Which of the following sentences best serves as the topic sentence in a paragraph about the history of yoga?
- A. The word 'yoga' was mentioned in the Vedas, a collection of texts containing songs, mantras, and rituals used by Vedic priests.
- B. By the late 1800s, yoga masters from India began to travel to the West, attracting followers.
- C. After a few hundred years, yoga masters rejected the teachings of the ancient Vedas and embraced the physical body as the means to achieve enlightenment.
- D. The practice of yoga first developed in the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India over 5,000 years ago.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because it introduces the historical origin of yoga, which is the main focus of the paragraph. This sentence sets the context by providing a foundational understanding of where and when yoga originated. Choice A talks about the mention of yoga in the Vedas but does not provide information about the historical development of yoga itself. Choice B discusses the travel of yoga masters to the West, which is a later development in the history of yoga and not the starting point. Choice C refers to a shift in yoga philosophy without directly addressing its origins, making it less suitable as a topic sentence compared to choice D.
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Many _____ books are popular among adults these days.
- A. Children's
- B. Childrens's
- C. Childrens'
- D. Childrens
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is 'Children's.' In this context, 'Children's' is the correct possessive form to indicate that the books belong to or are associated with children. Choice B ('Childrens's') is incorrect due to the unnecessary extra 's' after the apostrophe. Choice C ('Childrens'') is wrong as it is missing the apostrophe to show possession. Choice D ('Childrens') is incorrect as it is missing the apostrophe and does not form the possessive form correctly.
Write a research report about a national park in the United States that is experiencing threats.
- A. Florida's Everglades National Park is threatened with a rising sea level as restoration efforts lag.
- B. The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States.
- C. Every year someone falls over the edge of Going-to-the-Sun Road at Glacier National Park.
- D. My visit to Acadia National Park last summer was one of the most interesting trips I've ever taken.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Choice A is the correct answer as it directly addresses the writing prompt by focusing on a specific threat faced by a national park in the United States, which is the rising sea level affecting Florida's Everglades National Park. This choice provides a clear thesis statement for a research report on the topic. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. Choice B provides general information about the Grand Canyon but does not discuss any threats it is facing. Choice C is not relevant to the prompt as it talks about accidents on a specific highway within Glacier National Park rather than broader threats to the park itself. Choice D is about a personal experience at Acadia National Park and does not address any threats the park may be experiencing.
I truly believe that one cup of coffee a day is neither too much nor too little caffeine for me, but exactly the right amount. Which of the following words is misspelled in the sentence above?
- A. caffeine
- B. truly
- C. neither
- D. exactly
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'caffeine.' The word 'caffeine' is spelled with only one 'e' after the 'f,' not 'caffiene.' 'Truly,' 'neither,' and 'exactly' are all spelled correctly in the sentence provided.
Which example uses quotations correctly?
- A. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away.
- B. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away.
- C. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, "as he pushed the plate of cookies away."
- D. "I'm not going to spoil my appetite," said Philip, as he pushed the plate of cookies away.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Choice D is the correct answer as it uses quotation marks to properly set off the spoken words. In this sentence, the spoken words by Philip are enclosed within double quotation marks and correctly punctuated with a comma before the attribution 'said Philip.' Choices A, B, and C contain errors such as missing commas, incorrect placement of quotation marks, or incorrect punctuation within the quoted speech. For example, in Choice A, there should be a comma after 'appetite' within the quotation. In Choice B, the comma should be placed inside the quotation marks. Choice C incorrectly places the attribution 'said Philip' within the quotation of spoken words, which is not the standard practice.
Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence? "Otto, somewhat abruptly, got up out of his chair, and just like that, headed into the next room."
- A. The comma after "somewhat"
- B. The comma after "Otto"
- C. The semicolon after "that"
- D. The comma after "chair"
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The semicolon after "that" is used incorrectly; a comma should be used instead. Semicolons are typically used to join two independent clauses without a conjunction. In this sentence, the phrase "just like that" is not an independent clause, so a comma is more appropriate for separating it from the rest of the sentence. Choices A, B, and D all use commas correctly within the sentence.