DIRECTIONS: Choose the underlined word or phrase that is unnecessary within the context of the passage.

 


1. At a track and field (A) competition, perhaps (B) the most exciting events are the relay (C) races. To perform their best, the members of any relay team (D) must cooperate together (E) to insure the team's success, whether success is defined as winning or a competing to one's full potential.

2. The committee deliberated for several hours (A). The testimonies and findings of experts (B) had to be studied carefully. Finally, after considerable (C) disagreement, a consensus of opinion (D) was reached even though the committee felt certain that not everyone would be pleased. Their decision, however, (E) was received favorably by all concerned.

DIRECTIONS: For the underlined sentence(s), shoose the option that expresses the meaning with the most fluency and the clearest logic within the context. If the underlined sentence(s) should not be changed, choose option A, which shows no change.

3. In the heart of New Orleans lies a popular restaurant that appeals to a select clientele. The restaurant hires chefs who prepare recipes that have spices that are blended particularly for customers who prefer exotic food.

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4. Medical researchers have long been seeking a cure for cancer, a disease that takes thousands of lives each year. Despite millions of dollars and countless hours of work, the cure has eluded them.

  1. Medical researchers have long been seeking a cure for cancer, a disease that takes thousands of lives each year.
  2. Because medical researchers have long been seeking a cure for cancer, the disease takes thousands of lives each year.
  3. Medical researchers have long been seeking a cure for cancer, so the disease takes thousands of lives each year.
  4. For a disease that takes thousands of lives each year, cancer, medical researchers have long been seeking a cure.
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DIRECTIONS: The passage below contains several errors. Read the passage. Then answer each test item by choosing the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). Refer to the passage as necessary. No more than one underlined error will appear in each item. If no error exists, choose "No change is necessary."

Birds spend so much time smoothing, cleaning, and arranging their feathers that it's not surprising this behavior called preening, is associated with pride and vanity. But stop a minute and think about what feathers did for a bird. Besides allowing it to fly, feathers keeps the bird warm in winter and cool in summer. They shed water in the rain, and they are used to comunicate with other birds of the same species. A bird with dirty or ruffled feathers will not live long. Birds use their beaks to clean and straighten their feathers and to spread oil over them. They get the oil from special glands in their skin. The oil helps keep the feathers waterproof and flexible. Birds also like to take baths to keep clean they don't always take them in water. Chickens, for instance, like nothing better than to scratch up some dust with its feet and then lie down and flap the dust all over their bodies. This probably helps get rid of parasites on their skin. A quick shake then sends the dust flying from their feathers. Leaving them clean and comfortable.

 

5. Birds spend so much time smoothing, cleaning, and arranging their feathers that it's not surprising this behavior called preening, is associated with pride and vanity.

  1. behavior called, preening.
  2. behavior, called preening,
  3. ,behavior called preening,
  4. No change is necessary.

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6. But stop a minute and think about what feathers did for a bird.

  1. done
  2. have done
  3. do
  4. No change is necessary

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7. Besides allowing it to fly, feathers keeps the bird warm in winter and cool in summer.

  1. keep
  2. kept
  3. have kept
  4. No change is necessary

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8. They are used to comunicate with other birds of the same species.

  1. cummunicate
  2. communicate
  3. comunicatte
  4. No change is necessary

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9. The oil helps keep the feathers waterproof and flexible.

  1. help keeps
  2. help and keep
  3. helped keep
  4. No change is necessary

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10. Birds also like to take baths to keep clean they don't always take them in water.

  1. clean and they
  2. clean, but they
  3. clean, they
  4. No change is necessary

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11. Chickens, for instance, like nothing better than to scratch up some dust with its feet and then lie down and flap the dust all over their bodies.

  1. it's
  2. they're
  3. their
  4. No change is necessary

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12. This probably helps get rid of parasites on their skin.

  1. its
  2. it's
  3. there
  4. No change is necessary

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13. A quick shake then sends the dust flying from their feathers. Leaving them clean and comfortable.

  1. feathers, leaving
  2. feathers and leaving
  3. feathers, and leaving
  4. No change is necessary

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DIRECTIONS: The passage below contains several errors. Read the passage. Then answer each test item by choosing the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). Refer to the passage as necessary. No more than one underlined error will appear in each item. If no error exists, choose "No change is necessary."

Kids are in the mall not only as passively shoppers. They also work there, especially as fast-food outlets infiltrate the mall's enclosure. There they become accustom to holding a job and taking responsibility for themselves. When CBS Reports went to Oak Park Mall in suburban Kansas City, Kansas, to tape part of their hour-long consideration of malls, "After the Dream Comes True," a reporter interviewed a teenaged girl who worked in a fast-food outlet there. In a sequence that didn't make the final program, she described the major goal of her present life, which was to perfect the ice-cream cones that was her stores' specialty. If she could do that, her teenaged manager promised they would move her from the lowly soft-drink dispenser to the more prestigious ice-cream division. These are the succesess that are important at the mall. Benefits of such jobs are few. According to Laurence D. Steinberg of the University of California at Irvine's social ecology department, who did a study on teenage employment. Teenager's jobs, he found, are generally simple, mindlessly repetitive and relentlessly boring, teenagers don't really learn anything, and the jobs don't lead anywhere. Teenagers also work primarily with other teenagers. Even their supervisors are often just a little older than them. "Kids need to spend time with adults," explains Steinberg. "Although they have gotten benefits from peer relationships, without parents and other adults, it's one-sided socialization."

 

14. Kids are in the mall not only as passively shoppers.

  1. passive
  2. pasive
  3. pasively
  4. No change is necessary

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15. They also work there, especially as fast-food restaurants infiltrate the mall's enclosure.

  1. mall
  2. malls
  3. malls'
  4. No change is necessary

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16. There they become (A) accustom (B) to holding a job and (C) taking reponsibility for themselves.

  1. have become
  2. accustomed
  3. job, and
  4. No change is necessary

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17. When CBS Reports went to Oak Park Mall in suburban Kansas City, Kansas, (A) to tape part of their hour-long consideration of malls. "After (B) the Dream Comes True," they (C) interviewed a teenaged girl who worked in a fast-food outlet there.

  1. City Kansas
  2. malls "After
  3. True" they
  4. No change is necessary

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18. In a sequence that didn't make the final program, she (A) described (B) the major goal of her present life, which was to perfect the ice-cream cones that was (C) her store's specialty.

  1. program she
  2. discribed
  3. were
  4. No change is necessary

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19. If she could do that, her teenaged boss promised they (A) would move her from the lowly (B) soft-drink dispenser (C) to the more prestigious ice-cream division.

  1. he
  2. low
  3. dispenser's
  4. No change is necessary

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20. These are the succesess that are important at the mall.

  1. sucesses
  2. suceses
  3. successes
  4. No change is necessary

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21. Benefits of such jobs are few. According (A) to Laurence D. Steinberg of the University of (B) California at Irvine's social ecology department, who (C) did a study on teenage employment.

  1. few, according
  2. Of
  3. department who
  4. No change is necessary

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22. Teenagers' jobs, he found, are (A) generally simple, mindlessly repetitive, and relentlessly boring. teenagers (B) don't really learn anything, and (C) the jobs don't lead anywhere.

  1. was
  2. boring. Teenagers
  3. anything and
  4. No change is necessary

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23. Even their supervisors are (A) often just a little older than (B) them (C).

  1. were
  2. then
  3. they
  4. No change is necessary

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24. "Although they have gotten benefits from peer relationships, without parents and other adults, it's one-sided socialization."

  1. get
  2. got
  3. has got
  4. No change necessary

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DIRECTIONS: Choose the most effective word or phrase within the context suggested by the sentence(s).

25. The President ___________ directly to the platform; then, he cleared his throat before he made his speech.

26. Because of her extreme shyness, the famed singer refused to perform regularly; instead, her appearances were _____________.

DIRECTIONS: Choose the sentence that expresses the thought most clearly and effectively and that has no errors in structure.

27.

Classical music helps some people to solve problems, work efficiently, and provides relief from stress.

Classical music helps some people to solve problems, work efficiently, and relieve stress.

Helping to solve problems, work efficiently, and relieve stress is why some people need classical music.

28.

While I was waiting for the doctor, my heart was pounding, my pulse raced, and my hands trembled.

While I was waiting for the doctor, my heart pounded, my pulse raced, and my hands trembled.

While I was waiting for the doctor, my heart pounded, my pulse was racing, and my hands trembled.

29.

Making her remarks, a cross-section of her constituents was interviewed by the senator.

After interviewing a cross-section of her constituents, the remarks were made by the senator.

The senator made the remarks after she interviewed a cross-section of her constituents.

DIRECTIONS: Choose the sentence that logically and correctly expresses the comparison.

30.

Willy's friend likes dinner at home better than restaurant meals.

Willy's friend would rather have dinner at home than in a restaurant.

Willy's friend prefers dinner at home to going out to restaurants.

End of Test!

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