Explanation -

8/10/26

Unlike his peers, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright also had a rare artistic passion that was very unusual: Japanese art. Wright first became interested in his early twenties, and within a decade, he was an internationally known collector of Japanese woodblock prints.

A. NO CHANGE
B. a rarely unusual artistic passion
C. a rare and unusual artistic passion
D. a rare artistic passion

Something that is rare is by definition unusual, so it is redundant to use both words. (D) is the only option that includes only one of these terms, so it is correct. Shortcut: shorter is better. On a purely visual basis, you can start by assuming that (D) is right.

8/9/26

Spam has become a sought-after product in many countries around the world since its introduction in the 1930s, especially those that have faced economic hardship. Because it’s cheap, filling, and long-lasting, it addresses a genuine need.

A. NO CHANGE
B. Since its introduction in the 1930s, Spam has become a sought-after product in many countries around the world,
C. In many countries around the world, Spam has become a sought-after product since its introduction in the 1930s,
D. Around the world, in many countries, Spam has become a sought-after product since its introduction in the 1930s,

The key to answering this question is to focus on the information that comes after the underlined portion. The phrase especially those that have faced economic hardship can only refer to many countries around the world — if another phrase, e.g., in the 1930s, is placed at the end of the underlined portion, a misplaced modifier is created. As a result, the correct answer must end with the phrase many countries around the world. (B) is the only answer to contain that construction, so it is correct.

8/8/26

In the 1840s, the travel writer Alexander Mackay described the “extraordinary number” of newspapers that travelers would encounter everywhere they went. Henry David Thoreau, on the other hand, was more appalled than dazzled. In fact, he loathed newspapers, denouncing them for a variety of offenses, including “servility” and outright baseness.

A. NO CHANGE
B. However,
C. Likewise,
D. Subsequently,

Start by ignoring the transition already in the passage, and focus on determining the relationship between the sentence begun by the underlined transition and the sentences before. The preceding portion of the passage indicates that Thoreau was more appalled (horrified) than dazzled by the plethora of newspapers, and the sentence begun by the transition indicates that he loathed and denounced them. Those are similar ideas, so a continuer is required. That eliminates (B). (C) doesn’t quite fit: likewise is used to indicate that two distinct examples support the same point, or to introduce a new, similar idea—it is not used to continue the same point, as is the case here. (D) is incorrect because subsequently is a synonym for next, or afterward, and the transition is not introducing a new step in a sequence. In fact is correct because the statement begun by the transition serves to emphasize and expand on the idea that Thoreau was more appalled than dazzled. That makes the answer (A).

8/7/26

The more often people hear a statement, the more likely they are to believe it’s true—a phenomenon commonly known as the illusory truth effect. Adding a picture can also change how believable a statement is. Sometimes, images can make messages more convincing; other times, skepticism is increased.

A. NO CHANGE
B. skepticism would be increased.
C. there is an increase in skepticism.
D. they can increase skepticism.

The construction [s]ometimes…other times in the last sentence indicates that the second half of the sentence must be parallel in structure to the first. The first half begins with subject + can + verb, so the second half must match. (D) is the only answer to contain that construction (they can increase), so it is correct.

8/6/26

When he published The Sun Also Rises in 1926, Ernest Hemingway was already well-known among expatriate writers in Paris and cosmopolitan literary circles in New York and Chicago. However, it was his second novel A Farewell to Arms, that truly made him a celebrity. With this newfound fame, Hemingway learned, came fan mail, and lots of it.

A. NO CHANGE
B. novel: A Farewell to Arms
C. novel, A Farewell to Arms,
D. novel, A Farewell to Arms

The easiest answers to eliminate are (B) and (D). (B) is incorrect because a colon must follow a complete, standalone sentence, and However, it was his second novel clearly is not a sentence. (D) is incorrect because when a title appears in the middle of a sentence, it is always wrong to place a single comma before it. (A) and (C) both appear to violate a comma rule; however, when these answers are plugged into the sentence, the comma after Arms results in the seemingly incorrect placement of a comma after the word that. The only way that this construction can be made acceptable is if the title is made non-essential (two commas). When it is crossed out, the underlying structure of the sentence makes sense: However, it was his second novel…that truly made him a celebrity. In contrast, the placement of only a single comma before that creates an unnatural break. (A) can thus be eliminated, making (C) correct.

8/5/26

In the late 1970s, a group of researchers set out testing the improbable idea of making computers “talk” to one another by using digital information packets that could be traded among multiple machines. The project, called ARPANET, went on to fundamentally change life on Earth under its more common name: the Internet.

A. NO CHANGE
B. in testing
C. for testing
D. to test

The correct idiom is set out + infinitive (to test); the gerund (-ING) form is incorrect, regardless of whether a preposition is used before it. That makes (D) the only possible answer.

8/4/26

In the nineteenth century, people in the United States ate dessert puddings that still are recognizable today; however, they also ate main-course puddings like steak and kidney pudding, pigeon pudding, or eating mutton pudding, in which stewed meats were surrounded by a flour or potato crust. Other puddings had no crust at all. Some, like Yorkshire pudding, were a kind of cooked batter.

A. NO CHANGE
B. they ate
C. ate
D. DELETE the underlined word.

The underlined portion involves the third item in a list, so the format of this item must match the format of the previous two. The first two items contain nouns only (steak and kidney pudding, pigeon pudding), so the third item must contain only a noun as well. (A), (B), and (C) are incorrect because they contain other parts of speech. (D) creates the correct construction by deleting the verb, leaving only the noun mutton pudding.

8/3/26

You are invited into Do Ho Suh’s apartment. You put down your bag, remove your coat and step inside. The hallway changes color as you proceed, first pink, then green and then blue. There is a red staircase outside, and beyond it people are moving around. You can see them right through the walls. Back home, the only things that behave this way are cobwebs, but here, everything—door panels, chain locks, light switches, sprinkler system dissolves delightfully into colored light.

A. NO CHANGE
B. chain locks; light switches, sprinkler system,
C. chain locks, light switches sprinkler system
D. chain locks, light switches, sprinkler system—

The list door panels, chain locks, light switches, sprinkler system is non-essential because the sentence still makes sense when it is removed: Back at your house, the only things that behave this way are cobwebs, but here, everything…dissolves delightfully into colored light. As a result, a second dash must be used to mark the end of the non-essential clause. That makes (D) the only possible answer. In the other answers, the various types of punctuation within the list are only a distraction.

8/2/26

Researchers have reported that individuals, who live in urban areas of more than half a million inhabitants, are exposed to night-time light levels three to six times brighter than those in small towns and rural areas. People living in regions with more intense light sleep less, are more tired during the daytime, and report feeling more dissatisfied with their sleep.

A. NO CHANGE
B. individuals, who live in urban areas of more than half a million inhabitants
C. individuals who live in urban areas of more than half a million inhabitants,
D. individuals who live in urban areas of more than half a million inhabitants

When commas with “who” clauses in the middle of a sentence are tested, there are typically only two possible answers: two commas (non-essential) or no commas (essential). Answers with a comma only before the “who” clause are always wrong, and answers with a comma only after the “who” clause are, with a few rare exceptions, wrong as well. In this case, the clause is essential because the sentence is not talking about individuals in general, as two commas would imply, but rather about a specific group of individuals: those who live in urban areas with more than half a million inhabitants. In other words, the meaning of that clause is restricted to that particular group. No commas indicate a restricted meaning, so (D) is correct.

8/1/26

The Museum of Bad Art was founded in 1994, when Boston art and antique dealer Scott Wilson rescued a portrait of a handsome grandmother, pensively poised under an aggressively yellow sky in a windswept meadow, from a Boston trash heap. Wilson wanted to sell the frame, but upon seeing the painting (later dubbed Lucy in the Field with Flowers), an objection was made by his friend Jerry Reilly. Reilly took the tribute to someone else’s elder and hung it in his own home.

A. NO CHANGE
B. Jerry Reilly, his friend made an objection.
C. his friend Jerry Reilly, who made an objection.
D. his friend Jerry Reilly objected.

(A) is incorrect because it contains a dangling modifier, albeit a hidden one. To simplify the sentence and reveal the error, cross out the information in parentheses: Wilson wanted to sell the frame, but upon seeing the painting, an objection was made by his friend Jerry Reilly. Who saw the painting? Jerry Reilly, not an objection. Because Jerry Reilly is not placed immediately after painting, a dangling modifier is created. Although (B) and (C) place Reilly’s name in the appropriate spot, these answers are both incorrect because they contain fragments — in neither case does the verb correspond to the subject, Jerry Reilly. (D) corrects this error and is shorter, clearer, and less awkward, so it is the answer.

7/30/26

Before publishing Silent Spring, the book that flung the modern environmental movement, Rachel Carson was a well-known author of beautifully descriptive books about marine life, including The Sea Around Us, which became a surprise hit after it was published in 1951.

A. NO CHANGE
B. hurled
C. launched
D. tossed

Saying that a movement was launched is another way of saying that it began. The other options are idiomatically unacceptable in this context. (C) is thus correct.

7/29/26

Because the Hollywood sign is so famous today, it may be surprising to learn that it wasn’t until fairly recently that it achieved its iconic status. In the 1930s and 1940s, however, the sign made an appearance in only a few of the movies that were about Hollywood or the movie industry. Other Hollywood institutions, like the Brown Derby restaurant, tended to represent the film world.

A. NO CHANGE
B. for example,
C. therefore,
D. likewise,

The underlined transition is placed between two commas in the middle of a sentence, so it serves to indicate the relationship between the sentence in which it appears and a previous statement — NOT two parts of the same sentence. With that information in mind, start by ignoring the original transition so that you don’t get distracted by it, and focus on the relationship between the information that comes before. The beginning of the passage states that the Hollywood sign didn’t become famous until fairly recently. The sentence that follows indicates that the Hollywood sign made an appearance in only a few films about the movie industry. Those are similar ideas, so (A) can be eliminated. (C) does not fit because the sign’s appearance in only a few films in the 1930s and ’40s is not a result of the fact that it didn’t become “iconic” until recently. (D) can also be eliminated because the sentence with the transition is not presenting a second example or situation that is similar to a first. Rather, the Hollywood sign’s infrequent appearance in old movies is cited as a single example of its relative obscurity. That makes (B) correct.

7/28/26

It turns out that water worlds may be some of the worst places to look for living things. One recent study shows how a planet covered in oceans could be starved of phosphorus, a nutrient without which earthly life cannot thrive. Other work concludes that a planet swamped in even deeper water would be geologically dead, lacking any of the planetary processes that nurture life on Earth.

A. NO CHANGE
B. it
C. this
D. DELETE the underlined word.

(A) is correct because which is the only option that creates a sentence that is both grammatical and logical. Replacing which with it creates a jumbled, nonsense clause (a nutrient without it earthly life cannot thrive), eliminating (B). (C) does not work grammatically or logically. The sentence consists of an independent clause (One recent study shows how a planet covered in oceans could be starved of phosphorus) followed by a comma; in order to avoid a comma splice, the following clause must be dependent. Replacing which with this creates an independent clause (a nutrient without this earthly life cannot thrive) and thus a comma splice. In addition, this construction implies that phosphorous is this earthly life, a meaning that is somewhat bizarre. (D) is incorrect because the phrase after the comma no longer refers back to phosphorous if the underlined pronoun is removed (a nutrient without earthly life cannot thrive) — a pronoun is required to “tie” the two parts of the sentence together. (A) correctly provides that pronoun, making it the answer.

7/27/26

In 1934, Babe Ruth and his American teammates embarked on an 18-game tour of Japan. Swatting 13 home runs, waving American and Japanese flags, clowning with kids, and he even donned a kimono, the Babe won the hearts and minds of the Japanese people.

A. NO CHANGE
B. even donning
C. even to don
D. even don

The underlined section is part of the fourth item in a list. The previous items begin with -ING words (swatting, waving, clowning), so the final item must begin that way as well. Only (B) contains this construction, so it is correct.

7/26/26

Our relationship with horses is distinct from our relationships with cats and dogs; horses sit at the intersection of being wild and domesticated and don’t fit easily into the category of pet. Perhaps this difference also has to do with its large size, which creates an element of danger.

A. NO CHANGE
B. it’s
C. their
D. they’re

To identify the noun to which the underlined pronoun refers (i.e., the antecedent), you must back up to the previous sentence. The only noun that fits is horses, plural — it would not make sense for its to refer to the singular noun difference. As a result, a plural pronoun is required, eliminating (A) and (B). (D) is incorrect as well because you would not say, Perhaps this difference also has to do with they are large size. That leaves (C), which correctly provides the plural possessive, their. Their large size = the large size of horses.

7/25/26

Recently, I did something that many people would consider unthinkable, or at least very strange. Before going to see a movie, I deliberately read a review that revealed all of the major plot points, from start to finish.

A. NO CHANGE
B. movie, I deliberately: read a review that
C. movie I deliberately read a review, that
D. movie, I deliberately read a review

(B) is incorrect because a complete, standalone sentence must be placed before a colon, and Before going to see a movie, I deliberately is clearly not a complete sentence. (C) is incorrect because as a general rule, no comma should be placed before the word that. (D) makes sense on its own, but the removal of that creates a nonsense construction when this answer is plugged into the passage: Before going to see a movie, I deliberately read a review revealed all the major plot points... (A) is correct because it places a comma between a dependent clause (Before going to see a movie) and an independent clause (I deliberately read a review that revealed all the major plot points, from start to finish), without adding any unnecessary punctuation.

7/24/26

For centuries people set their clocks and watches by looking up at the sun and estimating, a tradition that led to wildly dissimilar results between (and often within) cities and towns. To railroad companies around the world, that wasn’t acceptable. They needed synchronized, predictable station times for arrivals and departures, so they proposed splitting up the globe into 24 time zones.

Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable alternative to the underlined word?

A. produced
B. created
C. resulted
D. yielded

Be careful when plugging in the options: produced, created, and yielded all fit, as does resulted in; however, (C) only includes the verb, and it is idiomatically incorrect to say a tradition that resulted wildly dissimilar results. Because the question asks you to identify the answer that is NOT acceptable, (C) is correct.

7/23/26

When the radio became prevalent in the 1930s, Orson Welles perpetrated a famous hoax about extraterrestrials with his infamous “War of the Worlds” program. This broadcast didn’t actually cause widespread fear of an alien invasion among listeners, as some have claimed; however, they did spark a national conversation about mass media and audience gullibility.

A. NO CHANGE
B. it
C. these
D. DELETE the underlined word.

The answer choices contain both singular and plural pronouns, indicating that the question is testing pronoun agreement. As a result, you must start by identifying the underlined pronoun’s antecedent — that is, the noun to which it refers. Although the first half of the sentence does contain a plural noun (listeners), this does not make sense as the antecedent of the underlined word — listeners did not spark a national conversation. Both they and these are plural, so (A) and (C) can be eliminated. (D) does not work because the underlined pronoun cannot be deleted without creating a nonsense construction: a semicolon must be followed by a complete sentence, and removing the pronoun means removing the subject. (B) is correct because the logical antecedent of the underlined pronoun is the singular noun broadcast. (What sparked a national conversation about media and mass gullibility? This broadcast.)

7/22/26

Based in Mexico City, the artist known only as Curiot is famous for his colorful paintings featuring mythical half-animal, half-human figures. Most of which are rooted in Mexican tradition and depicted with meticulous detail, geometrical patterns, and vibrant hues.

A. NO CHANGE
B. figures. Most of these creatures
C. figures, with most of these creatures
D. figures, most of them

(A) is incorrect because pronoun + of which (most of which) signals a dependent clause and cannot be used to begin a sentence. (C) is incorrect because the idiomatic structure is with…-ING (e.g., with most of these figures being rooted); a conjugated verb (are) cannot be used instead. (D) is incorrect because pronoun + of them signals an independent clause and thus cannot be placed after a comma without creating a comma splice. (B) corrects all of these errors by placing a period between two complete sentences.

7/21/26

I don’t know why that particular photo of a half-finished sweater caught my attention, but as soon as I saw it, I wanted to learn to knit. At first, I wasn’t sure I needed another hobby, but after I read an essay by Ann Hood, “Ten Things I Learned From Knitting,” the decision was made by me.

A. NO CHANGE
B. my decision was made by me.
C. my decision had been made.
D. I made my decision.

(A), (B), and (C) are all incorrect because they use the passive voice (x is done by y) to create unnecessarily wordy and awkward constructions. (C) is also wrong because the past perfect (had been + verb) is used to indicate a completed action that came before a second action, but the passage clearly indicates that the narrator made the decision after reading Ann Hood’s essay. (D) is correct because it uses the active voice and is cleaner and more concise than the other options. In addition, an active construction is used earlier in the sentence (after I read an essay…), and this answer maintains that syntax.

7/20/26

Located in Abu Dhabi, the new branch of the Louvre Museum is intended to look like a floating dome: the glimmering structure appears to hover over the sparkling water that surrounds it, and its webbed pattern allows the sky to filter through. The overall effect is meant to evoke rays of sunlight passing through palm leaves in a desert oasis.

If the writer were to delete the words glimmering and sparkling from the underlined portion, the sentence would most nearly lose details that:

A. emphasize the effects of light on the museum building.
B. highlight the contrast in appearance between the museum building and its surroundings.
C. provide an overview of the main sections of the museum.
D. make clear that water is the primary influence on the museum’s design.

To answer this question, you must take the end of the passage into account. The last sentence states that the museum’s design is intended to evoke rays of sunlight passing through palm leaves in a desert oasis—in that context, the use of words like glimmering and sparkling is intended to emphasize the importance of light, a fact that directly corresponds to (A). (B) is incorrect because the passage says/implies nothing about a contrast between the museum building and its surroundings, and (C) is incorrect because the passage also says nothing about the sections of the building. If you read only the underlined portion, (D) might seem plausible, but the last sentence directly contradicts the idea that water is the primary influence on the design of the building.

7/19/26

Unlike the Venus flytrap, the lobes or leaves of the waterwheel do not change shape when they snap shut; rather, closing like two halves of a mussel shell. In contrast, the Venus flytrap flexes its leaves from flat to curved when enclosing its prey.

A. NO CHANGE
B. shut, but rather closing
C. shut but rather close
D. shut but rather closes

(A) is incorrect because a complete sentence must follow a semicolon, but rather, closing like two halves of a mussel shell is not a sentence. (B) is incorrect because a conjugated verb rather than an -ING word (gerund) must be used in order to maintain parallel structure with change. (D) is incorrect because the subject of the underlined verb is lobes or leaves (plural), whereas closes is singular. (C) is correct because it provides a conjugated plural verb (close).

7/18/26

There are almost 90 million cats in the United States, or one for every three households. That makes cats more popular, petwise, than dogs. The majority of them—about two-thirds to three-fourths, surveys say—are sweet, harmless, cuddly housecats, which seldom set foot outside. The other one-quarter to one-third aren’t so harmless. Equipped with laser-quick paws and razor-tipped claws, they are the stuff of every bird and small mammal’s nightmares.

A. NO CHANGE
B. three-fourths, surveys say, are sweet
C. three-fourths, surveys say, are sweet—
D. three-fourths—surveys say are sweet,

Between all of the dashes and internal hyphens, this question is somewhat confusing visually, but the presence of a dash before the underlined section, coupled with the fact that three of the answers contain dashes, is a big clue that a non-essential clause is involved here. As a result, it is easiest to start by identifying that clause. One helpful shortcut is to know that non-essential clauses typically end before verbs, and here there is only one option that places the second dash before a verb: (A). To confirm that answer, try crossing out the information between the dashes: The majority of them…are sweet, harmless, cuddly housecats, which seldom set foot outside. Yes, that makes sense, so (A) is correct.

7/17/26

Announced in 2013, the BRAIN Initiative is a massive project undertaken by a group of agencies and individuals, including universities, technology companies, and neuroscientists. The Initiative includes a variety of programs designed to lower the barriers between the human brain and the digital world, with the goal being to understand how the brain processes information.

A. NO CHANGE
B. to be
C. has been
D. is

The idiomatic construction is with…-ING, which can be used as an alternative to and (with the goal being to understand = and the goal is to understand). As a result, being, which normally signals a wrong answer, must be used. That makes (A) correct.

7/16/26

Training to go to Mars requires a substantial suspension of disbelief. But that has not stopped scores of people from participating in simulations that re-create Mars on Earth in order to better understand and prepare for the challenges of one day sending humans to the red planet. Often set in dusty, remote locations, these so-called Mars analogs often feature lifestyle choices meant to approximate humanity’s journey to the next planet over. There’s a 20-minute communications delay (no phone calls); freeze-dried meals; and limited water supplies. Moreover, participants can never leave the habitat without a spacesuit on.

The writer is considering deleting the underlined portion of the sentence. Should the writer do this?

A. Yes, because it provides background information that is irrelevant to the main focus of the paragraph.
B. Yes, because it suggests that people will travel to Mars in the near future.
C. No, because it provides an explanation for why people choose to participate in simulations of life on Mars.
D. No, because it describes some of the challenges involved in traveling to Mars.

When a question asks whether a given portion of a sentence should be deleted, it’s really asking whether the information in that section is on- or off-topic. What is the passage about? Simulations of life on Mars. What is the focus of the underlined portion? Why people participate in these “Mars analogs,” or the purpose behind Mars analogs. Is that information relevant to the passage? Yes, so (A) and (B) can be eliminated. (D) does not fit because the underlined portion has nothing to do with the challenges involved in traveling to Mars. That leaves (C), which correctly indicates that the purpose of the underlined portion is to explain why people spend months pretending to live on Mars.

7/15/26

Because laws prohibiting excess noise failed to satisfy people’s desire for quiet products and technologies emerged to meet the demand of increasingly sensitive consumers. In the early twentieth century, sound-muffling curtains, softer floor materials, room dividers, and ventilators kept the noise from the outside from coming in, while preventing sounds from bothering neighbors.

A. NO CHANGE
B. quiet, products and technologies
C. quiet products, and technologies
D. quiet products and technologies,

(A) is incorrect because the lack of a comma after quiet results in this word modifying products and technologies and creates one very long clause that begins with a conjunction (because) and thus cannot stand on its own as a sentence. (C) is incorrect because no comma should be placed between compound nouns (two nouns joined by and). To test this answer out, you can also think of the rule this way: comma + and = period, but a period cannot be plugged in after products because the preceding clause is not a complete sentence (Because laws prohibiting excess noise failed to satisfy people’s demand for quiet products.) (D) is incorrect because this answer places a comma between a subject (products and technologies) and the verb that follows (emerged). (B) is correct because the comma after quiet serves to break the sentence into two clauses: a dependent clause (Because laws prohibiting excess noise failed to satisfy people’s demand for quiet) and an independent clause (products and technologies emerged to meet the demand of increasingly sensitive consumers) that together form a complete sentence.

7/14/26

There are over 50,000 therapy dogs in the United States, and they’re becoming more popular in countries from Norway to Brazil. Trained and certified by a variety of organizations, hospitals and other facilities welcome these dogs and their handlers, who interact with patients.

A. NO CHANGE
B. Trained and certified by a variety of organizations, these dogs and their handlers interact with patients and are welcomed by hospitals and other facilities.
C. These dogs and their handlers, welcomed by hospitals and other facilities and trained and certified by a variety of organizations.
D. Welcomed by hospitals and other facilities, these dogs and their handlers being trained and certified by a variety of organizations.

(A) is incorrect because it contains a dangling modifier: the phrase Trained and certified by a variety of organizations must logically describe these dogs and their handlers, but the latter phrase does not appear immediately after the former. (C) is incorrect because it is a fragment: this answer does not contain a main clause that can stand on its own as a sentence. (D) is also a fragment because it contains a gerund (being) rather than a main verb. (B) corrects the dangling modification by placing these dogs and their handlers after the introductory phrase and does not introduce any new errors.

7/13/26

Like many successful authors of the nineteenth century, Washington Irving struggled against literary bootleggers. In England, some of his sketches were reprinted in periodicals without his permission, a legal practice since there was no international copyright law at the time. To prevent further piracy in Britain, Irving paid to have the first four American installments published as a single volume by John Miller in London.

Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable alternative to the underlined portion?

A. permission—a legal practice
B. permission; that practice was legal
C. permission, and a legal practice
D. permission, a practice that was legal

To answer this question, focus on whether information after the punctuation in each answer choice (dash, semicolon, comma) is a complete sentence because that factor determines what type of punctuation can and cannot be used. (A) is acceptable because a legal practice since there was no international copyright law at the time is a fragment, and a dash can correctly come before a fragment. (B) is acceptable because that practice was legal since there was no international copyright law at the time is a complete sentence, and a complete sentence must follow a semicolon. (D) is acceptable because a practice that was legal since there was no international copyright law at the time is a fragment, which can correctly follow a comma. Although (C) contains a comma as well, that comma is followed by and — and comma + and = period. If you plug in a period, you get A legal practice since there was no international copyright law at the time, a statement that is clearly not a sentence. Because the question asks you to identify the option that is NOT acceptable, (C) is correct.

7/12/26

The older you get, the more difficult it is to learn to speak French like a Parisian. However, no one knows exactly what the cutoff point is—at what age it becomes harder, nevertheless, to pick up noun-verb agreements in a new language.

A. NO CHANGE
B. for instance,
C. moreover,
D. likewise,

To simplify the sentence and avoid getting distracted by the transition already in the passage, ignore the transition and re-read the passage without it. The passage is discussing the age at which it becomes more difficult for people to learn a new language. In that context, [picking] up noun-verb agreements is an example of a skill that becomes more difficult as people get older. The only option to convey that relationship is for instance, which indicates that an example is being presented. (B) is thus correct.

7/11/26

They call it “the Never-Ending Storm of Catatumbo” or “The Lighthouse of Maracaibo”: something so familiar that people in the state of Zulia in Venezuela even put it on their flag. Less than half an hour after the first cloud forms, it starts to flash. It does this faster and faster — 200 times a minute is not uncommon. Afterward, the cloud becomes a giant bulb that lights up the night.

Which choice provides new information that is relevant to the rest of the paragraph?

A. NO CHANGE
B. lightning
C. a storm
D. a natural force

The key phrase in the question is “relevant to the rest of the paragraph.” As a result, it is necessary to consider the information in the rest of the passage when determining the answer. What is the focus of the rest of the passage? Something that starts to flash, and that is a giant bulb that lights up the night. The only option that corresponds to that description is “lightning,” so the answer is (B).

7/10/26

Crossword puzzles are said to be the most popular and widespread word game in the world, yet they have a relatively short history. The first crosswords appeared in British children’s books during the nineteenth century, they were simple games, apparently derived from the word square: a group of words arranged so that the letters read alike vertically and horizontally. In the United States, however, the puzzle developed into a serious adult pastime.

A. NO CHANGE
B. Although the first crosswords
C. Until the first crosswords
D. When the first crosswords

To answer this question, you must consider the sentence as a whole; the underlined section alone does not give you enough information to determine the correct option. When considered independently, the underlined portion makes sense; however, the construction comma + they later in the sentence (nineteenth century, they were simple games) signals a comma splice — two complete sentences separated by a comma. Because comma + they cannot be changed, a conjunction must be added to the beginning of the sentence to make the first clause dependent. Although does not make sense: the first crosswords were not simple games despite the fact that they appeared in children’s books. Those are similar ideas, not different ones. Until also does not make sense: this answer would imply that crosswords were simple games before they appeared in children’s books (at which point they became more complex). Only when fits: it indicates that crossword puzzles were simple at the time they appeared in children’s books. That makes (D) correct.

7/9/26

When German immigrants first started coming to the United States in the 1700s, they brought the pretzel with them. Bavarians and other southern Germans had been enjoying pretzels for hundreds of years. Sometimes they ate pretzels as a side to a main dinner course; other times, they chowed down on sweet pretzels for dessert. In Swabia, a region in southwestern Germany, signs for bakeries still include gilded pretzels hanging over the door.

A. NO CHANGE
B. chomped on
C. consumed
D. chugged

Chowed down on, chomped on, and chugged are all excessively slangy and casual when compared to the types of words used in the rest of the passage. In addition, chugged can only describe something done to a liquid, not a solid food. Only consumed is consistent with the moderately serious tone of the passage, making the answer (C).

7/8/26

While most paintings produced by members of the Hudson River School were rendered realistically, many of the scenes they depicted were synthesized from a variety of natural images observed by the artists. In gathering the visual data for their paintings, the artists would travel to environments with extraordinary and extreme conditions that did not permit extended painting in these environments. During the expeditions, the artists recorded sketches and memories, returning to their studios to paint the finished works later.

A. NO CHANGE
B. in such environments.
C. in such places.
D. DELETE the underlined portion.

To answer this question, you must take the entire sentence into account — the underlined portion does not provide enough information to answer the question. Before the underlined section, the writer already makes clear that artists would travel to environments with extraordinary and extreme conditions that did not permit extended painting. As a result, it is redundant to restate this information. (Although (C) replaces environments with places, the result is still the same.) The information should therefore be deleted, making (D) correct.

7/7/26

Key-Sook Geum is an artist, fashion designer, and scholar from the Republic of Korea. Having taught and worked in fashion design, Geum combines art with fashion through her exquisite wire sculptures in the shape of women’s clothing.
She is inspired by the shapes and styles of clothing from Korea’s Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). The items tell stories about the people who wore them: their lives, values, and beliefs.

A. NO CHANGE
B. sculpture’s in the shape of womens
C. sculptures in the shape of womens’
D. sculptures’ in the shape of women’s

As a rule, a noun can only be possessive when it is followed by another noun, so start by looking at the words after sculptures and women’s. Sculptures is followed by in, which is a preposition rather than a noun, so this word cannnot be possessive (no apostrophe). That eliminates (B) and (D). The word clothing, which follows women’s, is a noun (you can say the clothing) so an apostrophe is necessary — the question is whether it belongs before or after the -s. Although the plural possessive (women’s clothing = clothing belonging to women) is normally formed by adding -s + apostrophe to a noun, women is irregular: that is, its plural is not formed by adding -s to its singular form (woman). To form the possessive of an irregular plural noun, add apostrophe + -s (women’s). (A) is thus correct.

7/6/26

Located in London’s Kew Gardens, the greenhouse known as the Temperate House is home to a geographically arranged collection of 10,000 plants from temperate climates around the world. These areas are sometimes described as “the Goldilocks zone” of the planet. Plants are safe from frost there.

Which of the following choices most effectively combines the underlined sentences?

A. These areas are sometimes described as the “Goldilocks zone” of the planet, being that plants are safe from frost there.
B. These areas are sometimes described as the planet’s “Goldilocks zone,” where plants are safe from frost.
C. These areas are sometimes described as the “Goldilocks zone” of the planet, and that is an area where plants are safe from frost.
D. Described sometimes as the “Goldilocks zone” of the planet, plants are safe from frost there.

Shortcut: shorter is better. When you are asked to combine sentences, the shortest answer will frequently be correct, and you should start by looking at it. That is the case here: (B), the shortest answer, is also the cleanest and least awkward, and it does not contain any grammatical errors. Otherwise, (A) is incorrect because the phrase being that is wordy and awkward (note that answers with being are almost always wrong). (C) is incorrect because the phrase and that is an area where is unnecessarily wordy and repetitive. (D) is incorrect because it contains a dangling modifier: the phrase Described sometimes as “the Goldilocks zone” of the planet refers to areas, so that word, not plants, must follow the comma. (B) is correct because it joins the sentences cleanly, using only one word (where).

7/5/26

It’s difficult to describe how excited I was when two veteran mountain climbers asked me to join them for a winter attempt on Gasherbrum II, one of the tallest peaks in the Himalayas. Like any adventurous activity, mountaineering has hazards. They must find someone who can tolerate extremely challenging conditions—frostbite burns, intense hunger, the loss of feeling in fingers and toes, overwhelming weariness—all while maintaining the will to push forward.

Which of the following true statements provides the most appropriate transition between the previous sentence and the information that follows?

A. NO CHANGE
B. Mountaineers must choose their climbing partners with extreme care.
C. Personal preparedness and skill development are very important.
D. Instructors teach many skills, including the fundamentals of survival in a cold environment.

Although this question is phrased in terms of transitions, the easiest way to answer it is to focus on the information that follows the underlined statement. That statement must logically set up the information that follows. In this case, the following sentence refers to the fact that [climbers] must find someone who can tolerate some very challenging conditions. Logically, the underlined sentence must indicate who that “someone” who must be found is — otherwise, the following sentence does not make sense. The choices that refer to specific people are (B) (mountaineers) and (D) (instructors). (B) is correct because mountaineers must logically choose partners who can withstand such difficult conditions. Given that the narrator states that s/he was invited to join two veteran mountain climbers, the reference to instructors does not make sense — the narrator is describing a partnership, not a student/teacher scenario.

7/4/26

Many marine animals are large, rare, elusive, and highly mobile. Sharks are an obvious example: in the oceans they make up a small proportion of the biomass, are difficult to catch, and they have been in conflict with humans for thousands of years.

A. NO CHANGE
B. have been
C. having been
D. being

The underlined portion involves the third item in a list, so the format of this item must match the format of the previous two. (C) and (D) do not match either of the first two items at all and can be eliminated right away. Be careful with (A): although the construction pronoun + verb (they have been) is the same as in the first item (they make up), this answer does not match the second item, which begins with a verb alone (are). As a result, this answer is incorrect. Although (B) may appear to contain the same problem, in fact it is acceptable. The pronoun they before the first item can in fact “apply” to the verbs in the following items, making it unnecessary to repeat the pronoun. (B) is thus correct.

7/3/26

We know a lot about carbon, the element that forms the chemical backbone of life, in our crust and oceans. We know far less about it in the Earth’s core and mantle. So far, it’s proved challenging to sample the mantle, which extends up to 1,800 miles below the surface and plays a huge yet mysterious role in the global carbon cycle.

A. NO CHANGE
B. surface, and plays a huge yet mysterious,
C. surface and plays a huge, yet mysterious
D. surface, and plays a huge yet mysterious,

Comma + and = period, so plug in a period in place of and: So far, it’s proved challenging to sample the mantle, which extends up to 1,800 miles below the surface. Plays a huge yet mysterious role in the global carbon cycle. Clearly, the second statement is not a sentence, so the comma before and is incorrect. That eliminates (B) and (D). (C) is also incorrect because when two adjectives are separated by but or yet, no comma should be used between them. (A) is correct because no punctuation is necessary in the underlined section.

7/2/26

If you’ve heard the term “grazer” before, it may bring to mind familiar farm animals, such as cows or sheep munching on pastureland. But the ocean has its own suite of grazers, one with very different — even bizarre — body forms and feeding techniques.

A. NO CHANGE
B. animals such as cows or sheep,
C. animals such as cows or sheep
D. animals such as: cows or sheep

(A) is incorrect because the comma before such would logically seem to begin a non-essential phrase (such as cows or sheep), but there is no second comma to end the phrase. (B) contains the opposite error: a comma is placed at the end of the non-essential phrase, but there is no comma at the beginning. (D) is incorrect because a colon must be placed after a complete, standalone thought, and If you’ve heard the term “grazer” before, it may bring to mind familiar farm animals, such as clearly cannot stand on its own as a sentence. Although the phrase such as cows and sheep can be treated non-essentially, it does not need to be. As a result, the commas are optional; it is also acceptable not to use any punctuation. (C) is thus correct.

7/1/26

Five decades into his life, Phineas Taylor Barnum from Bethel, Connecticut, had risen above his humble beginnings as an impoverished country boy and become a showman—indeed, the “greatest showman” (as he would claim) of his generation. Thanks to a combination of brilliant marketing tactics and less-than-upstanding business practices, Barnum had truly arrived, and with his book Humbugs of the World, published in 1865, he wanted to inform you, his audience, that he hadn’t achieved his rags-to-riches success story by scamming the public.

The use of parentheses in the underlined portion is most likely intended to

A. distinguish Barnum’s exact words from the surrounding description of his life.
B. emphasize the obstacles that Barnum overcame to achieve success.
C. illustrate the pride that Barnum took in his career.
D. suggest that Barnum may have exaggerated his accomplishments.

To answer this question, you must focus on the wording of the information in the parentheses. In context of the fact that Barnum was a showman given to less-than-upstanding business practices, the phrase as he would claim serves to emphasize the idea that Barnum was given to making over-the-top statements about his achievements, i.e., that he “may have exaggerated his accomplishments.” That makes the answer (D). (A) is incorrect because the information in the parentheses is not a direct quote. (B) is off-topic because the information in the parentheses has nothing to do with Barnum’s rags-to-riches story. Be careful with (C), though: it is obvious from the passage that Barnum took pride in his career, but the focus of the parenthetical information is on Barnum’s outsized claim about his accomplishments.

6/30/26

In 1998, excavators digging on North Carolina’s remote Hatteras Island uncovered a tattered ring emblazoned with a prancing lion. A local jeweler determined that the ring was gold, however, it soon became clear that this was more than just a buried treasure. After careful examination, a British heraldry expert linked the ring to the Kendall family involved in the ill-fated Roanoke voyages.

A. NO CHANGE
B. gold, however
C. gold however,
D. gold, but

The key to answering this question is to recognize that however is not being used non-essentially. Rather, it is being used to begin a new clause (it soon became clear that this was more than just a buried treasure). Two commas around however indicate that this word is non-essential, so (A) can be eliminated. (B) and (C) are effectively “dummy” answers: it is also incorrect to place a single comma before or after however. When however is used to begin a clause, it must follow a semicolon, but there is no option that allows for this construction. The alternative is to use the FANBOYS conjunction but, with a comma before it. That makes the answer (D).

6/29/26

Octopuses, those highly intelligent but bizarre cephalopods, seem to embody everything creepy and mysterious about the sea. The thought of their soft, squishy, bodies lurking in the oceans’ dark reaches has inspired monsters ranging from the Kraken to the Caribbean Lusca.

A. NO CHANGE
B. soft, squishy bodies
C. soft squishy, bodies
D. soft, squishy bodies,

(A) and (C) are incorrect because no comma should be placed between an adjective (squishy) and the noun it modifies (bodies), and (D) is incorrect because no comma is necessary between bodies and the modifying phrase that follows (lurking in the oceans’ dark reaches). (B) is correct because a comma can be inserted between two adjectives (soft, squishy) if the word and can be placed between them. It is also correct to say soft and squishy, so the comma is acceptable.

6/28/26

During a rough North Dakota winter some 100 years ago, members of the Lakota tribe living in Fort Yates created art that captured scenes from their everyday life. Using watercolor and colored pencil, they constructed vivid scenes of hunting, dancing, and community life. The drawings are part of a larger project providing access to more than 200,000 documents and images offering a peek into early American history and westward expansion.

If the writer were to delete the underlined portion (adjusting the punctuation accordingly), the passage would primarily lose

A. information about the materials used to produce the drawings.
B. a description of a vivid scene depicted in the drawings.
C. an explanation of the role of art in early American history.
D. a discussion of specific techniques used to produce the drawings.

Questions that ask what would be lost if a particular phrase or sentence were underlined are really asking what sort of information the phrase or sentence contains. As a result, to answer the question you must focus on the underlined portion itself, not the rest of the passage without it. So what sort of information does the underlined portion provide? The kinds of paint/art tools, i.e., the materials, that the members of the Lakota used to create the drawings. That makes the answer (A). All of the other options are off-topic.

6/27/26

Relativity dictates that time, like a strange syrup, flows more slowly on moving trains than in the stations and faster in the mountains than in the valleys. The time for our wristwatch or digital screen, is not exactly the same as the time for our head.

A. NO CHANGE
B. wristwatch or digital screen—
C. wristwatch, or digital screen
D. wristwatch or digital screen

(A) is incorrect because it places a comma between the complete subject (The time for our wristwatch or digital screen) and the verb (is). (B) is incorrect for the same reason as (A); this answer merely replaces the comma with a dash. (C) is incorrect because no comma should be placed between compound nouns (wristwatch or digital screen). That leaves (D), which is correct because no punctuation is required in the underlined section.

6/26/26

Designing and building a hotel suite is no easy endeavor. Now imagine designing and creating one out of ice. Since 1990, the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, rebuilds itself north of the Arctic Circle each winter, creating a tourist destination made entirely out of ice and snow.

A. NO CHANGE
B. has rebuilt
C. had rebuilt
D. rebuilt

The tip-off word for this question is since — it indicates that the sentence is describing an action that begins in the past and that is continuing into the present (the ice hotel began rebuilding itself each winter in 1990 and is still doing so today). The tense that corresponds to this type of action is the present perfect (has/have + past participle), making the answer (B).

6/25/26

Even when you are asleep, your brain cells continuously buzz with a low level of electrical activity akin to white noise on the radio. Occasionally, this electrical clamor reaches a threshold that triggers the firing of neurons. New research suggests that when random firing occurs in the wake-promoting neurons, a person briefly jerks awake. But that is countered by a suite of sleep-promoting neurons that helps him or her fall quickly back to sleep.

A. NO CHANGE
B. one
C. you
D. us

To identify the correct pronoun, you must look back to the previous sentence to identify the antecedent. Logically, it can only be the singular noun a person. The only option that corresponds to that antecedent is the phrase him or her, so (A) is correct.

6/24/26

Driverless cars “perceive” the world around them using lasers, radar, GPS and other sensors, but their perceptions can be very different from those of human eyes. At the same time, their active response times can be extremely fast—or sometimes even excessive slowly—when compared to the speed of human intervention.

A. NO CHANGE
B. excessively slow
C. excessively slowly
D. excessive slowly

As a general rule, when adverb/adjective pairs are tested, the first word will be an adverb (-ly) that modifies the adjective that follows (no –ly). That is the case here: the second word serves to modify the noun phrase active response times, and so it must be an adjective; an adverb is then required to modify the adjective. (How slow were the response times? Excessively slow). Alternately, you can recognize that the underlined phrase must be parallel to extremely fast, which contains the adverb-adjective pattern. Either way, (B) is correct.

6/23/26

You probably don’t remember, but you woke up at least 100 times last night. These spontaneous disruptions, each lasts less than 15 seconds, occur roughly every five minutes and don’t seem to affect how well-rested you feel. They are unrelated to waking up from a bad dream. Instead, they seem to be linked to some internal biological mechanism.

A. NO CHANGE
B. each of them lasts
C. each one lasts
D. each lasting

The commas surrounding each lasts less than 15 seconds indicate a non-essential clause that can be eliminated from the sentence without affecting its basic structure: These spontaneous disruptions…occur roughly every five minutes and don’t seem to affect how well-rested you feel. As a rule, a non-essential phrase or clause must be dependent — that is, it cannot stand on its own as a grammatically complete sentence. (A), (B), and (C) are all complete sentences that contain subjects and verbs. Only (D), with the gerund lasting, is dependent and can be used non-essentially.

6/22/26

To travel westward across the United States is to experience a striking landscape metamorphosis. Stately hardwood trees give way to squat shrubs, verdant cornfields to brown wheat, and lush grasslands with cacti and creosote bush. The air dries out, and the land is often parched.

A. NO CHANGE
B. grasslands have
C. grasslands for
D. grasslands to

The underlined section is part of the third item in a list. The previous two items follow the patterns x gives way to y, even though the words give way are only implied after the first item: Stately hardwood trees give way to squat shrubs, verdant cornfields (give way) to brown wheat. The third item must continue this pattern by using the preposition to, making (D) correct.

6/21/26

Light enables us to see, but it affects many other body systems as well. In the morning, light advances our internal clock, while light at night delays the clock, making us more inclined to remain awake. Light also suppresses a hormone called melatonin, which signals to the rest of the body that it’s night-time, including the parts regulating sleep.

A. NO CHANGE
B. to the rest of the body that it’s night-time, which includes the parts regulating sleep.
C. that it’s night-time to the rest of the body, this includes the parts that regulate sleep.
D. that it’s night-time to the rest of the body, including the parts that regulate sleep.

As a rule, modifiers should be placed as close as possible to the word or phrase they modify. In this case, including the parts that regulate sleep must modify the body. As a result, these two elements must be placed next to one another. (A) can be eliminated because including the parts that regulate sleep is placed next to night-time, creating a misplaced modifier. (B) creates the same error: the phrase which includes the parts regulating sleep must refer back to the noun that precedes it — again night-time. (C) corrects this error but introduces a comma splice: two complete sentences separated by only a comma (tip-off: comma + this). (D) corrects the original error by placing including the parts that regulate sleep next to the body without introducing any new problems.

6/20/26

Every night, trillions of sea creatures—whales, jellyfish, swarms of shrimp, and plankton, take part in what some call the largest mass migration on the planet. From depths of at least 2,000 feet, they swim to the ocean’s surface, in a wave of animals that propagates as the sun sets around the planet. By daylight, they return below.

A. NO CHANGE
B. whales; jellyfish, and swarms of shrimp and plankton,
C. whales, jellyfish, swarms of shrimp, and plankton—
D. whales, jellyfish, swarms of shrimp, and plankton

The phrase whales, jellyfish, swarms of shrimp, and plankton is non-essential because the sentence still makes sense when it is removed: Every night, trillions of sea creatures…take part in what some call the largest mass migration on the planet. As a result, a second dash must be used to mark the end of the non-essential clause. That makes (C) the only possible answer. In the other answers, the various types of punctuation within the list are only a distraction.

6/19/26

The world in which Picasso lived was particularly supportive of his developing celebrity. His family cultivated his creative passion, he had clusters of peers who inspired him, and he had the good fortune to be born at a time when new ideas in science, literature, and music energized his work. However, the advent of mass media allowed him to achieve widespread fame.

A. NO CHANGE
B. In contrast,
C. In fact,
D. Moreover,

To answer this question, ignore the transition already in the passage and consider the information before and after the last sentence. The information before indicates that Picasso was born in an era conducive to his success, and the final sentence continues that idea by explaining how he was able to become so famous. However and in contrast both indicate a contradiction, so (A) and (B) can be eliminated. In fact does not quite work either. This transition serves to emphasize a previous statement on the same subject, but the previous sentence focuses on innovations in various fields, whereas the last sentence focuses on the media. As a result, (C) can be eliminated. (D) is correct because moreover serves to introduce an idea that is new but related to the previous one.

6/18/26

Although quite different from one another, humans, plants and some fungi share gravitropism, the ability to know up from down. This trait helps us survive by sensing Earth’s gravitational pull, humans can move around without getting dizzy, and plants and fungi can obtain nutrients and reproduce.

A. NO CHANGE
B. survive; by sensing Earth’s gravitational pull—
C. survive: by sensing Earth’s gravitational pull,
D. survive, by sensing Earth’s gravitational pull,

(A) and (D) are both incorrect because they create comma splices: two complete sentences separated by a comma. (D) also incorrectly places a comma before a preposition (by). (B) can be eliminated as well because the dash after pull creates an unnatural break in the sentence: the explanation (how gravitropism helps us survive) does not begin right afterward, nor is it a logical place for a dramatic pause. In contrast, (C) is correct because it places a colon at the beginning of the explanation and logically separates the two sentences.

6/17/26

Spider webs come in many forms, from the trampoline-like construction of the sheet web spider to the instantly recognizable filigree of the orb weaver. Orb-style webs are made by diverse spiders, however, and there are two different types: one that’s sticky and one that’s not.

Which of the following is the LEAST acceptable alternative to the underlined portion?

A. one sticky and one not.
B. one is sticky, and the other is not.
C. one sticky, the other one that’s not.
D. one of them is sticky, and the other is not.

(A), (B), and (D) all contain parallel constructions (one…one; one is…the other is; and one of them is…the other is), whereas (C) contains a non-parallel structure: one + adjective..the other one + that’s. That lack of parallel structure makes it the most awkward, LEAST acceptable option. As a result, (C) is correct.

6/16/26

For millennia, humans lived in synchrony with the natural cycle of light and dark. This doesn’t mean that everyone went to sleep as soon as the sun set. Studies of pre-industrial societies, such as tribes living in Tanzania or Bolivia today, suggest that people stay up for several hours after dark, often socializing by firelight. In fact, the amount of sleep they get is quite like people in industrialized countries, but the timing is more in line with the natural cycle of day and night: they tend to go to bed earlier and get up just before dawn.

The passage implies that people in industrialized countries

A. sleep for shorter periods than people in pre-industrial societies.
B. have sleep patterns that are less in sync with the natural light cycle.
C. tend to go to bed shortly after dark.
D. socialize after dark as a way of avoiding sleep.

The passage states that in comparison to people in industrialized countries, people in pre-industrial countries have sleep patterns more in line with the natural cycle of day and night. As a result, it can be inferred that people in industrialized countries have sleep cycles that are less in line with the natural cycle of day and night, i.e., “less in sync with the natural light cycle.” That makes the answer (B). (A) is incorrect because the passage states that people in pre-industrial and industrial societies get around the same amount of sleep; (C) is incorrect because the passage states that people in pre-industrial societies stay up for several hours after dark, and that they go to bed earlier than people in industrial societies. The implication is that people in industrial societies stay awake longer than a few hours after dark — not that they go to bed “shortly after dark.” (D) is entirely unsupported by the passage.

6/15/26

The microbial denizens of Monterey Canyon are far different from many of it’s surface-dwelling cousins, making food out of rocks and dead debris and harvesting energy from methane that seeps out from the ocean floor. To survive in this dark, high-pressure, low-oxygen, low-nutrient environment, they form all kinds of cooperative relationships.

A. NO CHANGE
B. its
C. they’re
D. their

Don’t get distracted by the singular noun Monterey Canyon. The underlined pronoun must refer to a noun that has surface-dwelling cousins. Logically, the only noun in the sentence to which that could apply is microbial denizens (inhabitants), which is plural. As a result, the underlined pronoun must be plural as well. That eliminates (A) and (B). (C) can be eliminated as well because they’re = they are, and you would not say The microbial denizens of Monterey Canyon are far different from many of they are surface-dwelling cousins. That leaves (D), which correctly provides the plural form, their. Their surface-dwelling cousins = the surface-dwelling cousins of the microbial denizens (of Monterey Canyon).

6/14/26

People with synesthesia are able to associate the perception of color with letters and numbers. This condition is often described as _______ of the senses – one that allows a person to see sounds or hear colors.

A. a refusal
B. a distribution
C. a collaboration
D. an estimate

The key phrase associate the perception of color with letters and numbers indicates that people with synesthesia have senses that come together to produce new ways of experiencing the world. The correct word must therefore mean something like “come together,” or “combine.” The closest match for this meaning is “collaborate” (work together), making the answer (C). “Refusal” (the act of refusing), “distribution” (the act of distributing), and “estimate” (approximation) all do not fit.

6/13/26

For Deborah Willis, the photograph is an instrument of memory that can be used to explore the value of self, family, and memory in documenting everyday life. She first became aware of the photograph as an important storytelling device as a young girl growing up in Philadelphia; today, she is a renowned photographer who uses her work to convey stories about family life.

A. NO CHANGE
B. self, family and, memory
C. self, family and memory,
D. self family and memory

In a list of three items, commas must always be placed between the first two items, so (D) can automatically be eliminated. (B) can be eliminated as well because a comma can only be placed before and, not after. Although the comma before the third item is optional, (C) can also be eliminated because when this answer is plugged into the sentence, the comma after memory results in a comma being incorrectly placed before a preposition (in). (A) correctly places commas between the items in the list, without adding any additional, unnecessary punctuation.

6/12/26

Like mathematicians, poets create layers of meaning by utilizing words and images that have multiple interpretations and associations. Both mathematicians and poets strive for economy and precision, they select exactly the words they need to convey their meaning.

A. NO CHANGE
B. precision, selecting
C. precision and selects
D. precision, but they select

(A) is incorrect because it creates a comma splice: two complete sentences separated by only a comma (tip-off: comma + they). (C) is incorrect because the verb selects is singular and does not agree with the subject mathematicians and poets. (D) is grammatically correct but illogical because the two halves of the sentence do not express a contrast. On the contrary, they express two very closely connected ideas. (B) correctly uses an -ING word (participle) to eliminate the comma splice and smoothly join the two halves of the sentence.

6/11/26

The Earth outside your window might appear quiet, but that’s because you’re looking at a tiny slice in time and space. Expand your view, and you’ll see plates shift, earthquakes ripple, and volcanoes erupting along tectonic boundaries.

A. NO CHANGE
B. that erupt
C. erupt
D. erupted

The underlined portion is the third item in a list, and so it must be presented in the same format as the first two items. Both of those items contain the construction noun + conjugated (present-tense) verb, so the third item must contain this construction as well. This item already contains a noun (volcanoes), so only a conjugated verb in the present is required. (C) is the only answer that fits this pattern, so it is correct.

6/10/26

It took only ten minutes for Harvey Ball to create the smiley face. It is now an iconic image with two black marks for eyes and a black grin on a bright yellow background. After Ball presented his work to the State Mutual Life Assurance Company, which had commissioned the image to boost employee morale, he was paid just $45 for his work.

Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable alternative to the underlined portion?

A. face—a now-iconic image
B. face: a now-iconic image
C. face; a now-iconic image
D. face, now an iconic image

The easiest way to answer this question is essentially to play “which of these things is not like the others”? The key is to notice that all of the answers use some form of punctuation to separate a complete sentence (It only took ten minutes for Harvey Ball to create the smiley face) from a fragment (a now-iconic image/now an iconic image). A dash, a colon, and a comma can all be followed by a fragment, whereas that is never the case for a semicolon. Because the question asks which answer would NOT be acceptable, (C) is correct.

6/9/26

In a recent study, researchers at Penn State solicited the school’s faculty, staff and students to complete a series of online questionnaires about their fitness, commuting habits, and comfort and ability on a bike or as pedestrians. Only a few of the 505 respondents went by foot or bike. Most of whom were students.

A. NO CHANGE
B. bike, most of whom
C. bike, and most of whom
D. bike, most of them

The construction pronoun + of whom, e.g., most of whom, many of whom, several of whom, is always dependent and cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence. That eliminates (A). (C) is incorrect because it is grammatically identical to (A): comma + and = period, so the same error results. (D) creates the flip side of the original error: pronoun + of them is always independent and can stand by itself as a sentence. As a result, placing this construction after a comma creates a comma splice. (B) is correct because it uses a comma to separate an independent clause (Only a few of the 505 respondents went by foot or bike) from a dependent clause (most of whom were students).

6/8/26

After swimming for years in a giant loop from nesting grounds in North Carolina and Florida to North Africa, sea turtles find their way back to nest on beaches within about 50 miles of where they were born. A new study suggests that the turtles are able to accomplish this feat by “memorizing” their home beach’s distinctive magnetic signature through a process known as geomagnetic imprinting.

A. NO CHANGE
B. there home beaches’
C. their home beaches
D. they’re home beach’s

They’re = they are, and it does not make sense to say …the turtles are able to accomplish this feat by “memorizing” they are home beaches, so (D) can be eliminated. There refers to a place, but that does not fit here since the underlined pronoun is not actually replacing beaches. The only logical interpretation of the underlined pronoun is that it refers to the home beaches of the turtles, i.e., their (possessive) beaches. That means the answer is either (A) or (C). (C) can be eliminated because beach is followed by another noun (distinctive magic signature) and must be possessive: home beach’s magnetic signature = magnetic signature of the home beach. (A) is thus correct.

6/7/26

In 2008, chunks of space rock crashed in the Sudanese desert. Now, scientists believe that diamonds discovered inside one of the recovered meteorites might of come from a destroyed planet that orbited our sun billions of years ago. If their hypothesis is confirmed, it would be the first time anyone has recovered fragments from one of our solar system’s so-called “lost” planets.

A. NO CHANGE
B. might of came
C. might have come
D. might have came

As a rule, might (along with should, could, and would) must be followed by have, not of. Questions like this one play on the similarity in sound between the two words. Since of is incorrect, (A) and (B) can both be eliminated. (D) can be eliminated as well because a form of to have must be followed by the past participle form of a verb (come) rather than the simple past (came). That makes (C) correct.

6/6/26

It was one of the shortest train rides I had ever taken: just 10 minutes and one stop from the Swiss city of Neuchatel. When I disembarked, everything seemed different at first, I couldn’t put my finger on what was strange. Perhaps it was something about the architecture? People’s body language? Even the air, crisp and fresh, felt somehow changed.

A. NO CHANGE
B. different, at first
C. different, so at first
D. different, but at first

(A) is incorrect because the comma before I creates a comma splice — two complete sentences separated by a comma. (Note that comma + pronoun is a tip-off for a comma splice.) (B) creates the same error as (A); it simply moves the placement of the comma. (C) is grammatically acceptable but creates an illogical relationship: the fact that the narrator could not put [his/her] finger on what was strange is not a result of the fact that everything seemed different. But is a much more logical transition because it accurately conveys the contrast between the two parts of the sentence. (D) is thus correct.

6/5/26

Although it’s well known that people should pace themselves while they study, new research suggests that it is best to aim for “minimal interference” during breaks – that is, to avoid any activity that could tamper in the delicate task of memory formation.

A. NO CHANGE
B. to
C. around
D. with

The verb tamper must be followed by the preposition with; any other preposition is not idiomatic. That makes the answer (D).

6/4/26

Some people can’t see differences in colors—so-called color blindness—because of a defect or absence of cones: cells in the retina that are sensitive to high levels of light. However, the distribution and density of these cells also varies across people with “normal” vision, causing everyone to experience the same color in a slightly different way.

A. NO CHANGE
B. vary
C. has varied
D. would vary

The answer choices include a mix of singular verbs (varies, has varied) and plural verbs (vary), so start by identifying the subject and determining whether it is singular or plural. In this case, the sentence contains a compound (plural) subject: two singular nouns joined by and (distribution and density). As a result, a plural verb (vary) is required. (A) and (C) are singular and can thus be eliminated. (D) is incorrect as well because there is no need to shift tenses. In addition, would vary is in the conditional, a tense that is used to refer to actions that could happen — not the case here. (B) is thus correct.

6/3/26

On his first and only visit to Japan, in the late fall of 1922, Albert Einstein was wowed by the beauty of the country and the refinement of the culture. The populace was equally impressed by the visitor, greeting him on his arrival in Kobe with great fanfare. Einstein was, after all, not just the era’s best-known scientist, but arguably the most famous person in the world.

A. NO CHANGE
B. captivated
C. tickled pink
D. knocked out

This question is testing register, or formal vs. informal language. Wowed, tickled pink, and knocked out are all far too informal and inconsistent with the passage’s moderately serious tone. Captivated is the only answer that matches.

6/2/26

The modern concept of bike sharing – offering bikes for short-term public rental from multiple stations in cities – originated in Copenhagen in 1995. When bikeshares began to be implemented in the United States more than a decade later, they encountered some stumbling blocks. Washington, D.C., led the way, launching SmartBike in 2008. Two years later, in response to increasing demand from suburban dwellers, it began offering an expanded network called Capital Bikeshare, which now boasts over 480 stations and a daily ridership of 5,700.

Which choice provides information that is most relevant at this point in the paragraph?

A. NO CHANGE
B. remained limited in scope.
C. met with resistance from drivers.
D. quickly grew in popularity.

To answer this question, you must focus on the information that comes after that underlined statement — the beginning of the passage does not provide enough information. If you read the sentences after the underlined section, you’ll see that bikeshares have done very well in the United States, as indicated by the phrase increasing demand and the fact that Capital Bikeshare now boasts over 480 stations and a daily ridership of 5,700. As a result, the correct answer must be positive and consistent with that information. (A), (B) and (C) are all negative, but the phrase quickly grew in popularity in (D) is consistent with the idea of an expanded network. That makes (D) correct.

6/1/26

The Bajau people are able to dive dozens of feet underwater without conventional diving aids such as wetsuits and oxygen tanks. Instead, they rely on weights, handmade wooden goggles, and taking a single breath of air.

A. NO CHANGE
B. they take
C. take
D. DELETE the underlined word.

The underlined word is part of the third item in a three-item list. The first two items consist of nouns (weights, handmade wooden goggles), so the third item must also consist of a noun (a single breath of air). As a result, no verb should be placed at the beginning of the third item, making (D) correct.

Explanation