Nokea
Which of the following is a complex sentence?
- A. When skywriting, a pilot flies a small aircraft in specific, particular formations, creating large letters visible from the ground.
- B. The public defense attorney was able to maintain her optimism despite her dearth of courtroom wins, her lack of free time, and her growing list of clients.
- C. Because the distance between stars in the galaxy is far greater than the distance between planets, interstellar travel is expected to be an even bigger challenge than interplanetary exploration.
- D. Invented in France in the early nineteenth century, the stethoscope underwent a number of reiterations before the emergence of the modern form of the instrument in the 1850s.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause connected by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. In choice C, the sentence 'Because the distance between stars in the galaxy is far greater than the distance between planets' is a dependent clause introduced by the subordinating conjunction 'Because,' while the rest of the sentence 'interstellar travel is expected to be an even bigger challenge than interplanetary exploration' forms the independent clause. This combination of an independent clause and a dependent clause makes choice C a complex sentence. Choices A, B, and D do not contain both an independent and dependent clause connected in the way that choice C does, thus they do not qualify as complex sentences.
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Typically, water that has evaporated remains in the sky in cloud form for less than ten days before falling to Earth again as precipitation. Which of the following parts of speech is 'remains' as used in the sentence?
- A. noun
- B. verb
- C. adjective
- D. adverb
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In the sentence, 'water that has evaporated remains in the sky,' the word 'remains' is functioning as a verb. It is describing the action of water staying in the sky in cloud form for a certain duration. Verbs are words that express actions, occurrences, or states of being, and in this case, 'remains' is indicating the state of the water being in the sky in cloud form. The other choices are incorrect: 'noun' refers to a person, place, thing, or idea; 'adjective' describes or modifies a noun; and 'adverb' typically modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, but in this sentence, 'remains' is not being modified by an adverb.
Parrots, among the most intelligent birds in the world, have been prized pets for many centuries; in fact, the first recorded instance of parrot training was written in the thirteenth century. Which of the following is a synonym for prized as used in the sentence?
- A. unlikely
- B. misunderstood
- C. rewarded
- D. valued
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In the context of the sentence, 'prized' is used to describe how much people value parrots as pets. Synonyms for 'prized' in this context would include esteemed, cherished, or valued, making option D the most suitable choice. Options A, B, and C do not accurately capture the meaning of 'prized' in this sentence.
What is the complete subject in the sentence: Sandra's principal reason for choosing the job was that it would be full-time and would offer benefits?
- A. Sandra's principal reason for choosing the job
- B. Sandra's principal reason
- C. Sandra's principal
- D. Sandra
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The complete subject in a sentence includes all the words that describe the main focus of the sentence. In this case, the complete subject is "Sandra's principal reason for choosing the job" as it encompasses all the relevant details about Sandra and her reason for selecting the job. Choice A is the correct answer because it provides the most comprehensive and specific information, making it the complete subject. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not include all the necessary elements to form the complete subject and do not convey the full context of the sentence.
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences includes members whose topics of study span many disciplines such as math, science, arts, humanities, public affairs, and business. Which of the following is an appropriate synonym for disciplines as it is used in the sentence?
- A. locations
- B. regions
- C. punishments
- D. fields
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In this context, 'disciplines' refers to specific areas of study or fields of expertise. Therefore, the most appropriate synonym for 'disciplines' would be 'fields.' Options A, B, and C do not accurately convey the meaning of 'disciplines' in the given sentence. 'Locations' and 'regions' refer to physical places, while 'punishments' is entirely unrelated to the context of academic or professional fields of study.
The patient's preoperative evaluation is scheduled for next Wednesday. In the sentence, the prefix pre- indicates that the evaluation will take place at which of the following times?
- A. before the operation
- B. after the operation
- C. during the operation
- D. outside of the operation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The prefix 'pre-' typically means before. In this case, 'preoperative' refers to activities that occur before an operation. Therefore, the patient's preoperative evaluation, scheduled for next Wednesday, will take place before the operation. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the prefix 'pre-' specifically indicates a time before the operation, not after, during, or outside of it.