11/20/24
Recognized today as one of the world’s leading authorities on the Sphinx, archaeologist, Mark Lehner, has conducted field research on the pyramids at Giza during most of the 37 years since his first visit to Egypt.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Sphinx; archaeologist, Mark Lehner
C. Sphinx, archaeologist Mark Lehner
D. Sphinx archaeologist Mark Lehner,
Click here for the answer.
11/19/24
Coffee rust has plagued farmers for more than a century. When a tree gets infected by it, its leaves produce a brown, thin powder when scratched, pretty much like iron rust. The disease, caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix, also de-colors the bush’s leaves from a bright green to a brownish yellow. In the end, the tree loses all its leaves, as well as its ability to produce beans.
Coffee plants flourish in soil that is low in acid but high in nitrogen. In the late 19th century, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and other countries in Southeast Asia were the world’s major exporters of coffee, but in a matter of decades, their coffee industries were nearly destroyed.
Which of the following provides the best transition to the information that follows?
A. NO CHANGE
B. If allowed to spread, the disease can have dramatic consequences.
C. Temperatures in countries outside the tropics are too variable for coffee trees to thrive.
D. Coffee rust typically infects plants grown at elevations below 5,000 feet.
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11/18/24
Native to South America, the cashew plant was brought by the Portuguese to India around 1560 and had spread east into Asia and south into Africa during the seventeenth century.
A. NO CHANGE
B. has spread
C. spread
D. will spread
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11/17/24
According to marine biologist Gil Rosenthal, distance and motion often makes it difficult for certain predators to perceive fine details on the bodies of their prey.
A. NO CHANGE
B. often make
C. has often made
D. often making
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11/16/24
The architect Renzo Piano earned a reputation as an innovator for his design of Paris’s Pompidou Center. The Center’s exterior consisted of brightly colored tubes and marked a radical break with tradition.
What is the best way to join the sentence at the underlined portion?
A. Center, whose exterior consisted of brightly colored tubes that marked
B. Center, so its exterior consisting of brightly colored tubes marking
C. Center, its exterior consisted of brightly colored tubes that would mark
D. Center; and whose exterior consisted of brightly colored tubes that marked
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11/15/24
In a recent Job Outlook survey, employers rated the “ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization” as the most important quality in perspective workers.
A. NO CHANGE
B. for perspective
C. in prospective
D. to prospective
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11/14/24
Reading fiction allows people to understand other people’s actions by entering into characters’ minds and seeing situations from their interior points of view. In fact, recent studies suggest that people, who read novels regularly, tend to have higher levels of empathy.
A. NO CHANGE
B. people who read novels regularly,
C. people, who read novels regularly
D. people who read novels regularly
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11/13/24
Dinoflagellates emit blue light when disturbed, which is why they can be seen sparkling over wave crests, around boats or when a hand or paddle runs through them. These tiny creatures are the most common source of bioluminescence at the ocean’s surface. So-called bioluminescent bays such as in Puerto Rico and Jamaica are among the best-known places to witness the glow. However, the ephemeral phenomenon can be found throughout the ocean where there are dense gatherings of dinoflagellates. Sometimes dinoflagellates’ population increases rapidly, causing blooms, which by day are coloured a less attractive red-brown, sometimes known as red tides. And some, but not all, of these red tides are poisonous.
The passage implies that a rapid increase in dinoflagellates
A. can be harmful to other creatures.
B. improves dinoflagellates’ ability to produce light.
C. occurs primarily in warm waters.
D. is associated with the emission of blue light.
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11/12/24
Ammonia is a waste product that can be toxic to animals, however, plants, including phytoplankton, prize ammonia as the most energy-efficient way to build new cells.
A. NO CHANGE
B. animals however
C. animals however,
D. animals, but
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11/11/24
Hanging low on the horizon, ancient Polynesian mariners were helped by bright stars to navigate between the many islands of the Pacific Ocean.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Bright stars, which acted as compasses that helped ancient Polynesian mariners navigate between the many islands of the Pacific Ocean.
C. Bright stars acting as compasses helped ancient Polynesian mariners navigate the many islands of the Pacific Ocean.
D. Bright stars acted as compasses, they helped ancient Polynesian mariners navigate between the many islands of the Pacific Ocean.
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11/10/24
In 1977, the MIT professor Thomas J. Allen examined communication patterns among scientists and engineers and found that the farther apart their desks were, the less likely they were to communicate. At the 30-meter mark, the likelihood of regular communication approached zero. The expectation was that information technology would change that. Recently, therefore, researcher Ben Waber discovered that communication tools intended to erase distance are used largely among people who see one another face-to-face.
A. NO CHANGE
B. however,
C. moreover,
D. indeed,
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11/9/24
The planet Venus is believed to have contained Earth-like oceans at some point in they’re history, but these bodies of water evaporated as temperatures rose.
A. NO CHANGE
B. their
C. it’s
D. its
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11/8/24
It isn’t yet clear how much plastic is consumed by corals in the wild, or what harm it might do to these important marine organisms, which are already threatened by environmental dangers like warming seas and pollution. But understanding why plastic might appeal to them is important, especially because some particles appear to get stuck in the corals, potentially disrupting their digestive process.
Hundreds of chemicals are mixed into plastics to achieve certain textures or other characteristics. Because the corals sense the presence of food with receptors, it would not be all that surprising if some chemical additives mimicked substances that set off the corals’ appetites, suggested Alexander Seymour and Austin Allen, who were both graduate students at Duke University when they led this study.
In the last sentence, “set off” most nearly means
A. revealed
B. stimulated
C. responded
D. compensated for
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11/7/24
Chunks of ice and dust, which make their home in corners of the galaxy far beyond Pluto, and sometimes become dislodged and enter the solar system as streaky comets.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Pluto, they
C. Pluto and
D. Pluto,
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11/6/24
Thousands of years ago, two microscopic spores spawned and created a monster. It grew — up to three feet a year — sending out dark, gnarly, threadlike organs called rhizomorphs that explored the subterranean darkness, foraging for food. Now it’s a nebulous body, a tangled mat beneath the Oregon soil that occupies an area the size of three Central Parks and may weigh as much as 5,000 African elephants.
Its scientific name is Armillaria ostoyae, but you can call it The Humongous Fungus. It’s the largest known terrestrial organism on the planet, according to the United States Forest Service. It’s also a deadly forest pathogen.
Although none (that we know of) are as big, there are many others in the Armillaria genus. These fungi cause root rot disease in plants in forests, parks, orchards and vineyards across North America, Europe and Asia. What sets them apart from other fungi is those stringy rhizomorphs that find weak trees, colonize their roots, kill and eat them.
The passage indicates that “stringy rhizomorphs” are
A. beneficial to trees and other plants.
B. unique to members of the Armilliaria genus.
C. a common characteristic of fungi.
D. destroyed by exposure to light.
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11/5/24
For years, seismologists have been trying to identify microquakes. Earthquakes so tiny they don’t even register on traditional measurement tools. Identifying microquakes can help scientists understand earthquake behavior and help them predict dangerous seismic events.
A. NO CHANGE
B. microquakes; earthquakes
C. microquakes, earthquakes
D. microquakes, and earthquakes
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11/4/24
Self-portraiture isn’t just a byproduct of the smart phone. Since as early as the fifteenth century, artists across different mediums use self-portraits as a way to meditate on the world around them and their places within it. More than just capturing physical features, these images allow artists to channel their beliefs into their work in ways that are both revealing and revolutionary.
A. NO CHANGE
B. used
C. have used
D. had used
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11/3/24
The strings of letters that make up genes are largely useless on their own; instead, like blueprints for the many proteins in the body. To actually build something, or be expressed, certain genes must be switched on. Spaceflight seems to affect the level of this expression for some genes—especially those that play a role in the immune system, DNA repair, and bone growth.
A. NO CHANGE
B. own, instead like blueprints,
C. own. Instead, they are like blueprints
D. own instead being like blueprints
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11/2/24
In some form or another, doughnuts have existed for so long that archaeologists keep turning up what look like fossilized bits of them in the middle of prehistoric settlements. But the doughnut proper, (if that’s the right word), supposedly came to Manhattan, then still New Amsterdam, under the unappetizing Dutch name of olykoeks—“oily cakes.”
A. NO CHANGE
B. proper, (if that’s the right word)
C. proper (if that’s the right word),
D. proper (if that’s the right word)
Click here for the answer.
11/1/24
For cost-conscious clothing shoppers in 1920, it must have seemed like a miracle: men’s suits in a choice of 50 different styles for a mere 60 cents each (about $7.66 today). What’s more, when a suit got dirty, you could easily clean it—with an eraser. The first rubber erasers had been produced in England more than a century earlier. Paper clothing had arrived, largely imported from Germany and Austria, where World War I shortages of wool and other materials had spurred its development.
The writer is considering deleting the underlined information. Should the writer do this?
A. Yes, because the passage does not state that rubber erasers could be used to clean the suits.
B. Yes, because the passage focuses primarily on paper clothing.
C. No, because the passage indicates that paper clothing was erasable.
D. No, because the passage states that the suits seemed like a miracle.
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10/31/24
In the sixteenth century, Thomas More coined the term utopia to describe a perfect yet fictitious island society’s ways of life. Since then, people have tried to replicate this society, not just in stories but also in real life. Around the world, a handful of towns and cities have been designed with this ideal society in mind. Though inevitably they fall short of perfection, it’s still possible to visit some of them.
What is the best placement for the underlined word?
A. Where it is now.
B. Before the word fall.
C. Before the word perfection.
D. Before the word possible.
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10/30/24
Twenty-five hundred miles from the nearest continental landmass and adrift in oceanic isolation, the Hawaiian islands are the most habitat-diverse place on the planet. Of its’ 1,200 native plant species, 90 percent exist nowhere else on earth.
A. NO CHANGE
B. its
C. there
D. their
Click here for the answer.
10/29/24
When fragments of China’s famed terracotta warriors were discovered by farmers in 1974, Zhao Kangmin was one of the first archaeologists on the scene. He consistently pieced the fragments together, spurring an excavation that would reveal thousands more clay soldiers packed into underground corridors.
Which choice most strongly emphasizes that Zhao Kangmin worked in a careful and detailed way?
A. NO CHANGE
B. compellingly
C. exclusively
D. meticulously
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10/28/24
The exhibition “Faces of Frida” includes not only paintings by Frida Kahlo and also her letters, personal photographs, and unpublished writings. Visitors can peruse the pages of her colorful diary, read her letters to her mother, Matilde Calderón y González, and browse through photos of Kahlo and her husband, the artist Diego Rivera.
A. NO CHANGE
B. along with
C. but also
D. in addition to
Click here for the answer.
10/27/24
The race is on to build the world’s first meaningful quantum computer—one that can help scientists do things like develop miraculous new materials and encrypt data with near-perfect security. Although technology companies persistently tout each new breakthrough, next-generation systems will also need new algorithms, software, interconnects and a number of other yet-to-be-invented technologies.
Which choice most clearly expresses that the technology companies are excited about new breakthroughs?
A. NO CHANGE
B. reportedly
C. breathlessly
D. skeptically
Click here for the answer.
10/26/24
Experts use to think that nearly all nitrogen in soil came directly from the atmosphere, sequestered by microbes or dissolved in rain. But it turns out that scientists have been overlooking another major source of this element, which is crucial to plant growth: up to a quarter of the nitrogen in soil and plants seeps out of bedrock.
A. NO CHANGE
B. use to think,
C. used to think
D. used to thinking
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10/25/24
No tidal dweller captured Rachel Carson’s imagination like Ascophyllum nodosum, a rubbery dark green algae known widely on the Atlantic coast as rockweed. The biologist was most enchanted by rockweed’s double life—how its identity changed with the tides.
A. NO CHANGE
B. nodosum, a rubbery, dark green, algae
C. nodosum a rubbery, dark green algae,
D. nodosum; a rubbery, dark green algae
Click here for the answer.
10/24/24
The tradition of using everyday objects in artwork is known as assemblage. London’s Tate Museum, which includes many assemblage-based works, traces its history back to Europe in the early 1900s when Pablo Picasso started making 3-D works with found objects. Therefore, some of the most famous twentieth-century assemblage artists, like the artist Robert Rauschenberg—born Milton Rauschenberg in Port Arthur, Texas—may have pulled their inspiration from work by African-American folk artists.
A. NO CHANGE
B. However,
C. Hence,
D. Moreover,
Click here for the answer.
10/23/24
More than 150 years ago, the first whales and dolphins were brought from the wild and into aquariums, and since that time, scientists learn an enormous amount about their intelligence and complex social lives.
A. NO CHANGE
B. learned
C. have learned
D. would have learned
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10/22/24
Cheesemaking, which began 10,000 years ago, was originally about survival for a farm family or community: taking a very perishable protein (milk) and transforming it into something less perishable (cheese) so that there would be something to eat later. Many of us today think of cheese in the context of tradition, flavor, or family farms, but a basic goal—whether a producer is making farm-made cheddar or concocting the cheeseless industrially produced dairy product Velveeta, has always been getting as much edible food from a gallon of milk as possible.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Velveeta has
C. Velveeta—has
D. Velveeta has,
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10/21/24
To evoke and conjure the spirit of the Rocky Mountains, the people of Stoney Nakoda have created artworks that have deep roots in the history of their homeland. A seemingly straightforward landscape image, for instance, pays homage to the region as a place to gather herbs, hold vision quests, and hunt.
A. NO CHANGE
B. To evoke while conjuring
C. To evoke yet conjure
D. To evoke
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10/20/24
The Loch Ness Monster is one of Scotland’s oldest and most enduring myths, having inspired books, TV shows and films, and sustains a major tourism industry around its home. The story of the monster can be traced back 1500 years to 565 AD, when an Irish missionary is said to have encountered a beast in the River Ness. Later, in the 1930s, they announced the first modern sighting of the creature, dubbed “Nessie.”
A. NO CHANGE
B. one
C. we
D. reporters
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10/19/24
It’s hard to imagine now, but a little over a century ago, there was hardly anyone in the world whom knew what plastic was. Today, that material fuels modern life, from medical devices to the lightweight materials used in cars, computers, spaceships, and shopping bags.
A. NO CHANGE
B. who knew
C. which knew
D. in which they knew
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10/18/24
Throughout the exhibitions at The American Jazz Museum, collections of photographs, sheet music, and posters from the height of jazz’s popularity creates context for historic artifacts such as Charlie Parker’s Grafton saxophone and a sequined gown worn by Ella Fitzgerald.
A. NO CHANGE
B. create
C. has created
D. creating
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10/17/24
It’s probably no surprise to dog owners, but growing research suggests that dogs often act more human than canine. They can: read facial expressions, communicate jealousy, display empathy, and even watch television.
A. NO CHANGE
B. can read facial expressions; communicate jealousy; display empathy, and even watch television.
C. can read facial expressions, communicate jealousy; display empathy; and even watch television.
D. can read facial expressions, communicate jealousy, display empathy, and even watch television.
Click here for the answer.
10/16/24
The Outer Space Treaty—written in 1967 and signed by all the major world powers—is the closest thing we have to a constitution for space. For a document conceived before the moon landing, it’s remarkably forward-looking: it declares “celestial bodies” like the moon and asteroids off-limits for private development and requires that countries authorize and continually supervise companies’ activities in space.
A. NO CHANGE
B. company’s activities
C. companies activity’s
D. companies activities’
Click here for the answer.
10/15/24
Not only are parrots known for being a loud and destructive bird, but they are also highly intelligent and live up to 80 years. Nevertheless, the draw to keep them can be irresistible.
A. NO CHANGE
B. a loud, and destructive bird, and
C. loud and destructive birds, but
D. loud and destructive birds, and
Click here for the answer.
10/14/24
A few years ago, my family and I piled into our car and headed west for a summer to explore Yosemite National Park. I tasted the freedom of the open road and experienced the wonders of wild places. I had never seen such dramatic scenery before. Last August, therefore, I set out on an expanded version of that adventure, seeking to spend 10 months visiting all the national parks in the contiguous United States.
Which choice provides the most effective transition between the previous sentence and the information that follows?
A. NO CHANGE
B. I couldn’t wait to experience that kind of adventure again.
C. I didn’t want to come at first, but my family insisted.
D. I’d been camping before, but never for so long.
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10/13/24
The idea for the first youth hostel was conceived in 1909 by Richard Shirrmann, an elementary school teacher living in the industrial center of Germany. Alarmed at the effects of the industrial revolution on his students’ health, he created a “wandering school” on weekends by taking students on field trips into the countryside for fresh air and exposure to nature. Students unrolled their bedding each night in school buildings, and the concept of student “youth hostels” was born.
A. NO CHANGE
B. effects of the industrial revolution,
C. affects of the industrial revolution
D. affects of the industrial revolution,
Click here for the answer.
10/12/24
Since the invention of digital technology and audio sampling, films have been able to rely on digital samples to imitate the sound of live instruments. Today, many scores are created and performed wholly by the composers, themselves, through the use of sophisticated music composition software.
A. NO CHANGE
B. composers themselves,
C. composers, themselves
D. composers themselves
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10/11/24
Wilhelm Von Osten firmly believed that humanity had greatly underestimated the reasoning skills and intelligence of animals. To test his hypothesis, he took it upon himself to tutor a cat, a horse, and a bear in mathematics. The cat was indifferent in his efforts, and the bear seemed outright hostile, but the Arab stallion named Hans showed some real promise.
A. NO CHANGE
B. to
C. at
D. from
Click here for the answer.
10/10/24
Cactuses are spiky and rough, foreboding and strange, gnarled and occasionally dangerous. They evoke harsh and unforgiving landscapes, but when they are removed from their native habitats, individually potted, and selling as decorations for a house, a garden, or an office, they are among the easiest plants, requiring little or no care and still looking good.
A. NO CHANGE
B. selling them
C. they sell
D. sold
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10/9/24
Color vision depends on our eyes and brain working together to perceive different properties of light. Although we see the natural and artificial light that illuminates our world as white, but it is actually a mixture of colors that, perceived on their own, would span the visual spectrum from deep blue to deep red. You can see this when rain separates sunlight into a rainbow or a glass prism separates white light into a multi-color band.
A. NO CHANGE
B. so
C. when
D. DELETE the underlined word.
Click here for the answer.
10/8/24
In 1984, several graffiti vandals were given the option of either going to jail or taking part in a new city beautification initiative. They chose the latter and became some of the first members of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. Since then, the program overseen the creation of more than 3,800 pieces of art painted on sides of buildings. 2,000 of the works are still viewable by the public, making this collection the “World’s Largest Outdoor Art Gallery.”
A. NO CHANGE
B. has oversaw
C. has overseen
D. oversaw
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10/7/24
One issue that often plagues even the most sturdily built old homes is the “improvements’’ made in the intervening decades. Whether the culprit was a clueless homeowner or an unlicensed contractor or an unskilled handyman, substandard repairs are common.
A. NO CHANGE
B. most sturdy built
C. more sturdier built
D. sturdier built
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10/6/24
Tokyo is one of my favorite places, but it’s also one of the most expensive cities in the world. During my last visit I decided to participate in a homestay in order to save money on a hotel. Through a tourist website, I found Yuko, a young Japanese woman who rented out a spare room in her house. She seemed excited to hear from me and sent me useful information about public transportation, along with some maps. Tokyo was originally known as Edo, but its name was changed to Tokyo when it became the imperial capital in 1868. I could not wait to meet this interesting Japanese family.
Which choice provides the most relevant information at this point in the passage?
A. NO CHANGE
B. She also described her husband, who had a black belt in Karate, and her 85-year-old grandmother, who still rode a bicycle.
C. The house was located in Shinjuku, which is one of the busiest and most popular areas of the city.
D. Tokyo is divided into 23 districts, or wards, each of which is governed as an independent city.
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10/5/24
Born William Harrison Dempsey in Manassa, Colorado, “Jack” Dempsey was one of 11 children. He left home at the age of 16 and traveled west on freight trains with hobos, settling occasionally in mining towns. It was during that period of his life that Dempsey learned how to box. Initially, he only needed to defend himself at first, but soon he showed exceptional talent for the sport.
A. NO CHANGE
B. first of all
C. in the first place
D. DELETE the underlined portion.
Click here for the answer.
10/4/24
In 1931, RCA Victor developed and released the first 33 1/3 rpm records to the public. The format initially was a commercial failure because the records and playback equipment were expensive and because the audio performance was poor. When the stylus for playback was improved and the product released, the record became the standard in music playback for decades.
A. NO CHANGE
B. the product that was released,
C. the product being released,
D. the product has been released,
Click here for the answer.
10/3/23
The moment a volunteer with a therapy dog walks into a hospital room, you can instantly feel a change in mood. Their eyes immediately focus on the animal, and smiles spread across their faces.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Your
C. One’s
D. Patients’
Click here for the answer.
10/2/24
Throwing everything you own into your beat-up van and heading to California is a familiar path many aspiring musicians and actors follow as they head out West to chase their dreams. Although the odds are stacked quite heavily against them, opportunities are there for the taking. Such is the case for Richard Gibbs, a dreamer turned rock star and blockbuster film composer whose had a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
A. NO CHANGE
B. who’s had a knack for being
C. who’s had a knack to be
D. whose knack for being
Click here for the answer.
10/1/24
People are divided about whether hedgehogs should be kept as pets. Wild animals should stay wild, one argument goes. On the other hand, cats and dogs were wild once, and domestication has to start somewhere. At first, a hedgehog may feel threatened and extend they’re quills when handled by humans, but eventually most hedgehogs come to enjoy being petted and cuddled.
A. NO CHANGE
B. their
C. its
D. it’s
Click here for the answer.
9/30/24
During the 1988 games in Seoul, South Korea, Florence Griffith Joyner became an Olympic track and field champion that the phenomenon known as “Flo Jo” emerged. With her flashy one-legged running outfits, long hair, and brightly painted fingernails, she captured four medals and the world’s attention.
A. NO CHANGE
B. champion, and
C. champion, then
D. champion,
Click here for the answer.
9/29/24
I still remember my first real scientific experiment—it was a high school microbiology exercise that involved growing bacteria in a petri dish. The experiment was very simple, but I’d never done anything remotely like it. When I checked on my results after a few days, I was shocked to see that the colonies have expanded.
A. NO CHANGE
B. are expanding.
C. had expanded.
D. would have expanded.
Click here for the answer.
9/28/24
Since ancient times, swans have been associated with tranquility and nobility, featuring in myths and stories around the world. Their high status is likely to have come about because of their perceived beauty and natural behavior: they are solitary birds, strong and aggressively protective of their young, but at the same time graceful and elegant on the water.
A. NO CHANGE
B. young—but
C. young but,
D. young
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9/27/24
Born in 1889, Ida Ten Eyck O’Keeffe was the third of seven children. She painted in both watercolors and oils: her grandmothers, Isabella Totto and Catherine O’Keeffe, were both painters, and she and her sisters Georgia and Anita were sent to study with a local artist, Sarah Mann, when they were young. While Anita did not choose to pursue an artistic career, another sister, Catherine, taught herself to paint and also became an artist.
Which choice provides the most effective transition between the beginning of the passage and information that follows?
A. NO CHANGE
B. Art ran in the family
C. During World War I, she worked as a nurse
D. She earned her master’s in fine arts from Columbia University
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9/26/24
In the eighteenth century, Linnaeus’s numerous books established a system of nomenclature that gave science an international language for identifying plants. Linnaean binomials, or two-word names, consisted of the genus (like a surname, designating a group of closely related plants) and the species (like a first name, designating the individual or specific kind of plant).
The writer is considering deleting the underlined portion (adjusting the punctuation accordingly). Should it be kept or deleted?
A. Kept, because it defines a term with which readers are unlikely to be familiar.
B. Kept, because it provides a specific example of a Linnaean binomial.
C. Deleted, because it shifts the focus from Linnaeus’s books to individual plants.
D. Deleted, because it does not indicate how plants were classified before Linnaeus.
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9/25/24
The phrase “barren sand flat” does not typically inspire creativity. It is this condition, however, that makes the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico the perfect spot for the United States’ first Underwater Museum of Art (UMA). Like similar undertakings near Cancun, the museum is best suited for scuba divers. On clear days, snorkelers can enjoy the submerged journey which showcases seven sculptures at a depth of around 60 feet and intermingles responsible tourism, environmentalism, and creativity.
A. NO CHANGE
B. journey, which showcases seven sculptures
C. journey which showcases seven sculptures,
D. journey which showcases: seven sculptures
Click here for the answer.
9/24/24
Gaze-following is instinctual for many animals—including chimpanzees, goats, dolphins, and even the red-footed tortoise—because it alerts them to everything from imminent threats to potential sources of food.
A. NO CHANGE
B. imminent threats,
C. eminent threats
D. eminent threats,
Click here for the answer.
9/23/24
Founded by art historian and collector William Arnett, Souls Grown Deep traces the history of many Outsider artistic creations back to the collapse of the agricultural economy in the aftermath of the Civil War, when African Americans were forced to migrate from rural areas to larger cities in search of work. During that period, folk artists had practical as well as stylistic reasons to use scavenged materials in that period: many of them were poor, so they worked with what they had.
A. NO CHANGE
B. throughout that period
C. during this period
D. DELETE the underlined portion.
Click here for the answer.
9/22/24
Although seaweed harvesting is hardly a new industry—New England’s farmers have nourished their fields with “sea manure” for centuries—rockweed has lately become a valuable commercial product. An ingredient in everything from fertilizers to pet foods to nutritional supplements.
A. NO CHANGE
B. product, an ingredient
C. product; an ingredient
D. product, it is an ingredient
Click here for the answer.
9/21/24
In the early 1900s, photographer David Fairchild trained his camera on a part of the world most of us ignore: the insects under our feet. His resulting body of work, published in 1913 in National Geographic magazine, was unique not only for its subject matter but also to its use of magnified images that showed bugs in intricate detail.
A. NO CHANGE
B. with
C. for
D. at
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9/20/24
In the mid-nineteenth century, almost everyone in the United States agreed that women’s clothing posed a problem. The dictates of modesty called for floor-length dresses, and fashion demanded a full skirt beneath a tiny waist. Some women squeezed themselves into corsets and six to eight petticoats to fill out the shape of their skirts. The result weighed up to 15 pounds, placed enormous pressure on their hips, and movement was a struggle.
A. NO CHANGE
B. made movement a struggle.
C. they struggled to move.
D. a struggle for movement occurred.
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9/19/24
Working from repurposed natural, industrial, and mass-produced objects, artist Gabriel Kuri explores the potential for transformation by looking at familiar things from unexpected angles. Everyday objects become a part of his sculptures, plastic bags, advertising flyers, and receipts.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Everyday objects, including plastics bags, advertising flyers, and receipts, become part of his sculptures.
C. Plastic bags, advertising flyers, and receipts become part of his sculptures, being everyday objects.
D. Part of his sculptures, plastic bags, advertising flyers, and receipts, which are everyday objects.
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9/18/24
Imagine standing in front of a wall of windows, surveying the view. You hear someone enter the room behind you. You turn. “Welcome,” you say. “Here is the video, I wanted to show you.” At the press of a button, the view vanishes, and the windows transform into a high-definition television screen.
A. NO CHANGE
B. video I wanted
C. video, that I wanted
D. video that, I wanted
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9/17/24
From its very first moments in print on March 20, 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin was an enormous success. It sold 3,000 copies on its first day, and Frederick Douglass reported that 5,000 copies—the entire first print run—were purchased within four days.
Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable alternative to the underlined portion?
A. a rousing
B. a smashing
C. a burning
D. an overwhelming
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9/16/24
The myth of the disappearing book isn’t new. As early as 1894, there was speculation that the introduction of the phonograph would spell the demise of print books, which would be replaced by what we today call audiobooks.
A. NO CHANGE
B. label
C. annotate
D. decipher
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9/15/24
I have always been intrigued by Thanksgiving—the traditions, the meal, the idea of a holiday that is simply about being thankful. For my family, Thanksgiving is all about the food, some of it is typical, but there are a few twists. The reliability of the menu—with a little flexibility sprinkled in—seems to unite us as a family while acknowledging our different backgrounds.
A. NO CHANGE
B. food. Some of it is typical,
C. food, and some of which is typical,
D. food; some typical,
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9/14/24
Imagine you’re a cat, and every time you meow, the loud voice of a snooty-sounding British gentleman kindly conveys your every thought and feeling to your human guardian. A product called the Catterbox—the world’s first talking cat collar—believes to do just that. A microphone and a speaker are used to capture a cat’s meow and translate it into an English-speaking human voice.
A. NO CHANGE
B. purports
C. insists
D. allows
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9/13/24
Sneakers as we know them might never of came to be without Charles Goodyear’s invention of vulcanized rubber. Despite his poor business sense, the inventor saw an opportunity for technological advancement when he purchased hundreds of rubber life preservers that had melted in the summer heat. After years of experimentation, Goodyear finally happened upon the combination of lead, sulfur, and heat that allowed the rubber to keep its shape.
A. NO CHANGE
B. of come to be
C. have came to be
D. have come to be
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9/12/24
Physicists trace the history of quantum theory back to 1927, when German physicist Werner Heisenberg showed that the classical physics methods did not apply to very small objects. When someone throws a ball, for instance, it’s easy to determine exactly where the ball is, and how fast it’s moving. But as Heisenberg showed, that’s not true for an atom or a subatomic particle. Instead, an observer can see either where it is and how fast it’s moving – but not both at the exact same time.
A. NO CHANGE
B. and if it’s moving fast
C. or how fast it’s moving
D. or is it moving fast
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9/11/24
The stamp celebrating the launch of the U.S. airmail service was an impressive sight. It featured a Curtiss JN-4 or “Jenny”, the same plane set to deliver the mail, and was printed in carmine rose and deep blue. The striking color scheme no doubt wooed buyers, but it also signaled a printing error. It was just the second time the Postal Service had attempted a two-color stamp, and with the fervor of World War I, sloppy mistakes were a more likely occurrence.
Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable alternative to the underlined word?
A. pursued
B. enticed
C. charmed
D. pleased
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9/10/24
The Kingikmiut Nanuuq Patrol—or the Wales polar bear patrol—resulted from an innovative partnership between the tribal council in Wales, Alaska United States government wildlife officials, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Patrollers are trained to chase visiting polar bears out of town using an escalating range of deterrents. The goal is simple: to keep people safe from bears, while also keeping bears safe from people.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Wales, Alaska; United States government wildlife officials, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
C. Wales, Alaska, United States government wildlife officials; and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
D. Wales, Alaska; United States government wildlife officials; and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
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9/9/24
On June 30, 1908, an explosion ripped through the air above a remote forest in Siberia, near the Tunguska River. It destroyed 2,000 square kilometers of forest, flattening about 80 million trees. The earth trembled. Windows were shattered in the nearest town, more than 35 miles away. Residents even felt heat from the blast, and some were blown off their feet.
Which choice provides the most relevant detail at this point in the paragraph?
A. NO CHANGE
B. Researchers are unsure whether the explosion was caused by an asteroid or a meteoroid.
C. Over the last century, over 1,000 papers have been published about the explosion.
D. An explosion of this magnitude would have destroyed a larger metropolitan area.
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9/8/24
For most of our lives, we use language to categorize objects, colors, emotions, and pretty much everything meaningful. Although our eyes can perceive thousands of colors, the way we communicate about them – and the way we use color in our everyday lives – requires us to carve this huge variety up into identifiable, meaningful categories. Painters and fashion experts, for example, use color terminology to refer to and discriminate between hues and shades that non-experts typically describe with one simple term.
A. NO CHANGE
B. nevertheless,
C. consequently,
D. meanwhile,
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9/7/24
At the age of 51, Georgia O’Keeffe was asked by the Philadelphia advertising agency N.W. Ayer & Son to travel to Hawaii to produce two print-ad images for the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, later renamed Dole. Not known for commercial work, O’Keeffe had completed a commission in 1936 — what would be the largest of her flower paintings — for the Elizabeth Arden Sport Salon in New York.
A. NO CHANGE
B. agency N.W. Ayer & Son,
C. agency, N.W. Ayer & Son,
D. agency, N.W. Ayer & Son
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9/6/24
Frank J. Sulloway, a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley believes that family roles based on birth order and competition between siblings affect a person’s behavior and eventually shape your personality.
A. NO CHANGE
B. one’s
C. their
D. his or her
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9/5/24
José Martí considered New York his adopted hometown and wrote dazzling accounts of the city, likening the cables of the brand new Brooklyn Bridge, to satisfied colossal boa constrictors resting on top of towers. He also rarely passed up an opportunity to let the city amuse him and was an enthusiastic patron of H.M. Barnum’s circus, billed as “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
A. NO CHANGE
B. Bridge to satisfied colossal boa constrictors resting,
C. Bridge to satisfied colossal boa constrictors resting
D. Bridge to satisfied, colossal, boa constrictors resting
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9/4/24
When Arcosanti opened in 1970, its founder, the Italian architect Paolo Soleri, imagined the small Arizona desert complex would of became a city of thousands of people, all living together in harmony in what he called an arcology—a community where nature and architecture work together to create a balanced existence.
A. NO CHANGE
B. would have became
C. would become
D. became
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9/3/24
In the 1930s, the concept of showing movies outdoors wasn’t new: people often watched silent films on screens set up at beaches or other places boasting an abundance of sky. However, it was an auto-parts salesman named Richard Hollingshead whom saw the genius in giving a car-loving society one more activity to do in their vehicles.
A. NO CHANGE
B. who
C. which
D. and
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9/2/24
On a gloomy Wednesday morning, thousands of spectators gathered in Washington, D.C.’s Potomac Park to witness what would be the world’s first regularly scheduled airmail service. As the crowd buzzed with excitement, President Woodrow Wilson stood with the pilot, Second Lieutenant George Leroy Boyle. The two men chatted for a few minutes, Wilson in a three-piece suit and bowler hat, Boyle in his leather flying cap, a cigarette in his mouth. The president dropped a letter in Boyle’s sack, and the pilot took off for his journey from Washington, D.C., to New York, with plans to stop in Philadelphia for delivery and refueling. The flight, however, never made it to the City of Brotherly Love.
The writer is considering deleting the underlined portion of the sentence (replacing the comma after minutes with a period). Should the writer do this?
A. Yes, because it is irrelevant to the paragraph’s focus on the airmail service’s first flight.
B. Yes, because it suggests that Wilson and Boyle disagreed about the importance of the airmail service.
C. No, because it provides a detailed description that helps the reader envision the encounter between Wilson and Boyle.
D. No, because it emphasizes that Wilson and Boyle were able to overcome their differences.
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9/1/24
In southern Manitoba, a bison kept escaping a ranch. The locals nicknamed him Freddy, and he became something of a minor celebrity. He even had a song dedicated to him. After witnessing the media coverage surrounding Freddy, a renaissance-style choral arrangement was inspired to be crafted by composer Elliot Britton, complete with contemporary pop-chord progressions accompanied by traditional fiddle and electronically distorted bison noises.
A. NO CHANGE
B. the crafting of a renaissance-style choral arrangement was inspired by composer Elliot Britton.
C. composer Elliot Britton was inspired to craft a renaissance-style choral arrangement,
D. composer Elliot Britton, who was inspired to craft a renaissance-style choral arrangement,
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