1/20/25
Along with bees and spiders, snakes have a bad reputation. But contrary to popular belief, these creatures are not normally aggressive. Even rattlesnakes rarely bite unless provoked or threatened. If treated promptly, however, their bites are rarely dangerous.
A. NO CHANGE
B. consequently,
C. moreover,
D. meanwhile,
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1/19/25
Physicist Michio Kaku, the author of several best-selling books about science, has gained popularity in the mainstream media because of his deep knowledge, and accessible manner of presenting complex scientific subjects.
A. NO CHANGE
B. because of his deep knowledge and accessible manner
C. because of his: deep knowledge and accessible manner
D. because of his deep knowledge and accessible manner,
Click here for the answer.
1/18/25
The opening of the Empire State Building coincided with the start of the Great Depression. As a result, much of the new skyscrapers’ office space remained empty for months.
A. NO CHANGE
B. skyscraper’s
C. skyscrapers
D. skyscrapers’s
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1/17/25
The koala, which is found in coastal areas of the Australian mainland’s eastern and southern regions, can be easily recognized by its stout, tail-less body; large head, and spoon-shaped nose.
A. NO CHANGE
B. stout, tail-less, body, large head, and spoon-shaped nose.
C. stout, tail-less body, large head, and spoon-shaped nose.
D. stout, tail-less body, large head, and, spoon-shaped nose.
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1/16/25
In ancient Mesopotamia, myths were recorded on clay tablets that writers ascribed with cuneiform derived from Sumerian pictographs. The decision to use clay for a writing surface was ingenious: other writing surfaces people have used in the past deteriorate easily, but not clay, which has proven to be the most durable writing surface ever used.
A. NO CHANGE
B. inscribed
C. subscribed
D. prescribed
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1/15/25
Not only have amateur astronomers contributed to many important discoveries, but astronomy also remains one of the few sciences in which non-professionals can still play an active role for.
A. NO CHANGE
B. in which non-professionals can still play an active role.
C. where non-professionals can still play an active role.
D. that non-professionals can still play an active role.
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1/14/25
Since the early twentieth century, the advertising industry has been a major cultural and economic force, involving almost every form of popular media. The most common goal of advertising is to drive consumer behavior toward a commercial offering, however, political advertising, which aims to convince voters to favor a particular candidate, occurs frequently as well.
A. NO CHANGE
B. offering, however
C. offering however,
D. offering; however,
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1/13/25
Best known as an artist and photographer, Carrie Mae Weems’s first camera was used for political purposes, taking advantage of her position as a union organizer to document the 1960s labor movement.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Best known as an artist and photographer, Carrie Mae Weems used her first camera for political purposes and
C. Carrie Mae Weems, who was best known as an artist and photographer, used her first camera for political purposes,
D. First used for political purposes, Carrie Mae Weems was best known as an artist and photographer,
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1/12/25
When Frank Gehry and his wife bought an existing home in 1977 in Santa Monica, California, the neighbors did not have the slightest idea that the corner residence would soon become an architectural landmark. Gehry, however, wanted to transform the house. His solution was daring for the 1970s: he cut walls, dropped ceilings, and wove the remains with a new architectural framework. From the moment the house was built, Gehry’s neighbors were furious, and controversy ensued.
The writer is considering adding the following phrase to the end of the underlined sentence (placing a period after mesh).
made of industrial shell plywood, glass wire, galvanized metal and metal mesh.
Should the writer make this addition there?
A. Yes, because it provides specific details that help the reader picture the house.
B. Yes, because it explains why Gehry chose such unconventional materials for the renovation.
C. No, because it fails to describe the house’s appearance before Gehry transformed it.
D. No, because it blurs the paragraph’s focus on the reaction of Gehry’s neighbors to the house.
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1/11/25
Although it was not the first satellite to be launched, Vanguard 1 was still a remarkable achievement. In addition to demonstrating the technology of a new launcher system, the ground station network, and solar cells, the satellite showed how our planet bulges out around the equator. Equipped with an instrument to measure atmospheric density, it provided the first-ever measurements of the Earth’s tenuous outer atmosphere and an estimate of the number of micrometeorites surrounding the planet – all vital information for future spacecraft.
Based on information in the passage, Vanguard 1 was a “remarkable achievement” because it
A. demonstrated the tenuousness of the Earth’s atmosphere.
B. revealed a lack of uniformity in the earth’s shape.
C. provided an estimate of the number of micrometeorites in space.
D. measured the power generated by solar cells on Earth.
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1/10/25
Scientists have known for many years that caffeine stimulates the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which produces the euphoria and pleasant feelings that people often associate to their first cup of coffee in the morning.
A. NO CHANGE
B. with
C. on
D. DELETE the underlined word.
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1/9/25
The nine-banded armadillo has two methods of walking through water for short distances, it can walk underwater holding its breath for as long as six minutes, and for long distances, it can increase its buoyancy by swallowing air to inflate its stomach.
A. NO CHANGE
B. water, for short distances,
C. water. For short distances,
D. water for short distances
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1/8/25
Problems with food safety can dissuade people from buying and weaken consumer trust in a particular type of food; however, manufacturers and distributors stand to gain from ensuring that the food system is safe.
A. NO CHANGE
B. therefore,
C. nevertheless,
D. moreover,
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1/7/25
Swimming with wildlife can be a life-changing experience. Tiny seahorses delight travelers with their strangely curled tails and bright camouflage while dolphins, which mesmerize onlookers with their acrobatic tricks, keen intelligence, and shiny coats.
A. NO CHANGE
B. dolphins they mesmerize onlookers with their acrobatic tricks,
C. dolphins that mesmerize onlookers, with their acrobatic tricks
D. dolphins mesmerize onlookers with their acrobatic tricks,
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1/6/25
The current world record for pumpkin growing is held by Beni Meier, a Swiss accountant who grew a pumpkin that weighs in at 2,323.7 pounds – roughly the same as a small car.
A. NO CHANGE
B. pounds. Roughly
C. pounds, this is roughly
D. pounds; roughly
Click here for the answer.
1/5/25
For decades, imaginative engineers and policymakers have dreamt of ways to send human beings to Mars. Some proposals were designed only to inspire. Others truly aimed to put boots on the Martian surface. But they all have one thing in common: they’ve never left the drawing board.
As it is used in the passage, “aimed” most nearly means
A. directed
B. struggled
C. propelled
D. attempted
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1/4/25
Merlin Tuttle, one of the world’s most respected experts on bats and the author of The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the Most Misunderstood Mammals, aims to demand popular misconceptions about these often-feared denizens of the night. His work focuses on helping people understand that bats are highly beneficial creatures that make safe neighbors for anyone who leaves them alone.
A. NO CHANGE
B. challenge
C. surpass
D. beat
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1/3/25
In the 1950s, television was the hot technology of the day. While just 9 percent of homes in the United States boasted a TV set in 1950, 56 percent had owned one by 1954, and sales continued to boom for the following decade.
A. NO CHANGE
B. have owned
C. owned
D. own
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1/2/25
Astronomers hunting for planets outside our solar system keep finding them in the most unexpected places. There are boiling-hot Jupiters that hug their stars, rocky worlds like Earth that spin around multiple suns, and even rogue planets that sail unbounded through the galaxy. Now, astronomers using a gravitational magnifying glass have found a Venus-like planet orbiting a “failed star”—a massive but incredibly dim brown dwarf. This rarely-seen pairing offers clues to the way planets and moons form, which may, in turn, help in the quest to find habitable worlds, whether they are Earth-like planets or life-friendly moons.
The passage suggests that the discovery of a Venus-like planet orbiting a “failed star”
A. is a highly infrequent occurrence.
B. definitively accounts for how planets and moons form.
C. could happen again in the near future.
D. might explain why moons can resemble planets.
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1/1/25
Increasingly, we are learning that humans and animals are not the only organisms that use sound to communicate. Plants and forests use them as well. Plants detect vibrations in a frequency-selective manner, using this “hearing” sense to find water by sending out acoustic emissions and to communicate threats.
A. NO CHANGE
B. it
C. some
D. these
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12/31/24
In 1872, Yellowstone, the world’s first national park was established, the year the Brooklyn Bridge opened and President Ulysses S. Grant completed his first term in the White House.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, was established in 1872,
C. The establishment of Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, in 1872,
D. Yellowstone, established in 1872, was the world’s first national park,
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12/30/24
Total solar eclipses are rare events: although occurring somewhere on Earth every 18 months on average, they are estimated to recur at any given place only once every 360 to 410 years.
A. NO CHANGE
B. although they occur
C. although they occurred
D. they occur
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12/29/24
Many fiber optic companies install more cables than they need, resulting in a system of underground bundled fibers that could be employed for purposes such as earthquake sensing. Each of these fiber optic lines contains imperfections, however. When a light is beamed down the individual fiber optic strands, irregularities in the structure bounce back a fraction of the light.
A. NO CHANGE
B. contain
C. have contained
D. containing
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12/28/24
Medical researchers use laboratory-grown human cells to learn the intricacies of how cells work and test theories about the causes and treatment of diseases. The cell lines they need are “immortal”—they can grow indefinitely, remain frozen for decades, and divided them into different batches that are shared among scientists.
A. NO CHANGE
B. divided
C. dividing
D. be divided
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12/27/24
The artificial sweetener Sucralose is increasingly being used as what experts call a “tracer”—a substance that can help identify the origins of environmental contamination. This use is important for maintaining water quality, both in surface waters and in drinking water supplies.
Which of the following would be the LEAST acceptable alternative to the underlined portion?
A. a tracer, which is a substance
B. a tracer: a substance
C. a tracer; a substance
D. a tracer, a substance
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12/26/24
The smart city is the city of the future: a technological and data-driven urban system designed for efficient growth. Their intended to leverage technology and data to improve the lives of citizens and become more responsive to their needs.
A. NO CHANGE
B. They’re
C. Its’
D. It’s
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12/25/24
An American street photographer born in New York City, Vivian Maier is considered to be one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century. Despite her artistic legacy and narrative influence on picturemaking, little was known about her until relatively recently. In 2007, meanwhile, the discovery of 100,000 of Maier’s negatives and slides created a portrait of a woman compelled to photograph life on the street. Maier was often her own subject, capturing herself in mirrors, shop windows, and other reflective surfaces. In some, she discreetly made the pictures, almost as if she was spying on herself; in others, her expressionless face is front and center.
A. NO CHANGE
B. however,
C. therefore,
D. moreover,
Click here for the answer.
12/24/24
In a series of experiments at Princeton University and the University of California, Los Angeles, students were randomly assigned either laptops or pen and paper for note-taking at a lecture. Those whom had used laptops demonstrated a substantially weaker understanding of the lecture, as measured by a standardized test, than the group using pen and paper. The researchers hypothesized that because students can type faster than they can write, the lecturer’s words flowed right to the students’ typing fingers without stopping in their brains for substantive processing.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Those who
C. Those which
D. They
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12/23/24
Our diet, antibiotic use, and place of birth influence the composition of bacteria in our stomachs. These factors are all important because even slight imbalances in the makeup of our microbiomes can dramatically affect on our vulnerability to disease.
A. NO CHANGE
B. dramatically effect
C. have a dramatic affect
D. have a dramatic effect
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12/22/24
The question of who built the Sphinx has long vexed Egyptologists and archaeologists, but researchers now agree that it was most likely commissioned by Pharaoh Khafre, who ruled in Egypt during the Old Kingdom. It’s known from hieroglyphic texts that Khafre’s father, Khufu, built the 481-foot-tall Great Pyramid, a quarter of a mile from where the Sphinx would later be built. Following this tough act, Khafre constructed his own pyramid, just ten feet shorter than his father’s.
A. NO CHANGE
B. impressive feat,
C. fascinating adventure,
D. awesome stunt,
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12/21/24
Regret may be an unpleasant emotion, but it serves an important purpose: it causes people to correct their future behavior in order to avoid harmful consequences. For instance, drivers are understandably furious when they discover their cars have been towed, but they also become more vigilant about reading parking signs and checking for possible violations. Likewise, setting up automatic payments for recurring bills like rent and insurance allows us to reduce the unpleasantness of those transactions.
Which of the following gives a second example most similar to the example already in the passage?
A. NO CHANGE
B. after people have had a particular experience several times, their interest in it begins to decrease.
C. shoppers who are sorry about buying an item are unlikely to make that type of purchase again.
D. repeatedly failing to have our expectations fulfilled causes deep feelings of disappointment.
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12/20/24
Words have tremendous power over our food choice. Giving dishes descriptive names can increase sales by up to 27% in some cases. This becomes particularly effective if the description attaches some provenance to the ingredients – “Grandma’s home-baked zucchini-nut muffins” sound much more appealing than plain “zucchini muffins”.
Naming the farmer who grew the vegetables or the breed of a pig can help to add authenticity to a product. Consumers take that as a sign of quality, even if it has been made up. Sensory words can also make a dish seem more appealing.
A recent study published by scientists at Stanford University found that vegetables that have been given indulgent sounding descriptions – such as “dynamite chili”, “sweet sizzling green beans”, and “crispy shallots” – on a cafeteria menu were picked 23% more often because it made them sound more exciting and flavorsome.
Based on the statement that “Consumers take that as a sign of quality, even if it has been made up,” it can be reasonably inferred that
A. consumers find authentic products more appealing than commercially manufactured ones.
B. consumers are unreliable judges of a product’s authenticity.
C. a high-quality dish will appeal to consumers regardless of its description.
D. knowing a product’s origins leads consumers to purchase high-quality goods.
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12/19/24
Coffee plants use caffeine to ward off insects that would otherwise feast on their leaves and beans. At high doses, caffeine can be toxic to insects; however, some species possess taste receptors that help them avoid to ingest that substance.
A. NO CHANGE
B. of ingesting
C. by ingesting
D. ingesting
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12/18/24
Recently, a group of planet hunters met in Laramie, Wyoming, to plot better ways to scout for life beyond Earth. Many of these researchers are starting to argue that the existence of liquid water on a planet’s surface (the standard requirement for habitability), is not the factor that should guide exoplanet exploration. Instead, the scientists say, the field should focus on the chances of detecting alien life, should it exist.
A. NO CHANGE
B. requirement for habitability, is
C. requirement for habitability) is
D. requirement for habitability is
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12/17/24
There can be no doubt that aircraft cabins are peculiar places for humans to be. Humidity rates are lower then the average desert, while the air pumped into the cabin is cooled as low as 50°F to whisk away the excess heat generated by all the bodies and electronics onboard.
A. NO CHANGE
B. than the average desert,
C. than that of the average desert,
D. than those in the average desert,
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12/16/24
The practice of tipping has spread all over the world, but as international travelers to different countries quickly learn, the customs surrounding tipping – when to tip, how much, to whom and why – can differ substantially from place to place.
A. NO CHANGE
B. to other countries
C. who are traveling abroad
D. DELETE the underlined portion.
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12/15/24
Unwanted eye contact with strangers makes us squirm, and now researchers have figured out why. According to a Reader’s Digest report, looking into someone elses’ eyes makes us more self-aware — and more self-conscious.
A. NO CHANGE
B. else’s eyes
C. elses eyes
D. elses eye’s
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12/14/24
Unveiled this year at the London Design Festival, the Hyperloop — also known as the “maglev” — is a train made up of linked pods. Using passive magnetic levitation, it glides above a track inside a tube at more than 500 miles per hour. Magnets cause the pods to levitate, while linear motors propel them forward. Although trains are normally subject to bad weather or to naturally occurring impediments such as trees that have fallen across the tracks, but the maglev travels in a controlled environment, free from climatic influences.
A. NO CHANGE
B. and
C. so
D. DELETE the underlined word
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12/13/24
Some of the most powerful telescopes in the world are now peering across vast distances of space. They are watching for the faintest dip of light or wobble that could suggest the presence of another world.
What is the best way to join the sentence at the underlined portion?
A. space, watching
B. space, and watching
C. space, they are watching
D. space; watching
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12/12/24
Columbus, Ohio won a $40 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge in 2016. By 2017, the city had developed several public-private partnerships that turned the $40 million into $500 million in private funding aimed at supporting a smart city project focused on transportation systems. It is unclear if other cities could pull off such a financial feat. Without government funding and strong partners off the bat, city leaders’ ability to raise sufficient funds for a smart city is an uphill battle that cannot be ignored.
The passage implies that other cities may be unable to replicate Columbus’s success in supporting smart city projects because
A. they have inefficient transportation systems.
B. they lack coordination between public and private entities.
C. their technological infrastructure is outdated.
D. city leaders are hampered by financial regulations.
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12/11/24
Brought back from the brink of extinction, the South American vicuna, a llama-like animal, has attracted the attention of poachers eager to profit from: its prized wool.
A. NO CHANGE
B. eager to profit, from its
C. eager to profit from its
D. eager to profit from, its
Click here for the answer.
12/10/24
Prey-and-predator arms races are not unusual, in the animal kingdom and neither is deception. Deceptive evolutionary adaptations such as camouflage suggest that illusions are not only “errors of perception” but also provide significant advantages to the creatures that produce them.
A. NO CHANGE
B. unusual in the animal kingdom,
C. unusual, in the animal kingdom,
D. unusual in the animal kingdom
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12/9/24
A study from the University of Cologne in Germany showed that by cleverly naming dishes with words that mimic the mouth movements associated with eating, restaurants could increase the palatability of the food. Researchers found words that move from the front to the back of the mouth — such as the made-up word “bodok” — were particularly effective. Therefore, the effect seems to work even when people read silently, perhaps because the brain still stimulates the motor movements required to produce speech when reading.
A. NO CHANGE
B. However, the effect seems to work
C. Subsequently, the effect seems to work
D. Indeed, the effect seems to work
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12/8/24
To date, astronomers have catalogued thousands of exoplanets, more than a dozen of them are potentially habitable. The most recent is Ross 128b: an Earth-sized planet orbiting a nearby star, it is probably located at a distance that would allow for liquid water.
A. NO CHANGE
B. exoplanets, more than a dozen of which
C. exoplanets; more than a dozen of which
D. exoplanet, more than a dozen of these
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12/7/24
In a study of 39 elite cyclists, Oxford University researcher Kieran Clarke and others found the athletes were able to go 400 meters further in half an hour after drinking a ketone drink than after drinking a carbohydrate- or fat-based energy drink. One reason for the increased performance could be that the ketones prevented their bodies from producing too much lactate, which causes people to feel achy after strenuous exercise. Rats on a ketone diet have also run farther on a treadmill and completed a maze faster than rats on a regular diet.
The passage implies that carbohydrate- and fat-based energy drinks
A. may not inhibit the production of lactate.
B. help athletes work out more strenuously.
C. have no effect on athletic performance.
D. are more effective than ketone-based energy drinks.
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12/6/24
Traditional methods of making pottery are still used by a number of Native American tribes, and wares are produced by them for practical use as well as sale to collectors.
A. NO CHANGE
B. tribes, wares being produced by them
C. tribes that produce wares
D. tribes, they produce wares
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12/5/24
There are many theories about why flying might leave passengers more vulnerable to crying – sadness at leaving loved ones, excitement about the trip ahead, homesickness. But there is also some evidence that flying itself may also be responsible. An emerging body of research is suggesting that soaring 35,000 ft above the ground inside a sealed metal tube can have strange effects on our minds, affecting our sleep cycles and causing drowsiness.
A. NO CHANGE
B. increasing the pressure in our ears and nose.
C. altering our moods and changing our perception.
D. restricting our movements and causing our muscles to stiffen.
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12/4/24
A major reassessment of dinosaurs that began in the 1960s and finally took hold in the 1980s positioned these creatures not as dull evolutionary failures but as active, warm-blooded, animals.
A. NO CHANGE
B. active warm-blooded, animals.
C. active, warm-blooded animals.
D. actively warm-blooded animals.
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12/3/24
The current reality of smart cities is that there aren’t any. At the end of the day, most so-called smart cities are just cities with a few or several standout smart projects. Such projects can take shape in a variety of ways. In Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is piloting a $30 million smart-signal system that utilizes adaptive traffic signals to read traffic conditions and make adjustments to keep traffic flowing. Kansas City invested nearly $15 million in a smart lighting project that will install 200 lights along its new streetcar line. The lights have built-in sensors and cameras that detect the presence of people and can turn off when no one is around to save 20–30 percent in electricity costs. Both efforts represent the potential of smart city technology, but they certainly do not represent the networked, end-to-end planning of an entire smart city.
The references to “adaptive traffic signals” and “a smart lighting project” primarily serve to
A. celebrate the power of technological innovation.
B. call attention to recent developments in urban design.
C. illustrate the exceptional nature of certain projects.
D. emphasize the growing popularity of smart city technologies.
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12/2/24
Tipping as a phenomenon has long fascinated economists: paying extra, even though we are not legally required to do so, seems to go against our own best interest.
A. NO CHANGE
B. economists paying extra –
C. economists, paying extra,
D. economists; paying extra
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12/1/24
Over the last several decades, research has effectively disproved the claim that coffee is harmful to health. In fact, data suggest that coffee may offer some health benefits. In comparison to non-coffee drinkers, for example, drinking about three cups of coffee a day appeared to reduce the risk of heart problems.
A. NO CHANGE
B. about three cups of coffee a day can reduce people’s risk of heart problems.
C. heart problems are reduced in people who drink about three cups of coffee daily.
D. people who drink about three cups of coffee a day have a reduced risk of heart problems.
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