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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First and foremost, they receive an annual pension payment. T has been reviewed and changed a number of times, most recently to reflect the salary of a high-level government executive. Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable way to revise and combine the underlined portion of the sentences above?
- A. annual pension payment, the amount of which
- B. annual pension payment; the amount of the pension
- C. annual pension payment; over the years since 1958, the amount of the pension
- D. annual pension payment, the amount of the pension.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Option C is the correct answer because it disrupts the flow of the sentence and introduces unnecessary information. The phrase 'over the years since 1958' is irrelevant in this context and does not contribute to the intended meaning of the sentence. The sentence is focused on the recent changes to the pension, not its historical evolution. Choices A, B, and D provide clear and concise ways to revise and combine the underlined portion of the sentences, maintaining a logical and relevant sentence structure.
Today, astrophysicists study the same stars that were observed by the astronomers of the ancient world, though today's techniques and technology are much more advanced. Which of the following is misspelled in the sentence?
- A. astrophysicists
- B. astronomers
- C. techniques
- D. technology
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The misspelled word in the sentence is 'astronemers,' which should be spelled as 'astronomers.' 'Astrophysicists,' 'techniques,' and 'technology' are all correctly spelled words in the sentence. Ensuring proper spelling is essential for effective communication and clarity. The term 'astronomers' refers to individuals who study celestial bodies, including stars, making it the correct answer in this context.
Which of the following sentences follows the rules of capitalization?
- A. As juveniles, African white-backed vultures are darkly colored, developing their white feathers only as they grow into adulthood.
- B. Ukrainians celebrate a holiday called Malanka during which men dress in costumes and masks and play tricks on their neighbors.
- C. Because of its distance from the sun, the planet Neptune has seasons that last the equivalent of forty-one Earth years.
- D. Edward Jenner, considered the Father of Immunology, invented the world's first vaccine.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In sentence B, "Ukrainians" is capitalized because it is referring to a specific group of people, and "Malanka" is also capitalized as it is a holiday name. This follows the rules of capitalization for proper nouns. Choices A, C, and D contain correct capitalization, but they also include additional capitalizations that are unnecessary. For instance, in choice A, "African white-backed vultures" should not be capitalized unless it is part of a proper noun or a title. In choice C, while "Neptune" and "Earth" should be capitalized as they are names of celestial bodies, the word "sun" is not capitalized unless it is used as part of the proper noun "Sun." Choice D correctly capitalizes proper nouns like "Edward Jenner" and "Immunology," but the general terms like "Father" and "vaccine" do not need capitalization unless they are part of a title or a specific name.
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.
Which of the following is correctly punctuated?
- A. The artist Prince, whose death shocked America in April of 2016, was one of the most successful musical artists of the last century.
- B. The artist Prince, whose death shocked America in April of 2016, was one of the most successful musical artists of the last century.
- C. The artist Prince-whose death shocked America in April of 2016-was one of the most successful musical artists of the last century.
- D. The artist Prince, whose death shocked America in April of 2016, was one of the most successful musical artists of the last century.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct punctuation in this case is to use a comma (,) to set off the nonrestrictive clause 'whose death shocked America in April of 2016.' This clause provides additional information about the artist Prince without changing the essential meaning of the sentence. Choice A has a semicolon (;) which is incorrect as it separates two closely related independent clauses. Choice C uses em dashes (-) which are incorrect as they should be used for emphasis or to set off information. Choice D uses a colon (:) which is incorrect as it introduces a list or an explanation, not additional information about the artist Prince. Therefore, the correctly punctuated sentence is: 'The artist Prince, whose death shocked America in April of 2016, was one of the most successful musical artists of the last century.'