itself, I say, I was seated on a high tombstone, trembling while he ate the bread ravenously. Which of the following answers correctly identifies the point of view and provides an accurate explanation for the choice? a The narrator is telling a story about an unidentified man while also including his own thoughts and feelings, so it is written in third-person omniscient. b The excerpt does not contain any dialogue so we are unable to determine the point of view based on this selection. c Based on the excerpt, the narrator is unable to determine the thoughts and motivations of the man, so the text is written in third-person limited. d The narrator is describing something that happened to themselves, so it is written in first person.

The narrator is a part of the story, and the action is happening to him. This, along with repeated uses of "I" and "me" in the narration demonstrate that the text is written in first person.

Donald and Isaac had no idea how the movie would affect them; they usually aren't very fond of romantic comedies. No error. a Donald and Isaac b affect c them; they d romantic comedies e No error.

There is no error in this sentence.

Read the passage and answer the question that follows. Some earth-changing events occur naturally, but others come from us, from humans. It's important to remember that we each have our own impact on the earth. In many cases, humans influence the earth's natural processes on purpose, speeding them up, slowing them down, or manipulating them in other ways to get something we want-usually a natural resource, like oil. Some of what we do to our planet is on purpose, and some of it is accidental. Cutting down forests, building new houses, bridges, office buildings and movie theaters, are just a few of the projects that can lead to quickening natural events that might have taken much longer without humans' involvement. Ultimately, the future of the Earth is in our hands. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage? A) it compares what humans do to the land to what they do to the oceans B) it challenges a widely held belief about the environment C) it discusses a problem and challenges readers to act D) it contrasts the Earth's natural changes with man-made changes

This example is a little trickier. Using the process of elimination helps. A) Although the author discusses what humans do to the land, he does not discuss the oceans. B) The author doesn't mention or challenge a "widely held belief." C) The author does discuss the problem of humans causing earth-changing events, then challenges readers to act, telling them that the future of earth is in their hands. D) The author states that humans cause natural changes to speed up, but he does not contrast natural changes with man-made changes. Therefore, Choice C is the best.

What's wrong with this sentence? When Amy went to the market, did she find the cottage cheese by the yogurt or the milk. No error.

This sentence contains two clauses: Dependent: When Amy went to the market Begins with the subordinating conjunction "When" Independent: did she find the cottage cheese by the yogurt or the milk Stands alone with a subject and verb. Evaluate each of the choices. A) went This is a verb and is conjugated correctly for the noun "Amy." B) market, did Since the question starts with a dependent clause, it needs a comma after it. C) cottage cheese This is a specific noun so it's fine. D) the milk. This clause ends the sentence. However, the sentence is a question, so it should end in a question mark ("?") not a period ("."). E) No error. Since there is a punctuation issue, there is an error.

Did you know that if your breathe smells bad, it might be a sign of some other health problems? your breathe smell bad, your breath smells bad, your breathe smells badly, you're breathe smells bad,

your breath smells bad, This correctly replaces the verb "breathe" with the noun form "breath."

Read the passage and answer the question that follows. (1) Tornadoes are a naturally occurring and destructive phenomenon. (2) The word "tornado" comes from the Spanish word tornar, which means to turn. (3) Tornadoes occur when hot air and cold air clash together, causing the air to turn and mix together into a giant funnel of spinning air and debris. (4) Hurricanes are another natural phenomenon with spinning hot and cold air. (5) Tornadoes are frequently accompanied by rain, hail, or thunderstorms. (6) Tornadoes most frequently occur in the United States, but they can happen in other regions of the world. Which of the following revisions of a sentence would improve the style of the passage? A) Sentence 1: Tornadoes are a naturally occurring phenomenon, and they are very destructive. B) Sentence 3: When hot and cold air clash, a giant funnel of spinning air and debris is formed. C) Sentence 5: Rain, hail, or thunderstorms often occur simultaneously while a tornado is happening. D) Sentence 6: Though they can occur throughout the world, tornadoes most frequently happen in the United States.

This example is a little trickier. Using the process of elimination helps. A) This rewrite adds unnecessary words to the sentence. It reads more clearly if the sentence is left in its original, simple form. B) While this sentence works, some of the meaning and clarity is lost. C) This rewrite is redundant. Saying "simultaneously" means the same as "while a tornado is happening." D) By flipping the clause order, we have removed one of the instances in which a sentence begins with "tornado." This reduces the redundancy of the passage sentence starters. Therefore, choice D is best.

Read the introductory paragraph from a student's compare/contrast essay below and answer the question that follows. (1) Apples and oranges are two delicious foods. (2) Apples and oranges grow on trees. (3) Apples and oranges are considered fruits, not vegetables. (4) I like apples more than oranges. (5) Even though apples and oranges look different on the outside, they have a lot of traits in common. In what ways could the student revise this paragraph to improve organization and flow? A) Add a sentence between 3 and 4 explaining why they are not vegetables. B) Rewrite sentence 1 to include more scientific vocabulary. C) Add transition words and phrases to sentences 2 and 3. D) Rewrite sentence 2 so that sentences 1, 2, and 3 don't all begin with "Apples and oranges."

This question asks specifically about revising for organization. We are looking at the order the student's points are made and how well the sentences flow together. Because there are no transition words used to link sentences and ideas, Choice C is the best answer. Adding a transition like "Both apples and oranges" or "Just like apples, oranges" would help the reader move from point to point. Choice A would best be included in a following paragraph where those facts are discussed in detail. Using scientific vocabulary as suggested in Choice B may not be appropriate for the beginning of the essay, and also deals with word choice, not organization. Choice D also focuses more on word choice than organization.

Use the following paragraph to answer the question below. (1) Knitting and crochet are two yarn arts known and practiced around the world. (2) Anyone interested in learning these crafts will need to know a few basic concepts before starting. (3) First, there are many types of yarn, and each type requires a different-sized needle or hook. (4) Knitting is done with two knitting needles. (5) Crochet only uses one hook. (6) The oldest examples of knitted materials were found in ancient Egypt. (7) Both knit and crochet have a large number of unique stitches and techniques that create beautiful masterpieces. Which sentence should be removed from the passage to improve the overall clarity? A) sentence 1 B) sentence 2 C) sentence 6 D) sentence 7

This question is asking for a sentence to be removed from the passage to improve clarity. Sentence 1 is an introductory sentence that sets up the main idea. Sentence 2 is functioning as the topic sentence and needs to remain in the paragraph. Sentence 7 continues the main idea by describing basic information needed to understand the two crafts. Removing it would not improve clarity. Even though Sentence 6 mentions knitting and its history, the main idea of the passage is information that someone needs to know in order to knit or crochet. This detail is only about knitting and is randomly placed in the order of the paragraph. When you reread the passage without Sentence 6, it flows better without the unnecessary detail.

What's wrong with this sentence? After an exhausting football practice under the excessively hot sun, I was hungry and thirsty my dad took me to the local burger spot for dinner. No error.

This sentence contains three clauses. Dependent: After an exhausting football practice under the excessively hot sun begins with the subordinating conjunction after Independent: I was hungry and thirsty stands alone with a subject and verb Independent: my dad took me to the local burger spot for dinner stands alone with a subject and verb Evaluate each of the choices. A) exhausting football practice This is an adjective (exhausting) and noun (football practice) and is fine as-is. B) excessively hot This is an adverb (excessively) and adjective (hot) and is fine as-is. C) sun, I Since the question starts with a dependent clause, it needs a comma after it. It does have this, so "sun, I" is fine as-is. D) thirsty my This point separates the two independent clauses. However, there is no conjunction. They should be separated by a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction here. E) No error. Since there is a run-on, there is an error.

What's wrong with this sentence? Although Nicole was feeling tired, she was still planning to meet her brother, John, for dinner, she was looking forward to trying the Italian restaurant down the street. No error.

This sentence contains three clauses. Dependent: Although Nicole was feeling tired begins with the subordinating conjunction Although Independent: she was still planning to meet her brother, John, for dinner stands alone with a subject and verb Independent: she was looking forward to trying the Italian restaurant down the street stands alone with a subject and verb Evaluate each of the choices. A) tired, she This is a compound sentence connected by the conjunction although. When although is at the start of the sentence, the comma is found at the end of its clause. B) her brother, John, The comma is correctly used to separate John's name. C) dinner, she This is a comma splice. Two independent clauses cannot be joined with just a comma. We need a semicolon or period. D) Italian restaurant A comma is not needed between the adjective Italian and the noun restaurant. E) No error. Since there is a comma splice issue, there is an error.

For her birthday, Elsa gave herself a kitten, who she named Bob the Cat. No error. a For her birthday, b gave herself c who d Bob the Cat. e No error.

c. In this instance, "whom" should be used, as it is an object, not a subject.

My father taught me that moss typically grows on the north side of trees and rocks in the northern hemisphere, so I was relieved to spot some moss when I was lost in the woods. No error. a Father b North c Northern Hemisphere d No error.

c. The "Northern Hemisphere" should be capitalized, as it refers to a specific place.

Use the following paragraph to answer the question below. (1) Knitting and crochet are two yarn arts known and practiced around the world. (2) Anyone interested in learning the craft will need to know a few basic concepts before starting. (3) First, there are many types of yarn, and each type requires a different-sized needle or hook. (4) Knitting is done with two knitting needles. (5) Crochet only uses one hook. (6) The oldest examples of knitted materials were found in ancient Egypt. (7) Both knit and crochet have a large number of unique stitches and techniques that create beautiful masterpieces. What is the best way to combine sentences 4 and 5 to improve style and overall flow? A) Both knitting and crochet use metal utensils to create pieces, but knitting uses two and crochet uses one. B) Knitting is done with two needles, but crochet only uses one hook. C) Even though knitting uses two needles, crochet only uses one hook. D) Another way in which knitting is different than crochet is the number of tools needed; knitting uses two and crochet uses one.

When asked to combine sentences while maintaining the overall style of the paragraph, consider whether the options add unnecessary or remove necessary details, use correct transition words, or maintain the same stylistic choices like sentence length and composition. Sentences 4 and 5 describe the number of tools used in each craft. They are short sentences that are concise. The best way to combine them is the use of a simple conjunction, option B. Option A is less desirable because it adds unnecessary description. Option C is concise, but the transition phrase "even though" does not correctly depict the relationship between knitting and crochet. Option D has the same problem as A in that it adds unnecessary phrases and descriptions that detract from the overall paragraph rather than add to the reader's understanding of the topic.

Water is indispensable for the living organism; but there are two great divisions of such organisms—plants and animals. Animals are generally, but not universally, free to move, and therefore to travel to seek their food. But their food is restricted; they cannot directly convert inorganic matter to their own use; they can only assimilate organic material. The plant, on the other hand, can make use of inorganic material. Plant life, therefore, requires an abundant supply of water in which the various substances necessary for its support can be dissolved; it must either be in water or if on land, there must be an active circulation of water both through the atmosphere and through the soil, so as to bring to it the food that it requires. In which point of view is the excerpt written? A) first person B) second person C) third person D) third person omniscient

When the text is scanned for pronoun usage, we see that no first or second person pronouns are used. We can rule out first and second person. The text uses the pronouns their and they, which indicates third person. You can also use the purpose of the text to determine point of view. This text is informational, which likely indicates a third person narrator. The correct answer is C. Remember, third person omniscient is used when a fiction narrator knows everything. A nonfiction text would not differentiate between types of third person narrator.

The following is a passage by F.D. Emmons (1) Bread-baking is becoming more and more each year a manufacturing process. Gradually the baker is introducing improved machines and improving his process of making bread by the introduction of new methods. Bread-baking has reached the stage where the process can be operated throughout practically by machinery. (2) The bakers operating the smaller bakeries usually have a mixer and molding machine. A few years ago even bakeries of large capacity did not have even these machines. The baker has come to see that a larger knowledge of the proper conditions of baking and what takes place during the process of bread-baking gives him better bread. (3) In going through the bakeries of the United States, we find the uppermost question in mind of the master baker is "QUALITY." His constant endeavor is to make a better lot of bread. The people of the United States are receiving a better loaf of bread each year, as the increase in the sale of baker's bread testifies. (4) There is still room for improvement, however. The baker's difficulties are not only encountered through the ingredients used in bread-making. In fact, these cause only a small part of his troubles. The baker not only has to be a baker and understand baking thoroughly, but he must also be a weather prophet. Weather conditions affect bread-making more than any other conditions which arise. There are very few bakeries having absolute control of their dough room. To have uniform bread each day it is necessary to have control of the dough room. There are very few who realize the importance of controlling these factors. I would like to leave this one message—"Watch Your Dough Room." Which organizational style best describes paragraph 4? a Cause and effect b Spatial c Chronological d Compare and contrast

a. Paragraph 4 focuses on how weather conditions can cause success or failure in baking. This is an example of cause and effect.

As we floated down the Amazon river, Alexa thought she saw a snake moving along the river's edge and following our canoe. No error. a Amazon river b snake c river's edge d our e No error.

a. Since "Amazon River" is a proper noun, the word "River" should also be capitalized in this case.

Titles often prove misleading things, and it is not often that the outside of any book gives the faintest hint of its quality, unless it tells you, or nearly tells you, the publisher's name, for of course there are publishers who very rarely issue bad, or even weak books. Memories: a Life's Epilogue. This is so very unpromising a title-page that if it had not been for the names, Longmans, Green & Co. at the foot of it, we might well have begun to turn over the leaves with some prejudice against the anonymous author. But a very casual glance informs the reader, in this case, that he has to deal with a highly intelligent man of the old school, with plenty of caustic humour in him. There is something exceedingly quaint, almost ludicrous, in the author's way of employing the Spenserian stanza, and as it is not always clear that he is conscious of the humour there is in it. This passage characterizes the book as a: a collection of reflective poems. b narrative satire meant to comment on a shifting culture. c memoir that is both critical and sarcastic of the present compared with his past. d fictional depiction of its author's experiences.

a. The title, Memories: a Life's Epilogue, suggest that the book's subject, memories, will establish a reflective tone. The reference to "the Spenserian stanza" refers to the style of poetry, or at least some of the poetry, in the collection.

Assuming the assembly would be simple, he began by attempting to set up the tent. The tent had far more pieces than expected, and he stopped to read the directions and wait for his friend's help. After setting up the tent together, the two men began arranging the rest of their camping supplies, setting up chairs, and preparing the area for a campfire. They were both hungry and eager to start dinner, but they had to wait for the arrival of their wives and families. Their wives had taken the children to the store to gather the last of the supplies, mostly food. The men started a fire so they would be ready to cook when the rest of the campers arrived. Finally, they all ate hotdogs and baked beans for dinner, followed by s'mores for dessert. Which of the following best describes the predominant pattern organization in the above paragraph? a compare and contrast b main idea and supporting details c chronological d cause and effect

c. The paragraph as a whole describes the order in which the campers set up their campsite.

Excerpt from Votes for Women, a speech by Mark Twain Referring to woman's sphere in life, I'll say that woman is always right. For twenty-five years I've been a woman's rights man. I have always believed, long before my mother died, that, with her gray hairs and admirable intellect, perhaps she knew as much as I did. Perhaps she knew as much about voting as I. I should like to see the time come when women shall help to make the laws. I should like to see that whip-lash, the ballot, in the hands of women. As for this city's government, I don't want to say much, except that it is a shame—a shame; but if I should live twenty-five years longer—and there is no reason why I shouldn't—I think I'll see women handle the ballot. If women had the ballot today, the state of things in this town would not exist. If all the women in this town had a vote today they would elect a mayor at the next election, and they would rise in their might and change the awful state of things now existing here. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage? a He describes a specific example of a woman he admires, then explains the impact women voting would have on the community. b He reflects on his own feelings about his mother not living to see women win the right to vote, then applies the sentiment to women in general. c He compares and contrasts the arguments for and against women's suffrage. d He asserts that women should be allowed to vote, then lists traits of women that make them reliable voters.

a. This best explains how Twain structures this section of his speech. He first uses his mother as an example of how women are just as smart as men, then focuses on how it would improve their town if women could vote.

Lasagna is a delicious comfort food, it can be made healthier with the addition of hearty vegetables. Although it is time consuming to make, it is my favorite dish to prepare. Maybe it's my favorite because my grandmother passed down her recipe to me. No error. a food, it can b hearty vegetables c to make, it d favorite because e No error.

a. This is a comma splice. The two independent clauses can not be connecting with only a comma.

While Caelynn was perfectly capable as being civil towards Hannah, she could not seem to stop hurling insults her way. No error. as towards seem hurling No error.

as "As" should be changed to "of" in this sentence.

Read the passage from The Conquest of Bread and Other Writings by Peter Kropotkin and answer the questions that follow: Art, in order to develop, must be bound up with industry by a thousand intermediate degrees, blended, so to say, as Ruskin and the great Socialist poet Morris have proved so often and so well. Everything that surrounds man, in the street, in the interior and exterior of public monuments, must be of a pure artistic form. ____ this can only be realized in a society in which all enjoy comfort and leisure. Only then shall we see art associations, of which each member will find room for his capacity; for art cannot dispense with an infinity of purely manual and technical supplementary works. What transition word best fits in the blank space in this sentence? a Therefore b But c Additionally d Before

b. "But" works best as the transition word for this passage, as the main idea of the first paragraph is that art is a blend of many aspects of society, and the main idea of the second is that this blend can only be realized in an egalitarian society.

Jay saw an abandoned baby turtle on the way to school, so he brought it along to show his classmates. No error. a abandoned baby turtle b on the way to school c he brought it along d show his classmates e No error.

b. The placement of this modifier makes it unclear who was on the way to school, the turtle or Jay, so it should be placed at the beginning of the sentence for clarity.

Alisha was just voted Vice President of the Honor Society at Ridgedale High School. No error. a Alisha b Vice President c Honor Society d Ridgedale High School e No error.

b. This is incorrect. Formal job titles are only capitalized if immediately preceding a name and not set off by commas.

Select the word or phrase that is redundant and can be removed without changing the meaning of the text. Low introductory credit card rates usually revert back to standard interest rates after the initial period is complete. Low credit card rates back standard

back Redundant words and phrases needlessly repeat information that is given elsewhere in the sentence. The word "back" is redundant with "revert" so it can be taken out.

How would you revise the following sentence to use active voice? The window was broken by the speeding baseball crashing into it. a By the speeding baseball, the window was broken and crashed into. b No change needed. c The speeding baseball broke the window by crashing into it. d Crashing into it, the window was broken by the speeding baseball.

c. Active voice ensures that the noun performing the action is the subject of the sentence. This is the only option where the correct noun (baseball) is also the subject.

It is a great characteristic of fungi in general that they are very rapid in growth, and rapid in decay. In a night a puffball will grow prodigiously, and in the same short period a mass of paste may be covered with mould. In a few hours a gelatinous mass of Reticularia will pass into a bladder of dust, or a Coprinus will be dripping into decay. Remembering this, mycophagists will take note that a fleshy fungus which may be good eating at noon may undergo such changes in a few hours as to be anything but good eating at night. Many instances have been recorded of the rapidity of growth in fungi; it may also be accepted as an axiom that they are, in many instances, equally as rapid in decay. Which of the following changes could best improve the logical organization of the passage? a Revise the first sentence so that it is more scientific. b Take out the second and third sentences. c Revise the last sentence for a simpler structure. d Take out the fourth sentence.

c. The passage is written for a general audience or, at the very least, mushroom enthusiasts; revising the last sentence would improve the passage's accessible tone.

Class, I know you think this is very funny, but I need someone to tell me what occured while I was out of the room. Now! No error. a Class, b funny, but c occured d Now! e No error.

c. This is a commonly misspelled word. There are two double consonants, c and r. The correct spelling is "occurred."

What's wrong with this sentence? Brian saw the bus approaching and shouted to his brother, "You'd better run quick or the bus will likely leave without you!" No error. Evaluate each of the choices. A) shouted to his brother B) You'd better C) run quick. D) will likely leave E) No error.

c. This is incorrect. Quick is an adjective. We should use the adverb, quickly, to modify the verb, run. a.This is correct. Shout is followed by the preposition to and then the object, his brother. b. This is correct. You'd is a contraction for you had. You had better is a strong way to give advice or a warning. d. This is correct. The adverb likely modifies the verb, leave. e. Since there is an adjective/adverb issue, there is an error.

Marie made the decision to learn how to drive so she could get her driver's liscense this year, but first she needs Carolina to teach her to parallel park. No error. a the decision b drive so c driver's liscense this year, d parallel park. e No error.

c. While the possessive form and comma are correct, "license" is spelled incorrectly.

(1) The queen bee — or the mother bee, as she may more properly be called — is the common mother of the whole colony. (2) She reigns by a divine right as a queen in her own family. (3) Her shape is entirely different from that of the other bees; for example, she is not nearly as bulky as a drone. (4) Her body is longer and more tapered than that of a worker, so that she has a somewhat wasp-like appearance. (5) Her wings are also proportionately much shorter than those of the drone. (6) The underpart of the queen's body is of a golden color, and the upper part darker than that of the other bees. (7) Her motions are usually slow and matronly, although she can, when she pleases, move with astonishing quickness. Which of the following changes best improves the organization of the passage? a Move sentence 6 to follow sentence 3. b Remove sentence 7. c Switch the position of sentences 1 and 2. d Move sentence 5 to follow sentence 3.

d. Both sentence 3 and sentence 5 contrast the queen with a drone, so those two sentences would be better placed together in the paragraph.

Which of the following best describes the way that main ideas in narratives compare to main ideas in expository writing? a The purpose of narratives are to convey a moral theme, but the purpose of an expository text is to prove that an idea is true. b A thesis statement is the same as a theme. c Expository writing will not contain narrative elements, but narratives can contain segments that are informative or persuasive, often to provide a context for the events being described. d An expository text will center around a concept or idea, established by a thesis statement and supported with evidence, while a narrative will communicate its main idea by describing a specific event or experience.

d. Narratives do communicate the main idea by describing a specific event or experience. However, expository texts are not structured around telling a story, but support a particular concept that is established by a thesis statement.

Instead of answering the three extra credit questions that Ms. Gonzalez added to the test, Margot ignored it. No error. a three b that c test d it e No error.

d. The pronoun "it" refers to "questions," which is plural. "It" should be changed to "them."

My parents and I have always been close, so I was sad to discover that they had been keeping a secret from my siblings and me for a very long time. No error. a me b them c I d No error.

d. The sentence does not contain any errors.

Read the following sentence and identify the type of phase underlined. The mountains covered in snow were a far more impressive view than what they were used to. a infinitive phrase b noun phrase c verb phrase d participle phrase

d. The underlined segment is a participle phrase that modifies the noun, "mountains."

If the three of you boys can not stop fighting, I will have to pull over the car and separate you. Quit it! No error. a fighting, I b car and c separate d Quit it! e No error.

e. There is no error in this sentence.

Laurence could not decide which was more important: learning to play the harmonica or learning to ride a tricycle. No error. a which b more important c learning to play d harmonica or e No error.

e. There is no error in this sentence.

Lisa went to the science museum for two hours, and she was able to see not only the dinosaur exhibit, but the solar system and plant exhibits. exhibit, but the solar system and plant exhibits (no change needed) exhibit, but the solar system or plant exhibits exhibit, and the solar system and plant exhibits exhibit, also the solar system and plant exhibits exhibit, but also the solar system and plant exhibits

exhibit, but also the solar system and plant exhibits This correctly adds "also" to the sentence. When we use the phrase "not only" in a sentence, it should be followed by the phrase "but also."

Grace is allergic to something in the garden we visited on the field trip; she had to leave because she was feeling so badly. No error. Grace is allergic in the garden we visited trip; she feeling so badly. No error.

feeling so badly. "Badly" is an adverb; the adjective "bad" should be used in this sentence.

Which of the following groups of words best indicates a time sequence? later, now, because of on the other hand, however, although, like, as during, last, earlier, however first, last, later, now, after

first, last, later, now, after This is the correct answer though there are a few more key terms relating to sequencing including second, finally, during.

As we walked North on the trail, my sister pointed out a sign that read "Mt. Pleasant Summit 2,006'." No Error. north Sister pleasant No error

north Only capitalize cardinal directions if they are naming a specific region, not indicating a direction.

It's cold outside, put on a coat so you don't get frostbite. No error. It's outside, put so frostbite. No error.

outside, put This is a comma splice where two independent clauses are put together by a comma when they should be connected by a semicolon, a period, or a conjunction.

The flowers in the class garden started to bloom this week, so Mr. Flores decided to ask his students some questions about photosynthesis? No error. started to bloom week, so Mr. Flores photosynthesis? No error.

photosynthesis? Although the sentence discusses questions, the sentence itself is not a question and, thus, should not end in a question mark.

If an employee has a question about company policy, they should reach out to Human Resources. policy: they should policy, you should policy they should policy, he or she should

policy, he or she should This correctly replaces the plural pronoun "they" with the singular pronouns "he or she." The subject of the sentence is "an employee," so a singular pronoun must be used to be consistent.

Despite starting them early with her remote starter, the car was still chilly when she got in because Stephanie forgot to turn the blowers up to high. No Error. them her she No error

them The antecedent for "them" is "car." "Them" should be changed to the third person singular pronoun it.