Which of the following sentences shows correct word usage?
- A. It's often been said that work is better than rest.
- B. Its often been said that work is better than rest.
- C. It's often been said that work is better than rest.
- D. Its often been said that work is better than rest.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In this sentence, 'It's' is the contraction for 'it is,' and 'than' is used correctly for comparisons (e.g., better than). Therefore, sentence C is correct because it uses 'It's' (it is) and 'than' (for comparison) properly. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Choice A lacks the necessary apostrophe in 'It's' (it is) and incorrectly uses 'then' instead of 'than.' Choice B incorrectly uses 'Its' (possessive form) instead of 'It's.' Choice D lacks the necessary apostrophe in 'It's' (it is) and incorrectly uses 'then' instead of 'than.'
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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.
Which of the following examples uses correct punctuation?
- A. The moderator asked the candidates, "Is each of you prepared to discuss your position on global warming?".
- B. The moderator asked the candidates, "Is each of you prepared to discuss your position on global warming?"
- C. . The moderator asked the candidates, 'Is each of you prepared to discuss your position on global warming?'
- D. The moderator asked the candidates, 'Is each of you prepared to discuss your position on global warming?'
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Option B is the correct answer because it correctly places the period inside the closing quotation mark, following the closing punctuation of the sentence. This is the standard punctuation rule for quotations in American English. Choice A is incorrect as it has an extra period outside the closing quotation mark. Choice C is incorrect as the period should come after the closing quotation mark. Choice D is incorrect as it lacks the initial space before the quotation, not adhering to proper punctuation rules.
Reread the following sentence from the passage: 'Don't hit me with arguments about greater freedom for workers.' Which of the following would be a more formal way to rewrite the sentence?
- A. I disagree with the argument about contract workers having greater freedom.
- B. Stop telling me that freelancers have more freedom!
- C. Is there actually freedom for workers?
- D. I've already heard.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Choice A, 'I disagree with the argument about contract workers having greater freedom,' is the correct answer. This sentence rephrases the original statement in a more formal and respectful tone, which is suitable for formal writing. Choice B is too direct and lacks formality. Choice C does not address the argument directly and poses a question instead of providing a formal statement. Choice D is dismissive and does not offer a formal rewrite of the original sentence.
What type of sentence is the following example? Although I wished it were summer, I accepted the change of seasons, and I started to appreciate the fall.
- A. Compound
- B. Simple
- C. Complex
- D. Compound-Complex
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: This sentence is a complex sentence because it consists of an independent clause ('I accepted the change of seasons, and I started to appreciate the fall') and a dependent clause ('Although I wished it were summer'). The dependent clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and relies on the independent clause to make sense. Choice A (Compound) is incorrect because a compound sentence requires two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. Choice B (Simple) is incorrect as it does not account for the presence of both independent and dependent clauses. Choice D (Compound-Complex) is incorrect as it would require at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
A teacher notices that, when students are talking to each other between classes, they are using their own unique vocabulary words and expressions to talk about their daily lives. When the teacher hears these non-standard words that are specific to one age or cultural group, what type of language is she listening to?
- A. Slang
- B. Jargon
- C. Dialect
- D. Vernacular
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is 'Slang.' Slang refers to informal words or phrases that are specific to a particular group of people, such as young people or a specific culture. In this scenario, the teacher is hearing non-standard words and expressions used by students, which aligns with the definition of slang. Jargon typically refers to specialized terminology used within a specific profession or group. Dialect refers to a particular form of a language that is specific to a region or social group. Vernacular refers to the everyday language spoken by people in a particular region or country.
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