Question: The following text is adapted from Elizabeth von Arnim’s 1922 novel The Enchanted April. Mrs. Wilkins and her friend Rose are traveling in Italy.
“I’m going to have one of these gorgeous oranges,” said Mrs. Wilkins, staying where she was and reaching across to a black bowl piled with them. “Rose, how can you resist them. Look—have this one. Do have this beauty—” And she held out a big one.
As used in the text, what does the phrase “reaching across to” most nearly mean?
A) Joining with
B) Gaining on
C) Stretching toward
D) Arriving at

Choice C is the best answer because as used in the text “reaching across to” most nearly means stretching toward. The text begins with Mrs. Wilkins stating that she wants to have one of the oranges that she’s admiring. The text then indicates that Mrs. Wilkins, staying where she is, holds out a big orange to her friend. This context suggests that when the text describes Mrs. Wilkins as reaching across to the bowl of oranges, it means that she is stretching toward the bowl.

Choice A is incorrect because the text never suggests that Mrs. Wilkins is joining with, or becoming attached to, the bowl of oranges. Rather, the text indicates that she is stretching toward the bowl so she can pick out oranges for herself and her friend Rose to eat.

Choice B is incorrect because the text never suggests that Mrs. Wilkins is gaining on, or overtaking in a competition or race, the bowl of oranges. The text suggests instead that the bowl is sitting still on a surface and that Mrs. Wilkins is extending her arm toward the bowl so she can pick out oranges for herself and her friend Rose to eat.

Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t indicate that Mrs. Wilkins is arriving at the bowl of oranges. In fact, the text states that Mrs. Wilkins stays where she is when reaching across to the bowl,
meaning that she remains at a distance from it.

Don’t just focus on the underlined phrase, read here and there to better understand the content.

Question: A team of paleontologists has found a rich fossil deposit near Gulgong, Australia. The fossils are so well preserved that the team has been able to ______________ detailed information about the life forms that left them behind, such as color patterns and how they interacted with other species.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) occupy
B) hoard
C) reserve
D) obtain

Choice D is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the fossil deposit. In this context, “obtain” means gain or acquire. According to the text, a team of paleontologists has found fossils that are very well preserved. For this reason, the text suggests, the paleontologists have been able to gain detailed information from the fossils, such as the color patterns of the life forms that left them behind.

Choice A is incorrect because “occupy” means engage or inhabit, neither of which would make sense in context. It’s unclear what it would mean for detailed information revealed by fossils to be engaged or inhabited.

Choice B is incorrect because the text gives no indication that the paleontologists wanted to “hoard,” or collect and hide, the detailed information revealed by the well-preserved fossils.

Choice C is incorrect because the text gives no indication that the paleontologists wanted to “reserve,” or withhold, the detailed information revealed by the well-preserved fossils.

Read a sentence before and after the underlined sentence.

Question: According to a team of neuroeconomists from the University of Zurich, ease of decision-making may be linked to communication between two brain regions, the prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex. Individuals tend to be more decisive if the information flow between the regions is intensified, whereas they make choices more slowly when the information flow is _____________.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) reduced
B) evaluated
C) determined
D) acquired

Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of how the flow of information between two regions of the brain may affect the ease of people’s decision-making. In this context, “reduced” means decreased. The text presents the finding from a team of neuroeconomists that decision-making may be connected to communication between the prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex. In presenting this finding, the text suggests a contrast between people who tend to be more decisive and people who make decisions more slowly. According to the text, people tend to be more decisive when the flow of information between the two brain regions is intensified, or strengthened. On the other hand, this context suggests that people make choices
more slowly when the flow of information between the two brain regions is decreased.

Choice B is incorrect because “evaluated” means assessed, which wouldn’t make sense in context. According to the text, people tend to be more decisive when the flow of information between two brain regions is intensified or strengthened. This suggests that people’s ease of decision-making varies based on the rate of information traveling between the regions, not based on an effort to assess
the information.

Choice C is incorrect because “determined” means judged or influenced, neither of which would make sense in context. According to the text, people tend to be more decisive when the flow of information between two brain regions is intensified, or strengthened. This suggests that people’s ease of decision making varies based on the rate of information traveling between the regions, not based on an effort to judge or influence the information.

Choice D is incorrect because “acquired” means developed or attained, neither of which would make sense in context. According to the text, people tend to be more decisive when the flow of information between two brain regions is intensified or strengthened. This suggests that people’s ease of decision-making varies based on the rate of information traveling between the regions, not based on the
development or attainment of the information.

The last part of the paragraph mostly shows the conclusion, so skim through the whole paragraph.

Question: The War of 1812 has ______________ place in historical memory in Britain, partly because it is overshadowed by the much larger concurrent conflict against Napoleonic France and partly because it essentially maintained the geopolitical status quo for Britain: the country neither gained nor lost significant territory or position as a result of its participation in the war.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) a tenuous
B) an enduring
C) a contentious
D) a conspicuous

Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the significance of the War of 1812 in British historical memory. In this context, “tenuous” means vulnerable or uncertain. The text indicates that the The War of 1812 was both smaller, and less prominent, than the conflict with France, and resulted in no significant geopolitical changes. These details imply that the The War of 1812 is less likely than other British historical events to be remembered, giving the War of 1812 a tenuous place in British historical memory.

Choice B is incorrect because in this context “enduring” would mean lasting or durable, but the text describes the War of 1812 as being overshadowed by, and smaller than, the simultaneous conflict with France. This seems to conflict with the notion that the War of 1812 has an enduring place in British historical memory.

Choice C is incorrect because in this context “contentious” would mean likely to cause disagreement, and while there likely are contentious issues related to the War of 1812, nothing in the text discusses or implies any such disagreement.

Choice D is incorrect because in this context “conspicuous” would mean obvious, but the text describes the War of 1812 as being overshadowed by, and smaller then, the simultaneous conflict with France. Rather than suggesting that the War of 1812 has a conspicuous place in British historical memory, these descriptions suggest that its place is not particularly obvious.

Read the first and second sentences then skim through all.

Question: Claims about the original significance of Minoan bull-leaping rituals—depicted in paintings and sculptures from the second millennium BCE—are difficult to successfully _______________. We know so little about the people archaeologists call the Minoans that assertions about what bull-leaping meant to them will almost inevitably rely on significant speculation and guesswork.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) imagine
B) summarize
C) defend
D) adjust

Choice C is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Minoan bull-leaping rituals. In this context, “defend” means support in the face of an argument. The overall focus of the text is on the difficulty of determining what bull-leaping rituals meant to the Minoans, about whom, the text indicates, we know very little. The text states that because of this scarcity of information, assertions about the meaning of the rituals, which took place a very long time ago (in the second millennium BCE), are highly likely to be based on speculation and guesswork. This context suggests that claims about the meaning of the rituals are difficult to successfully support, or defend.

Choice A is incorrect because “imagine” in this context would mean form a mental image of something. Although it’s possible to imagine what Minoan bull-leaping rituals might have looked like, the focus of the text isn’t on how the rituals looked but rather on claims about them, which the text suggests are difficult to support because very little is known about the Minoans.

Choice B is incorrect because “summarize” in this context would mean recap or outline, neither of which makes sense. The text indicates that claims about the significance of Minoan bull-leaping
rituals will inevitably rely on speculation and guesswork because very little is known about the Minoans. This suggests that claims about the Minoan rituals are difficult to support in the face of argument, not that they’re difficult to recap or outline.

Choice D is incorrect because “adjust” in this context would mean modify or correct. Although a claim about a ritual’s meaning could be modified or corrected based on newly discovered evidence, the text doesn’t focus on any specific claims made about the significance of Minoan bull-leaping rituals.
Rather, the text focuses on the feasibility of making valid claims about the rituals in general, suggesting that the scarcity of information about the Minoans makes it difficult to support any claims about the rituals.

Read before and after the underlined sentence.

Question: According to botanists, a viburnum plant experiencing insect damage may develop erineum—a discolored, felty growth—on its leaf blades. A _______________ viburnum plant, on the other hand, will have leaves with smooth surfaces and uniformly green coloration.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) struggling
B) beneficial
C) simple
D) healthy

Choice D is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of damage to viburnum plants. In this context, “healthy” would mean not distressed or diseased. The text states that insect damage may cause viburnum plants to be discolored and have abnormal growths. In the next sentence, the phrase “on the other hand” indicates a contrast with the description of plants suffering from damage. Thus, the context contrasts the appearance of healthy, undamaged plants with the appearance of damaged plants.

Choice A is incorrect because in this context, “struggling” would mean working against difficulties. The text first describes viburnum plants experiencing damage by insects, and the phrase “on the other hand” then establishes a contrast with that description. It wouldn’t make sense to contrast struggling viburnum plants with those being damaged by insects, because in both cases the plants would be experiencing difficulties.

Choice B is incorrect because in this context, “beneficial” would mean producing good or helpful effects. The text doesn’t discuss how viburnum plants affect other things or suggest that the plants are helpful in some way; rather, it focuses on how viburnum plants are affected by certain conditions.

Choice C is incorrect because in this context “simple” would mean plain or uncomplicated. The text doesn’t discuss whether certain viburnum plants are complicated or uncomplicated; rather, it focuses on how viburnum plants are affected by certain conditions.

Work on vocabulary building and read before and after the underlined sentence.

Question: Nigerian American author Teju Cole’s ______________ his two passions—photography and the written word—culminates in his 2017 book, Blind Spot, which evocatively combines his original photographs from his travels with his poetic prose.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) indifference to
B) enthusiasm for
C) concern about
D) surprise at

Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Cole’s book Blind Spot. In this context, “enthusiasm for” means excitement about. The text explains that Blind Spot consists of original photographs as well as poetic prose—two elements that correspond to Cole’s passions, identified in the text, for photography and the written word. This context suggests that Cole’s excitement about photography and writing led him to create a book that successfully combines the two mediums.

Choice A is incorrect because describing Cole as feeling “indifference to” his two passions wouldn’t make sense in context. If Cole is indifferent to his passions, that would mean he doesn’t care about photography or writing—in which case they wouldn’t be his passions at all.

Choice C is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that Cole feels “concern about,” or uneasiness about, his passions. The text’s use of the word “culminates” indicates that Blind Spot represents a triumphant climax of Cole’s passions, not a work that results from his sense of discomfort with photography and writing.

Choice D is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that Cole feels “surprise at,” or astonished by, his passions. The text indicates that Cole’s feeling about his passions “culminates” in a book that “evocatively” combines photographs and writing, suggesting that Cole has a long-standing and skillful relationship to his passions, not that he is startled by them.

Work on vocabulary building and learn Prepositional Phrases.

Question: Novelist N. K. Jemisin declines to _____________ the conventions of the science fiction genre in which she writes, and she has suggested that her readers appreciate her work precisely because of this willingness to thwart expectations and avoid formulaic plots and themes.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) question
B) react to
C) perceive
D) conform to

Choice D is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Jemisin’s writing. In this context, “conform to” means to act in accordance with something. The text suggests that in her science fiction writing, Jemisin’s willingness to go against expectations and not use plots and themes that seem to follow a formula reflects how she treats the standard practices of the genre. This context conveys that Jemisin chooses not to act in accordance with those conventions.

Choice A is incorrect. In this context, “question” would mean doubt or object to. The text indicates that Jemisin is willing to go against expectations and not use formulaic plots and themes in her science fiction writing, suggesting that she may actually object to those conventions of the genre, not that she chooses not to question them.

Choice B is incorrect because the text indicates that in her science fiction writing, Jemisin is willing to go against expectations and not use formulaic plots and themes. Rather than suggesting that Jemisin chooses not to “react to,” or act in response to, the standard practices of the genre, this context suggests that she is acting in response to such conventions by deliberately avoiding them.

Choice C is incorrect. In this context, “perceive” would mean become aware of or understand. The text indicates that in her science fiction writing, Jemisin is willing to go against expectations and not use formulaic plots and themes. This context conveys that Jemisin is aware of and deliberately avoids those conventions of the genre, not that she chooses not to be aware of them.

Skim the paragraph to find the most suitable word, and also work on your vocabulary skills.

Question: In Nature Poem (2017), Kumeyaay poet Tommy Pico portrays his _____________ the natural world by honoring the centrality of nature within his tribe’s traditional beliefs while simultaneously expressing his distaste for being in wilderness settings himself.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) responsiveness to
B) ambivalence toward
C) renunciation of
D) mastery over

Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s description of how Pico feels about the natural world. In this context, to say that Pico portrays his “ambivalence toward” nature would mean that he portrays his mixed feelings about nature. The text explains that Pico “honors the centrality of nature” and also makes it clear that he doesn’t enjoy being in nature. This context suggests that Pico feels ambivalence toward nature.

Choice A is incorrect because saying that Pico portrays his “responsiveness to” nature would mean that he portrays himself as quick to react to nature, which isn’t supported by the text. Instead, the text focuses on Pico’s mixed feelings toward nature, describing him as both honoring nature’s role in his tribe’s beliefs and expressing his personal dislike for being in nature.

Choice C is incorrect because saying that Pico portrays his “renunciation of” nature would mean that he portrays himself as rejecting nature, which isn’t supported by the text. The text conveys that Pico demonstrates both positive and negative responses toward nature, not that he’s giving it up completely.

Choice D is incorrect because saying that Pico portrays his “mastery over” nature would mean that he portrays himself as having control over nature, which isn’t supported by the text. The text focuses on Pico’s mixed feelings about nature; nothing in the text suggests that Pico feels mastery over nature.

Work on vocabulary building and learn Prepositional Phrases.

Questions: The following text is from the 1924 poem “Cycle”
by D’Arcy McNickle, who was a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
There shall be new roads wending,
A new beating of the drum—

Men’s eyes shall have fresh seeing,
Grey lives reprise their span—
But under the new sun’s being,
Completing what night began,

There’ll be the same backs bending,
The same sad feet shall drum—
When this night finds its ending
And day shall have come…..
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A) To consider how the repetitiveness inherent in human life can be both rewarding and challenging
B) To question whether activities completed at one time of day are more memorable than those completed at another time of day
C) To refute the idea that joy is a more commonly experienced emotion than sadness is
D) To demonstrate how the experiences of individuals relate to the experiences of their communities

Choice A is the best answer because it accurately states the main purpose of the text. The text begins by discussing the promise of the future, with positive references to renewal such as “new roads,” “new beating of the drum,” and “fresh seeing.” But with the “new sun,” the text continues, there will still be “the same backs bending” and “the same sad feet” drumming, indicating that these difficulties will follow people into this new day. The poem thus considers both the rewards and challenges associated with the repetitiveness of human life.

Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t say anything about how memorable activities are, let alone compare the memorability of activities completed at different times of the day.

Choice C is incorrect. Although the text contrasts hope with difficulty, it does not compare the relative frequency of joyful feelings with that of sad feelings.

Choice D is incorrect because the text makes no distinction between the experiences of individuals and the experiences of their communities.

Work on your reading and understanding skills by practicing more and more.

Question: As media consumption has become increasingly multiplatform and socially mediated, active news acquisition has diminished in favor of an attitude known as “news finds me” (NFM), in which people passively rely on their social networks and ambient media environments for information about current events. Homero Gil de Zúñiga and Trevor Diehl examined data on a representative group of adults in the United States to determine participants’ strength of NFM attitude, political knowledge, and political interest. Although no major election took place sufficiently near the study for Gil de Zúñiga and Diehl to identify causality between NFM and voting behavior, they did posit that NFM may reduce voting probability through an indirect effect.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the idea advanced by Gil de Zúñiga and Diehl?
A) NFM attitude tends to increase in strength as major elections approach, and people are significantly more likely to vote in major elections than in minor elections.
B) NFM attitude has a strong negative effect on political knowledge and interest, and there is known to be a strong positive correlation between political knowledge and interest and the likelihood of voting.
C) Political interest is known to have a strong positive effect on the likelihood of voting but shows only a weak positive effect on political knowledge, and NFM attitude shows little correlation with either political knowledge or political interest.
D) The likelihood of voting increases as political knowledge increases, and the relationship between NFM attitude and political knowledge tends to strengthen as the size of people’s social networks increases.

Choice B is the best answer because it presents a finding that, if true, would most directly support the idea advanced by Homero Gil de Zúñiga and Trevor Diehl that NFM (“news finds me”) attitude may reduce voting probability through an indirect effect. The text describes NFM as an attitude that has lowered people’s interest in actively acquiring news and introduces Gil de Zúñiga and Diehl’s study on the effects of NFM on people in the United States’ political knowledge and interest. The text goes on to say that despite the fact that the study didn’t occur near a major election, Gil de Zúñiga and Diehl still conclude that NFA may reduce voting probability. If the likelihood, or probability, that a person will vote is linked to that person’s level of political knowledge and interest, that would suggest that negatively affecting a person’s level of political knowledge and interest would also negatively affect how likely that person is to vote. Thus, if the NFM attitude has a negative effect on political knowledge and interest, then it would also likely reduce voting probability.

Choice A is incorrect because the finding that NFM attitude increases as major elections approach wouldn’t address the effect of NFM on the likelihood of voting, which is the idea advanced by Gil de Zúñiga and Diehl. Moreover, although the text mentions that there were no major elections that occurred near the time of the study, it doesn’t discern between major and minor elections when
discussing voting probability.

Choice C is incorrect because finding that NFM attitude shows little correlation with either political knowledge or political interest would undermine, not support, Gil de Zúñiga and Diehl’s idea that NFM may reduce voting probability because it suggests that NFM has no effect on political knowledge or political interest.

Choice D is incorrect. Although Gil de Zúñiga and Diehl’s idea would be supported by the finding that the likelihood of voting increases as political knowledge increases, nothing in the text suggests that the researchers’ idea hinges on the size of people’s social networks.

Focus on the primary function or action being discussed in the passage to identify the main idea.

Question: The practice of logging (cutting down trees for commercial and other uses) is often thought to be at odds with forest conservation (the work of preserving forests). However, a massive study in forest management and preservation spanning 700,000 hectares in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest calls that view into question. So far, the results of the study suggest that forest plots that have undergone limited logging (the careful removal of a controlled number of trees) may be more robust than plots that haven’t been logged at all. These results, in turn, suggest that ____________.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A) logging may be useful for maintaining healthy forests, provided it is limited.
B) other forest management strategies are more effective than limited logging.
C) as time passes, it will be difficult to know whether limited logging has any benefits.
D) the best way to support forest health may be to leave large forests entirely untouched.

Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the potential effects of logging on forest conservation. The text begins by stating that logging practices are often thought of as being contrary to forest conservation efforts. Then, the text presents the results of a research study examining the effect of limited logging practices on specific forest plots, finding that the plots with limited logging may be “more robust” (healthier) than the plots that hadn’t been logged at all. Given these results, it follows that logging may be a useful practice for maintaining healthy forests if it is practiced in a limited way.

Choice B is incorrect because the study referenced in the text only provides information on limited logging as a potential forest management strategy. There is no information in the text about how other forest management strategies support forest conservation efforts. Therefore, the text does not support the assertion that other forest management strategies are more successful than limited logging.

Choice C is incorrect because the text presents a research study with findings that specific plots of forest with limited logging may be more robust than the forest plots that were not logged. Rather than suggesting that it is hard to know whether limited logging might be beneficial, the text suggests that the practice could be useful in forest conservation efforts.

Choice D is incorrect. The text discusses the results of a research study that compares the health of forest plots with limited logging to forest plots that were not logged. It does not take a position on the best way to support forest health but rather presents a research study with findings that question conventionally held thoughts regarding the practice of logging.

When identifying the conclusion, focus on connecting words and adverbs like However, so far, often…

Question: Even with the widespread adoption of personal computers, many authors still choose to write and revise their novels by hand and only then transcribe the final version on a computer. It may be tempting to speculate about how a novel written this way would be affected if it had been exclusively typed instead, but each novel is a unique entity resulting from a specific set of circumstances. Therefore, ______________.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A) in order to increase their efficiency, authors who currently write their novels largely by hand should instead work only on a computer.
B) authors who do most of their drafting and revising by hand likely have more success than those who work entirely on a computer.
C) novels written by hand take less time to produce, on average, than novels written on a computer do.
D) there is no way to reasonably evaluate how a work would be different if it had been written by other means.

Choice D is the best answer because it presents the conclusion that most logically follows from the text’s discussion of the means authors use to write and revise their novels. After stating that many authors still choose to draft novels by hand even though computers are now widely used, the text acknowledges the speculation that the opposite choice—using only a computer—would have had
an effect on such novels. However, the text then points out that every novel is the singular result of a combination of the particular conditions surrounding its creation. This suggests that it isn’t possible to determine the effect of any single condition (such as the means of writing) on its own; thus, there would be no way to reasonably evaluate how a novel would have turned out differently if it had been written by other means.

Choice A is incorrect because the text doesn’t suggest that it’s more efficient to write a novel on a computer than to write it by hand; it doesn’t address efficiency at all. Therefore, it isn’t logical to conclude that authors who currently choose to write novels largely by hand should instead work only on a computer to increase their efficiency.

Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t suggest anything about how successful authors are, regardless of the means by which they choose to write; therefore, it isn’t logical to conclude that authors who write largely by hand are likely to be more successful than those who work only on a computer.

Choice C is incorrect because the text makes no mention of the time it takes to produce a novel, regardless of the means by which it’s written; therefore, it isn’t logical to conclude that novels written by hand take less time on average to produce than those written on a computer do.

Focus on the emotional or psychological aspects of a character when considering internal conflicts.

Question: In forecasting weather events, meteorologists sometimes discuss the role of atmospheric rivers. What are atmospheric rivers, and how _______________ Part of the water cycle, atmospheric rivers are narrow channels of moisture moving through the atmosphere. In certain conditions, these “rivers” can release some of their moisture as precipitation.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) do they affect our weather.
B) they do affect our weather.
C) do they affect our weather?
D) they do affect our weather?

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is end-of-sentence punctuation. This choice correctly uses a question mark to punctuate the coordinated interrogative clauses “What are atmospheric rivers” and “how do they affect our weather,” both of which ask direct questions.

Choice A is incorrect because a period can’t be used in this way to punctuate an interrogative clause, such as “how do they affect our weather,” at the end of a sentence.

Choice B is incorrect because the structure requires an interrogative clause and a question mark at the end of the sentence.

Choice D is incorrect because the structure requires an interrogative clause at the end of the sentence.

Learn Punctuation and Types of Sentences.

Question: One of the few African American global explorers during the turn of the 20th century, _____________.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) Matthew Henson made several treks across Greenland between 1891 and 1909.
B) 1891 and 1909 were the years between which Matthew Henson made several treks across Greenland.
C) Greenland was where Matthew Henson made several treks between 1891 and 1909.
D) several treks across Greenland were made by Matthew Henson between 1891 and 1909.

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the proper noun “Matthew Henson” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “one…century.” In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that Matthew Henson—and not another noun in the sentence—is being described as one of the few African American global explorers during the turn of the 20th century.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “1891 and 1909” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that those years were one of the few African American global explorers during the turn of the 20th century.

Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the proper noun “Greenland” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that Greenland was
one of the few African American global explorers during the turn of the 20th century.

Choice D is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “several treks across Greenland” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the treks were one of the few African American global explorers during the turn of the 20th century.

When combining sentences, aim for clarity and logical flow. Consider how contrasting ideas should be connected.

Question: Beatrix Potter is perhaps best known for writing and illustrating children’s books such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902), but she also dedicated herself to mycology, the study of _____________ more than 350 paintings of the fungal species she observed in nature and submitting her research on spore germination to the Linnean Society of London.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) fungi; producing
B) fungi. Producing
C) fungi producing
D) fungi, producing

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between two supplementary phrases following the coordinate clause (“but she…mycology”). This choice correctly uses a comma to mark the boundary between the supplementary noun phrase (“the study of fungi”) that defines the term “mycology” and the supplementary participial phrase (“producing…London”) that
provides additional information about the extent to which Potter dedicated herself to mycology.

Choice A is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join two supplementary phrases following a coordinate clause.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with “producing.”

Choice C is incorrect. The lack of punctuation results in a sentence that illogically suggests that the study of fungi is producing more than 350 paintings.

Work on your Punctuation.

Question: In assessing the films of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, _______________ have missed his equally deep engagement with Japanese artistic traditions such as Noh theater.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) many critics have focused on Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources but
B) Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources has been the focus of many critics, who
C) there are many critics who have focused on Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources, but they
D) the focus of many critics has been on Kurosawa’s use of Western literary sources; they

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice makes the noun phrase “many critics” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “in assessing…Kurosawa.” In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that it is the critics—and not another noun in the sentence—who assess Kurosawa’s films.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “Kurosawa’s…sources” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that his use of Western literary sources is what assesses Kurosawa’s films.

Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the function word “there” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that “there” is what assesses Kurosawa’s films.

Choice D is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun phrase “the focus…critics” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the critics’ focus is what assesses Kurosawa’s films.

You should know Conjunction and Standard English.

Question: Joshua Hinson, director of the language revitalization
program of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, helped produce the world’s first Indigenous-language instructional app, Chickasaw __ Chickasaw TV, in 2010; and a Rosetta Stone language course in
Chickasaw, in 2015.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) Basic; in 2009, an online television network;
B) Basic; in 2009, an online television network,
C) Basic, in 2009; an online television network,
D) Basic, in 2009, an online television network,

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of items in a complex series. It’s conventional to use a semicolon to separate items in a complex series with internal punctuation, and in this choice, the semicolon after “2009” is conventionally used to separate the first item (“the world’s…2009”) and the second item (“an online…2010”) in the series of things that Hinson helped create. Further, the comma after “Basic” correctly pairs with the comma after “app,” and the comma after “network” correctly pairs with the comma after “TV” to set off the supplemental elements (“Chickasaw Basic” and “Chickasaw TV”) that provide the names of the app and the TV network, respectively. Altogether, the punctuation in this choice results in a sentence that clearly indicates that Hinson helped make a language app in 2009, an online TV network in 2010, and a language course in 2015.

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to punctuate the complex series in a way that makes clear that Hinson helped make a language app in 2009, an online TV network in 2010, and a language course in 2015.

Choice B is incorrect because it fails to punctuate the complex series in a way that makes clear that Hinson helped make a language app in 2009, an online TV network in 2010, and a language course in 2015.

Choice D is incorrect because the comma after “2009” doesn’t match the semicolon used to separate the second and third items in the complex series.

Learn Punctuation.

Question: The forty-seven geothermal springs of Arkansas’ Hot
Springs National Park are sourced via a process known as natural groundwater recharge, in which rainwater percolates downward through the earth—in this case, the porous rocks of the hills
around Hot _______________ collect in a subterranean basin.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) Springs to
B) Springs: to
C) Springs—to
D) Springs, to

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the punctuation of a supplementary element within a sentence. The dash after “Springs” pairs with the dash after “earth” to separate the supplementary element “in this case, the porous rocks of the hills around Hot Springs” from the rest of the sentence.

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to use appropriate punctuation to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence.

Choice B is incorrect because a colon can’t be paired with a dash in this way to separate the supplementary element from the rest of the sentence.

Choice D is incorrect because a comma can’t be paired with a dash in this way to separate the
supplementary element from the rest of the sentence.

Learn Punctuation.

Question: Over twenty years ago, in a landmark experiment in
the psychology of choice, Professor Sheena Iyengar set up a jam-tasting booth at a grocery store. The number of jams available for tasting _____________ some shoppers had twenty-four different options, others only six. Interestingly, the shoppers with fewer jams to choose from purchased more jam.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) varied:
B) varied,
C) varied, while
D) varied while

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of a colon within a sentence. In this choice, the colon is used in a conventional way to introduce the following description of how the number of jams available varied.

Choice B is incorrect because it creates a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to join two main clauses (“the number…varied” and “some…six”).

Choice C is incorrect because it results in an illogical and confusing sentence. Using the conjunction “while” to join the main clause (“the number…varied”) with the following clause’s description of the number of jams available suggests that the variation in the number of jams is in contrast to some shoppers having twenty-four options.

Choice D is incorrect because it results in an illogical and confusing sentence. Using “while” in this way suggests that the number of jams available varied during the time in which some shoppers had twenty-four options and others had six. The sentence makes clear, however, that what follows “varied” is a description of the variation, not a separate, simultaneous occurrence.

Learn Punctuation and Conjunction.

Question: A study published by Rice University geoscientist Ming Tang in 2019 offers a new explanation for the origin of Earth’s ___________ structures called arcs, towering ridges that form when a dense oceanic plate subducts under a less dense continental plate, melts in the mantle below, and then rises and bursts through the continental crust above.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) continents geological
B) continents: geological
C) continents; geological
D) continents. Geological

Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between a main clause and a supplementary phrase. In this choice, a colon is correctly used to mark the boundary between the main clause (“A study…continents”) and the supplementary phrase (“geological…above”) and to introduce the following explanation of the origin of Earth’s continents.

Choice A is incorrect because it fails to mark the boundary between the main clause (“A study…continents”) and the supplementary phrase (“geological…above”) with appropriate punctuation.

Choice C is incorrect because a semicolon can’t be used in this way to join the main clause (“A study…continents”) and the supplementary phrase (“geological…above”). A semicolon is conventionally used to join two main clauses, whereas a colon is conventionally used to introduce an element that explains or amplifies the information in the preceding clause, making it the better choice in this context.

Choice D is incorrect because it results in a rhetorically unacceptable sentence fragment beginning with “geological.”

Learn Punctuation.

Question: During a 2021 launch, Rocket Labs’ Electron rocket experienced an unexpected failure: its second-stage booster shut down suddenly after ignition. ______________ instead of downplaying the incident, Rocket Labs’ CEO publicly acknowledged what happened and apologized for the loss of the rocket’s payload, which had consisted of two satellites.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Afterward,
B) Additionally,
C) Indeed,
D) Similarly,

Choice A is the best answer. “Afterward” logically signals that the events described in this sentence—the CEO’s public acknowledgment and apology—occurred after the rocket booster’s failure and are part of a chronological sequence of events.

Choice B is incorrect because “additionally” illogically signals that the events described in this sentence merely occurred in addition to the rocket booster’s failure. Instead, they occurred after the rocket booster’s failure and are part of a chronological sequence of events.

Choice C is incorrect because “indeed” illogically signals that the events described in this sentence emphasize or strengthen a statement made in the previous sentence. Instead, they occurred
after the rocket booster’s failure and are part of a chronological sequence of events.

Choice D is incorrect because “similarly” illogically signals that the events described in this sentence are similar to the rocket booster’s failure. Instead, they occurred after the rocket booster’s failure and are part of a chronological sequence of events.

Learn Adverb.

Question: When soil becomes contaminated by toxic metals, it can be removed from the ground and disposed of in a landfill. _________________ contaminated soil can be detoxified via phytoremediation: plants that can withstand high concentrations of metals absorb the pollutants and store them in their shoots, which are then cut off and safely disposed of, preserving the health of the plants.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Alternatively,
B) Specifically,
C) For example,
D) As a result,

Choice A is the best answer. “Alternatively” logically signals that the soil decontamination method described in this sentence—removing toxic metals from the soil via phytoremediation—offers an alternative to the previously described method (removing the contaminated soil from the ground).

Choice B is incorrect because “specifically” illogically signals that the soil decontamination method described in this sentence specifies or elaborates on an aspect of the previously described method (removing the contaminated soil from the ground). Instead, phytoremediation is an alternative to that method.

Choice C is incorrect because “for example” illogically signals that the soil decontamination method described in this sentence is an example of the previously described method (removing the contaminated soil from the ground). Instead, phytoremediation is an alternative to that method.

Choice D is incorrect because “as a result” illogically signals that the soil decontamination method described in this sentence is a result or consequence of the previously described method (removing the contaminated soil from the ground). Instead, phytoremediation is an alternative to that method.

Learn Adverb.

Question: While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• The calendar used by most of the world (the Gregorian calendar) has 365 days.
• Because 365 days can’t be divided evenly by 7 (the number of days in a week), calendar dates fall on a different day of the week each year.
• The Hanke-Henry permanent calendar, developed as an alternative to the Gregorian calendar, has 364 days.
• Because 364 can be divided evenly by 7, calendar dates fall on the same day of the week each year, which supports more predictable scheduling.
The student wants to explain an advantage of the Hanke-Henry calendar. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A) The Gregorian calendar has 365 days, which is one day longer than the Hanke-Henry permanent calendar.
B) Adopting the Hanke-Henry permanent calendar would help solve a problem with the Gregorian calendar.
C) Designed so calendar dates would occur on the same day of the week each year, the Hanke-Henry calendar supports more predictable scheduling than does the Gregorian calendar.
D) The Hanke-Henry permanent calendar was developed as an alternative to the Gregorian calendar, which is currently the most-used calendar in the world.

Choice C is the best answer. The sentence explains an advantage of the Hanke-Henry calendar, noting that it supports more predictable scheduling than does the Gregorian calendar and describing how it does so (by having calendar dates occur on the same day each year).

Choice A is incorrect. The sentence compares the number of days in the Gregorian and Hanke-Henry calendars; it doesn’t explain an advantage of the Hanke-Henry calendar.

Choice B is incorrect. While the sentence refers to a possible reason to adopt the Hanke-Henry calendar—that doing so would help solve a problem with the Gregorian calendar—it doesn’t identify the problem or the solution and thus doesn’t explain the advantage of the Hanke-Henry calendar.

Choice D is incorrect. The sentence describes the origins of the Hanke-Henry calendar; it doesn’t explain an advantage of it.

Work on your skimming and summarising skills to blend sentences into one.

Question: While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is a nearly 1,000-year-old alliance of six Native nations in the northeastern US.
• The members are bound by a centuries-old agreement known as the Great Law of Peace.
• Historian Bruce Johansen is one of several scholars who believe that the principles of the Great Law of Peace influenced the US Constitution.
• This theory is called the influence theory.
• Johansen cites the fact that Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson both studied the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
The student wants to present the influence theory to an audience unfamiliar with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A) Historian Bruce Johansen believes that the Great Law of Peace was very influential.
B) The influence theory is supported by the fact that Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson both studied the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
C) The influence theory holds that the principles of the Great Law of Peace, a centuries-old agreement binding six Native nations in the northeastern US, influenced the US Constitution.
D) Native people, including the members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, influenced the founding of the US in many different ways.

Choice C is the best answer. The sentence effectively presents the influence theory to an audience unfamiliar with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, explaining the theory’s position that the Great Law of Peace influenced the US Constitution while avoiding mention of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy itself.

Choice A is incorrect. The sentence broadly emphasizes Johansen’s ideas about the Great Law of Peace; it doesn’t identify the influence theory or effectively present it.

Choice B is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes one fact that supports the influence theory; it doesn’t effectively present the theory to an audience unfamiliar with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Choice D is incorrect. The sentence makes a broad generalization about Native people’s influence on the founding of the US; it doesn’t effectively present the influence theory.

Work on your skimming and summarising skills to blend sentences into one.

Question: While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• In 1999, astronomer Todd Henry studied the differences in surface temperature between the Sun and nearby stars.
• His team mapped all stars within 10 parsecs (approximately 200 trillion miles) of the Sun.
• The surface temperature of the Sun is around 9,800°F, which classifies it as a G star.
• 327 of the 357 stars in the study were classified as K or M stars, with surface temperatures under 8,900°F (cooler than the Sun).
• 11 of the 357 stars in the study were classified as A or F stars, with surface temperatures greater than 10,300°F (hotter than the Sun).
The student wants to emphasize how hot the Sun is relative to nearby stars. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A) At around 9,800°F, which classifies it as a G star, the Sun is hotter than most but not all of the stars within 10 parsecs of it.
B) Astronomer Todd Henry determined that the Sun, at around 9,800°F, is a G star, and several other stars within a 10-parsec range are A or F stars.
C) Of the 357 stars within ten parsecs of the Sun, 327 are classified as K or M stars, with surface temperatures under 8,900°F.
D) While most of the stars within 10 parsecs of the Sun are classified as K, M, A, or F stars, the Sun is classified as a G star due to its surface temperature of 9,800°F.

Choice A is the best answer. Noting that the Sun (9,800°F) is hotter than most stars within 10 parsecs of it, the sentence emphasizes how hot the Sun is relative to nearby stars.

Choice B is incorrect. The sentence explains that astronomer Todd Henry determined the classifications for the Sun and several other stars nearby; it doesn’t emphasize how hot the Sun is relative to nearby stars.

Choice C is incorrect. The sentence explains that the majority of stars near the Sun are classified as K or M stars; it doesn’t indicate the Sun’s temperature or emphasize how hot it is relative to nearby stars.

Choice D is incorrect. While the sentence indicates that the Sun is classified differently than most nearby stars due to its surface temperature, it doesn’t emphasize how hot the Sun is relative to nearby stars.

Work on your skimming and summarising skills to blend sentences into one.

Question: While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Earthquakes start at a point called a “focus” and spread out from there as seismic waves.
• The two types of seismic waves that travel beneath Earth’s surface are primary waves (P waves) and secondary waves (S waves).
• P waves travel more quickly beneath Earth’s surface than do S waves.
• P waves compress and expand the ground, causing it to move backward and forward.
• S waves cause the ground to move from side to side.
The student wants to emphasize a similarity between P waves and S waves. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A) P waves and S waves both travel beneath Earth’s surface, causing the ground to move.
B) P waves travel away from an earthquake’s starting point at a higher rate of speed than do S waves.
C) Spreading out from the focus of an earthquake, P waves move the ground backward and forward.
D) Although P waves and S waves start at the same point, they behave very differently.

Choice A is the best answer. The sentence emphasizes a similarity between P waves and S waves, noting that they both travel beneath Earth’s surface, thereby causing the ground to move.

Choice B is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes the difference between P waves and S waves, noting that P waves travel faster than S waves; it doesn’t emphasize a similarity between the two types of waves.

Choice C is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes how P waves move; it doesn’t emphasize a similarity between P waves and S waves.

Choice D is incorrect. While the sentence acknowledges that P waves and S waves start at the same point, it doesn’t emphasize a similarity; instead, the sentence emphasizes a difference between the two types of waves, noting that they behave very differently.

You must have logical reasoning skills for this, keep attempting questions like these to become a master of it.