English and language usage

D

Donna is an excellent nurse, but her patients find her bedside manner to be somewhat churlish and unpleasant. Which of the following is the meaning of the word "churlish" as used in the sentence? A. weak B. incompetent C. tricky D. rude

B

At what place in the paragraph below is more information or development needed? Making pizza dough from scratch is a lot easier than you think. First, you need to start with water and yeast. A. Mix the water and yeast together and then stir in some olive oil. After that, add flour and salt, which will result in a kind of rough dough. B. When the two pieces of dough have risen, you're ready to make pizza. Then, you can add whatever toppings, cheese, and sauce you'd like. C. That's pretty much all you need to know about making pizza dough from scratch. D. You then turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for at least five minutes.

A

Based on an examination of word parts, which of the following words means "abnormality of movement"? A. dyskinesia B. hyperkinesia C. akinesia D. hypokinesia

D

Based on an examination of word parts, which of the following words means "above the kidney"? A. interrenal B. subrenal C. intrarenal D. suprarenal

C

Based on the evidence found, electrical stimulation may be a potential therapy for OSAS, warranting further clinical trials. Which of the following is the likely medium for the sentence above? A. motivational speech B. business memo C. scientific journal article D. personal blog

B

Constantly talking about your problems at work will only exacerbate them, which I'm sure you don't want. Which of the following is a synonym for "exacerbate" as used in the sentence above? A. diminish B. worsen C. rectify D. settle

C

Here's what I'd like you to bring tomorrow ______ two dozen cupcakes, a carton of milk, and party napkins. Which of the following punctuation marks best completes the sentence above? A. ; B. . C. : D. ,

D

His expression seemed to intimate that he was growing impatient. What is the meaning of the homograph "intimate" as used in the sentence above? A. thorough B. amorous C. exhaust D. imply

A

I truly believe that one cup of coffee a day is neither too much nor too little caffiene for me, but exactly the right amount. Which of the following words is misspelled in the sentence above? A. caffiene B. truly C. neither D. exactly

C

In which of the following sentences does "uproarious" mean "very loud"? A. The comedian told uproarious stories and we could not stop laughing. B. The Paskos always had the most uproarious New Year's Eve parties that were talked about for months afterward. C. At the end of the play, the actors were treated to uproarious applause from the audience. D. Gavin always did uproarious imitations of his parents that amused all of his friends.

B

In which of the following word pairs does the noun become a verb when the suffix is added? A. biology, biologist B. apology, apologize C. happy, happily D. mineral, mineralogy

C

In which of the following words does the suffix make the root word an adjective? A. created B. pointing C. childlike D. suburbanite

A

It's really time for me to leave, and yet there are still so many things I'd like to do; next year I think, I'll spend an extra week. Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence above? A. the comma after the word "think" B. the semicolon after the word "do" C. the apostrophe in the word "it's" D. the comma after the word "and"

C

Janine was so nervous that she was surprisingly graceless and awkward onstage. What is the meaning of the word "graceless" as used in the sentence above? A. against fear B. without religion C. lacking elegance D. full of caution

C

Laura was stuck in traffic. Laura was on her way to a concert. Laura thought she would miss the concert. Which of the following options best uses grammar to combine the sentences above for clarity? A. Because Laura was on her way to a concert, she was stuck in traffic and thought she would miss the concert. B. Laura was on her way to a concert and she thought she would miss the concert. Laura was stuck in traffic. C. Laura was on her way to a concert, but because she was stuck in traffic, she thought she would miss the concert. D. Laura thought she would miss the concert because she was on her way to the concert, but was stuck in traffic.

D

Please don't take what I said so personally. Which of the following parts of speech is "personally" as used in the sentence above? A. article B. adjective C. verb D. adverb

A

Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from the lower back down each leg. Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched, often by a herniated disk in the spine. Many people have disk herniations but do not have any symptoms from these herniations. People who sit for prolonged periods or have a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop sciatica. Which of the following sentences from the paragraph above does not belong in a well-organized paragraph? A. Many people have disk herniations but do not have any symptoms from these herniations. B. People who sit for prolonged periods or have a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop sciatica. C. Sciatic refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from the lower back down each leg. D. Sciatic occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinches, often by a herniated disk in the spine.

C

She was a fierce competitor, and nothing is going to keep her from running that marathon despite a hamstring injury. Which of the following describes the grammar problem in the sentence above? A. poor diction B. ambiguous word choice C. tense disagreement D. inappropriate transition word choice

C

She was a gifted pianist, although she's struggling with the piece for her upcoming concert. Which of the following grammatical errors is present in the sentence above? A. inappropriate transition word choice B. poor diction C. tense disagreement D. incomplete sentence

D

She was really looking forward to the picnic, _________ she feared it might rain that afternoon. Which of the following transition words/phrases is most appropriate to complete the sentence above? A. after all B. likewise C. in other words D. although

B

The caretaker's daughter spent the entire day running up and down the small back stairs. Which of the following is the complete subject in the sentence above? A. daughter B. the caretaker's daughter C. caretaker D. the entire day

C

The cherry tomatoes in our backyard garden are finally ready to be picked. Which of the following is the prepositional phrase in the sentence above? A. the cherry tomatoes B. ready to be picked C. in our backyard garden D. finally ready

A

The flustered man watched as the train pulled out of the station. Which of the following is the simple subject in the sentence above? A. man B. the flustered man C. watched D. train

D

The glittering lights in the garden were meant to entrance the guests as they arrived. What is the meaning of the homograph "entrance" as used in the sentence above? A. enter B. passage C. opportunity D. enchant

D

The hike became increasingly difficult as we got closer to the top of the mountain. Which of the following parts of speech is "increasingly" as used in the sentence above? A. adjective B. interjection C. verb D. adverb

A

The patient was experiencing intraocular pressure. Based on an analysis of word parts, what is the meaning of "intraocular" as used in the sentence above? A. within the eyes B. above the eyes C. between the eyes D. below the eyes

A

The police assumed the thieves must have had to scale the seven-foot fence in order to escape capture. What is the definition of the word "scale" as used in the sentence above? A. climb over B. reduce in size C. estimate D. remove in thin layers

C

The shear number of people in the audience overwhelmed the actress as she peeked through the curtain before scene one. Which of the following correctly describes an error in the sentence above? A. the homograph "peeked" should be "peaked" B. the homograph "through" should be "threw" C. the homophone "shear" should be "sheer" D. the homophone "scene" should be "seen"

D

The test was ridiculously easy and the entire class got every question right. Which of the following parts of speech is "ridiculously" as used in the sentence above? A. verb B. interjection C. adjective D. adverb

D

This plan was developed based upon previous years' data, tracking trends in revenues and expenses. It includes a five-month track of sales, accounts receivable and payable, and inventory from a year-end benchmark. Based on the language in the passage above, which of the following conclusions can be reached about the writer? A. the writer is a college student writing a first draft of a paper B. the writer is a researcher writing for a medical journal C. the writer is an author of literature D. the writer is a professional in a business environment

C

When writing a paper for publication in a medical journal, which of the following guidelines should be used for citing sources? A. only cite sources for direct quotations B. use the citation style that seems most appropriate to the subject matter C. look at previous copies of the journal to see what citation style is preferred D. use the citation style teachers have preferred on previous papers

D

Which of the following compound sentences is punctuated correctly? A. The Forlows would be spending two weeks in Greece, and Turkey. B. She was awake the minute the sun came up; though she had been up late the night before. C. Diana stepped out into the rain but she had to turn immediately back inside for an umbrella. D. Aziz was astonished; he had never seen horses in the wild before.

A

Which of the following demonstrates correct punctuation of a quotation? A. "You should have never invited Neda to that party," said Angelica, "if you didn't want her to run into Alex." B. "You should have never invited Neda to that party," said Angelica. "If you didn't want her to run into Alex." C. "You should have never invited Neda to that party," said Angelica "if you didn't want her to run into Alex." D. "You should have never invited Neda to that party," said Angelica, "If you didn't want her to run into Alex."

A

Which of the following examples is a complete sentence? A. Let me know. B. On the subject of philosophy. C. Depending on the type of books you like. D. Where there are lots of people.

C

Which of the following examples is a compound-complex sentence? A. We sat down in our seats, and almost immediately the stage lights came up. B. Although we didn't realize we were exactly on time, the minute we sat down the play started. C. Just at the very moment we sat down, the stage lights came up, and the first actor stepped onstage. D. The first actor stepped on stage right when we got to our seats.

C

Which of the following examples is a simple sentence? A. The man who wore a checked tie. B. The man somewhat out of place. C. The man in the blue pin-striped suit and checked tie looked somewhat out of place at the party. D. The man in the blue pin-striped suit looked out of place because of his checked tie.

D

Which of the following examples is the correct way for punctuating this quotation? A. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite, said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away." B. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite" said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away. C. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, "as he pushed the plate of cookies away." D. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away.

D

Which of the following examples would most likely act as a transition sentence? A. You will have an instructor and a syllabus, with a list of the books you will need to read. B. Taking a course online is in many ways similar to taking a course in a traditional classroom setting. C. You'll even have class discussions and one-on-one meetings with your professor. D. However, online students often work entirely from home, which is just one part of what makes online learning different.

C

Which of the following is a correctly punctuated compound sentence? A. It took Desiree 5 years; but she finally completed her microbiology dissertation. B. The pianist decided to play something dramatic, and soulful. C. I love all kinds of scented candles, and yesterday I found one that smells like licorice. D. The cat sat curled up in the sunshine and when the sun set he finally walked away.

A

Which of the following is a correctly punctuated compound sentence? A. The moonlight glowed white on the roof next door, and the sky was a gentle summer blue. B. The raspberries we just picked from the garden are ripe, and sweet. C. She spent all afternoon studying for the biology test; but she neglected to work on her psychology paper. D. The man often drew sketches in his room but he never liked to show his art to anyone.

A

Which of the following is an example of a simple sentence? A. Viruses are made up of a core of malignant nucleic acid. B. Malignant nucleic acid that is covered by protein. C. Viruses are made up of a core of malignant acid, though covered by protein. D. Viruses made up of a core of malignant nucleic acid.

B

Which of the following is an incomplete sentence? A. Watch out. B. In the rose garden out back. C. I guess that's true. D. It would take about three weeks.

A

Which of the following is irrelevant as part of a paragraph composed of these sentences? A. I had been doing yoga at least three times a week for the past year. B. At first, I walked and ran, though really it was more walking than running. C. I had never run a 5k race before, but I decided to try, and gave myself six weeks to train for it. D. Each day, I was able to run a bit further and a bit faster.

A

Which of the following is part of the last step of the writing process? A. proofreading B. brainstorming C. citing primary sources D. identifying a thesis

C

Which of the following is the best chronological sequence to construct a paragraph with these sentences? I. Jenner had observed that milkmaids who'd contracted cowpox, which was a mild disease, did not later catch smallpox. II. Jenner concluded that contracting cowpox somehow made people immune to smallpox. III. For hundreds of years, smallpox was one of the most devastating diseases in all of Europe until Edward Jenner created a vaccine in 1796. IV. Jenner tested his theory by inoculating a boy first with cowpox and then, a couple months later, with smallpox, which the boy did not contract. A. IV, III, I, II B. IV, III, II, I C. III, I, II, IV D. III, IV, II, I

B

Which of the following is the correct sequence in which to place the following sentences to construct a well-organized paragraph? I. Treatments for polio in the early 20th century involved quarantine and a machine called an "iron lung" that aided respiration. II. Today, due to the polio vaccine, there are just a handful of polio cases in the United States each year. III. Polio, a disease that attacks the nervous system, has affected humanity throughout recorded history, though epidemics were especially common in the early 20th century. IV. By 1955, Jonas Salk had developed a safe and effective vaccine to treat polio, and some years later an oral vaccine was developed. A. IV, III, I, II B. III, I, IV, II C. III, II, I, IV D. I, III, II, IV

B

Which of the following is the correct sequence to place the following sentences to construct a well-organized paragraph? I. Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, felt President McKinley symbolized the injustice of American society. II. On September 6, 1901, President McKinley became the third American president to be assassinated, after Abraham Lincoln and James Garfield. III. Czolgosz shot McKinley twice, and President McKinley died a week later from gangrene caused by the bullet wounds. IV. On that September day, President McKinley was at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, shaking hands with the public. A. IV, I, II, III B. II, IV, I, III C. I, III, IV, II D. I, II, IV, III

A

Which of the following is the plural of the word chief? A. chiefs B. chieves C. chievs D. chiefes

C

Which of the following is the simple subject in the sentence below? Every morning, the two friends walked a half mile together to school. A. every morning B. half mile C. friends D. school

D

Which of the following options best uses grammar to combine the sentences below for clarity? Min Jin roamed around the house. Some days were just like that. Min Jin could not get settled. A. Because Min Jin roamed around the house, some days were just like that, and she could not get settled. B. Some days were just like that because Min Jin roamed around the house and could not get settled. C. Min Jin could not get settled because she roamed around the house and some days were just like that. D. Min Jin roamed around the house because she could not get settled, but some days were just like that.

A

Which of the following pieces of writing should include citations? A. a comparison of the language used in two different Shakespeare plays B. a news article describing a burglary C. a description of your favorite play D. a personal essay about your lifelong interest in marine biology

B

Which of the following prefixes means "above"? A. Dys- B. Supra- C. Intra- D. Sub-

D

Which of the following punctuation marks correctly completes the sentence below? It's been two months since Lesley left for California ____ she absolutely loves it there. A. , B. . C. : D. ;

C

Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence below? She put down her glasses, and her book; the train was starting to enter the long, dark tunnel. A. the semicolon after "book" B. the comma after "long" C. the comma after "Glasses" D. the period at the end of the sentence

B

Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence? Otto, somewhat abruptly, got up out of his chair, and just like that; headed into the next room. A. the comma after "Otto" B. The semicolon after "that" C. The comma after "abruptly" D. The comma after "chair"

C

Which of the following sentences contains a homophone? A. Each evening, the young woman walked alone on the canal path. B. As water is heated up, it slowly begins to expand. C. By Sunday, they were ready to raze the old building, and everyone gathered to watch. D. The previous tenant had been a chemistry teacher.

A

Which of the following sentences contains a homophone? A. He was never going to be allowed into that exclusive party. B. That is not really an accurate description of the event. C. She sat in a garden chair by the side of the lawn. D. That restaurant makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches.

B

Which of the following sentences from a paragraph about sun-dried tomatoes is a transition sentence? A. Sun-dried tomatoes, either in olive oil or plain, add a great flavor to many dishes. B. Once you have decided what tomatoes to use, there are three different methods for drying them. C. You can use any variety of tomato, but the drying times will vary based on the water content. D. It is actually easy to make your own sun-dried tomatoes at home without any special equipment.

D

Which of the following sentences from a paragraph about yoga is the topic sentence? A. The word "yoga" was mentioned in the Vedas, a collection of texts containing songs, mantras, and rituals used by Vedic priests. B. By the late 1800s, yoga masters from India began to travel to the West, attracting followers. C. After a few hundred years, Yoga masters rejected the teachings of the ancient Vedas and embraced the physical body as the means to achieve enlightenment. D. The practice of yoga first developed in Northern India over 5,000 years ago.

B

Which of the following sentences has correct pronoun-antecedent agreement? A. All passengers must show his passport before getting on the international flight. B. Each of the cats has its own special hiding place inside the house. C. If the students need my help with this project, he or she can just e-mail me with questions. D. When the clothes come out of the dryer, it should be folded right away.

C

Which of the following sentences has correct subject-verb agreement? A. The crowd standing outside the club are getting restless. B. Most of the cookies we left out on the counter was eaten by the dog. C. The upholstered couch and rocking chair we bought together look great in the living room. D. Ricotta cheese and pesto tastes great on a pizza.

B

Which of the following sentences has correct subject-verb agreement? A. The family of five always rent a large van for their vacation. B. Every one of the passengers has to wait until the bus is functioning properly. C. The group of senior citizens were escorted into the restaurant. D. When we arrived at the petting zoo, each of the children ask to pet the goat.

A

Which of the following sentences is correctly punctuated? A. The cat slid over the ledge and came to a halt; its two front feet were on the dining room floor, and its head swayed back and forth. B. The cat slid over the ledge and came to a halt, its two front feet were on the dining room floor; and its head swayed back and forth. C. The cat slid over the ledge and came to a halt, its two front feet were on the dining room floor, and its head swayed back and forth. D. The cat slid over the ledge and came to a halt; its two front feet were on the dining room floor and its head swayed back and forth.

B

Which of the following sentences is correctly punctuated? A. We plan to take some trips this summer to Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and, Newport, Rhode Island. B. We plan to take some trips this summer to Wellfleet, Massachusetts and Newport, Rhode Island. C. We plan to take some trips this summer to Wellfleet Massachusetts, and Newport Rhode Island. D. We plan to take some trips this summer to Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and Newport, Rhode Island.

C

Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly? A. One of my favorite places to visit is San Francisco California, and I'll never forget my trip there from June 2011. B. One of my favorite places to visit is San Francisco, California and I'll never forget my trip there from June 2011. C. One of my favorite places to visit is San Francisco, California, and I'll never forget my trip there from June 2011. D. One of my favorite places to visit is San Francisco, California, and I'll never forget my trip there from June, 2011.

B

Which of the following sentences makes the best topic sentence? A. Ultimately, you'll find that getting it just right can be surprisingly satisfying. B. Cooking requires a number of different skills that can be learned and practiced. C. One of the first things you'll need as a chef is a good set of well-sharpened knives. D. Of course, it can take a while to get the hang of chopping vegetables efficiently.

A

Which of the following sentences uses formal language? A. This sandwich is really delicious. B. I wish I could stay up and talk, but I'm beat. C. Let's catch that movie when it comes to town. D. He seems like a really cool teacher.

C

Which of the following statements is correct about the outline below? I. Causes of Obesity A. Diet 1. Fast Food 2. Processed food 3. Large portions B. Lifestyle 1. Sedentary jobs 2. No incentive to exercise 3. Not cooking at home A. sedentary jobs are a more important cause of obesity than not cooking at home B. not cooking at home falls into the category of diet causes of obesity C. the causes of obesity can be divided into diet and lifestyle D. large portions are part of the lifestyle causes of obesity

A

Which of the following words is an exception to a common spelling rule? A. neither B. vein C. flying D. coping

A

Which of the following words is written correctly in its plural form? A. halves B. prooves C. razores D. chieves

B

Wow, I can't believe that beret I was planning to buy is 100 bucks. Which of the following words from the sentence above is slang? A. wow B. bucks C. can't D. beret

A

Your watering can with the large spout is just perfect for the garden. Which of the following is a prepositional phrase in the sentence above? A. with the large spout B. your watering can C. is just perfect D. perfect for the garden