Nokea
Choose the correct verb form: 'Neither of the boys ____ interested in the game.'
- A. is
- B. are
- C. were
- D. be
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The subject 'Neither' is singular, so the correct verb form to use is 'is.' In this sentence, 'boys' is part of a prepositional phrase 'of the boys' and does not affect the verb agreement. 'Are' (choice B) is plural and does not match the singular subject. 'Were' (choice C) is past tense and not suitable for the present context. 'Be' (choice D) is an infinitive form and does not agree with the subject.
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Which of the following sentences correctly uses parallel structure?
- A. She likes hiking, swimming, and to run.
- B. She likes hiking, swimming, and running.
- C. She likes hiking, to swim, and running.
- D. She likes hiking, and she likes swimming and running.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B. Parallel structure ensures that items in a series or list are in the same grammatical form. In choice A, 'to run' disrupts the parallel structure since 'hiking' and 'swimming' are gerunds. Choice C similarly breaks the parallelism by using 'to swim' in a different form. Choice D is incorrect because it lacks consistent parallelism, as 'hiking' is not followed by gerunds like 'swimming' and 'running.' Therefore, only choice B maintains proper parallel structure by using gerunds ('hiking,' 'swimming,' and 'running') consistently.
The shear number of people in the audience overwhelmed the actress as she peeked through the curtain before scene one. Which of the following correctly describes an error in the sentence above?
- A. The homograph 'peeked' should be 'peaked.'
- B. The homograph 'through' should be 'threw.'
- C. The homophone 'shear' should be 'sheer.'
- D. The homophone 'scene' should be 'seen.'
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The word 'shear' means to cut, while 'sheer' in this context means 'complete' or 'unqualified.' The correct spelling in the sentence should be 'sheer.' Choice A, 'peeked' is the correct past tense of 'peek,' meaning to glance quickly or briefly. Choice B, 'through' is the correct preposition to indicate moving in one side and out the other. Choice D, 'scene,' is the correct term for a part of a play or movie, not 'seen,' which is the past participle of 'see.'
Which sentence demonstrates correct use of the apostrophe?
- A. The dog wagged its tail.
- B. It's a wonderful day.
- C. The dog's tail wagged.
- D. It's a big house.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Choice C, 'The dog's tail wagged,' is the correct use of the apostrophe to show possession. In this sentence, the apostrophe is used correctly to indicate that the tail belongs to the dog. Choice A is incorrect as 'it's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has,' not possessive. Choice B is also incorrect as 'Its' should be 'It's' to mean 'It is' or 'It has.' Choice D is incorrect as 'Its'' is grammatically incorrect; the correct form would be 'It's' if it were a contraction or 'Its' if it indicated possession without an apostrophe.
Which of the following examples from the paragraph about the Silk Road is a transition sentence?
- A. The Silk Road got its name from Chinese silk, which was a major item traded along the route.
- B. However, there were many other important trade items, some of which would end up changing the world forever.
- C. Because the Silk Road was not just one single road, historians also use the term 'Silk Routes' to describe the network.
- D. The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes that stretched from China through India all the way to Africa, Greece, Rome, and Great Britain.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Choice B is the correct answer because it serves as a transition sentence in the paragraph about the Silk Road. It shifts the focus from Chinese silk being a major trade item to the introduction of other important trade items that had a significant impact on the world. This transition indicates a change in the topic being discussed within the paragraph. Choices A, C, and D do not serve as transition sentences. Choice A simply introduces the origin of the Silk Road's name, choice C provides additional information about the network without transitioning to a new topic, and choice D gives a general description of the Silk Road without transitioning to a different aspect of the trade routes.
The plump old white cat basked in the warm sunlight. Which of the following options correctly punctuates the above?
- A. The plump, old, white cat basked in the warm sunlight.
- B. The plump, old, white, cat basked in the warm sunlight.
- C. The plump, old white cat basked in the warm sunlight.
- D. The plump old white cat, basked in the warm sunlight.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'The plump, old, white cat basked in the warm sunlight.' Commas should be used to separate coordinate adjectives describing the cat. In this sentence, 'plump,' 'old,' and 'white' are coordinate adjectives, each providing distinct information about the cat. Option B incorrectly places a comma after 'white,' creating a nonessential element. Option C lacks commas to separate the coordinate adjectives. Option D incorrectly places a comma after 'cat,' causing a punctuation error.