Nokea
A teacher wants to counsel a student about using the word ain't in a research paper for a high school English class. What advice should the teacher give?
- A. Ain't is not in the dictionary, so it isn't a word.
- B. Because the student isn't in college yet, ain't is an appropriate expression for a high school writer.
- C. Ain't is incorrect English and should not be part of a serious student's vocabulary because it sounds uneducated.
- D. Ain't is a colloquial expression, and while it may be appropriate in a conversational setting, it is not standard in academic writing.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The teacher should advise the student that 'ain't' is a colloquial expression, and while it may be suitable in informal or conversational settings, it is not standard in academic writing. Using colloquialisms like 'ain't' in formal research papers can diminish the professionalism and clarity of the writing. Choice A is incorrect as the presence of a word in the dictionary does not solely determine its appropriateness in formal writing. Choice B is incorrect because the student's academic level does not justify the use of non-standard English. Choice C is incorrect as it focuses on the perceived uneducated sound of 'ain't' rather than its appropriateness in formal writing, which is the key concern for the research paper in question.
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She was really looking forward to the picnic, _________ she feared it might rain that afternoon. Which of the following transition words or phrases is more appropriate to complete the sentence above?
- A. after all
- B. likewise
- C. in other words
- D. although
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is 'D' - 'although.' This transition word is suitable in the context as it indicates a contrast between the excitement of looking forward to the picnic and the worry about rain. 'After all' (choice A) implies a conclusion or reasoning, which doesn't fit the contrast in the sentence. 'Likewise' (choice B) suggests similarity or agreement, which is opposite to the intended contrast. 'In other words' (choice C) signals clarification or providing more details, which is not needed here. Therefore, 'although' is the best choice to convey the contrast between anticipation and concern.
I know you'll be busy on your trip, but will you send me a postcard from Germany?
- A. Period
- B. Colon
- C. Question mark
- D. Exclamation mark
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The sentence is a direct question as the speaker is asking if the person will send a postcard from Germany. Therefore, the correct punctuation mark to use at the end of a question is a question mark. An exclamation mark (Choice D) is used to convey strong emotion or surprise, which is not the case here. A period (Choice A) is used for declarative statements. A colon (Choice B) is used to introduce a list or explanation, which is not needed in this context.
Which of the following examples is a compound-complex sentence?
- A. The puppy and his mother both had dark brown eyes and long, floppy ears.
- B. The puppy and his mother looked exactly the same; both had shiny, dark brown eyes and long, floppy ears.
- C. The puppy, who had dark brown, shiny eyes and long, floppy ears, looked just like his mother.
- D. Even though the puppy was much smaller than his mother, his eyes were dark brown and shiny just like hers, and his ears were long and floppy, too.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Sentence D is a compound-complex sentence because it contains two independent clauses ('Even though the puppy was much smaller than his mother' and 'his eyes were dark brown and shiny just like hers') and one dependent clause ('and his ears were long and floppy, too'). Choices A, B, and C do not meet the criteria for a compound-complex sentence as they lack a combination of independent and dependent clauses.
Which example shows correct comma usage for dates?
- A. The due date for the final paper in the course is Monday, May 16.
- B. Tuesday, March 10, 2021 was when the meeting took place.
- C. We will meet on Friday, March 11, 2022.
- D. We met on Monday, December 11, 2020.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because it uses a comma to separate the day of the week from the date, as well as a comma after the month when the date is included in a sentence. In choice B, there should be commas after both the day of the week and the date. Choice C correctly uses commas after the day of the week and the date. Choice D incorrectly places the comma before the date instead of after the month.
At last night's company function, in honor of Mr. Robertson's retirement, several employees spoke kindly about his career achievements. In the preceding sentence, what part of speech is the word function?
- A. Adjective
- B. Adverb
- C. Verb
- D. Noun
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In the sentence provided, the word 'function' is used as a noun to refer to an event or gathering. Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas, and in this case, 'function' is a thing (an event), so it functions as a noun. Adjectives describe nouns, adverbs modify verbs, and verbs express actions or states, none of which apply to the word 'function' in the sentence. Therefore, the correct answer is 'D: Noun.' Choices 'A: Adjective,' 'B: Adverb,' and 'C: Verb' are incorrect because 'function' in this context isn't being used to describe, modify, or express an action; it is naming an event.