Official exercises Flashcards
In late 1997, the chambers inside the pyramid of the
Pharaoh Menkaure at Giza were closed to visitors for
cleaning and repair due to moisture exhaled by
tourists, which raised its humidity to such levels so
that salt from the stone was crystallizing and fungus
was growing on the walls.
(A) due to moisture exhaled by tourists, which raised its humidity to such levels so that salt from the stone was crystallizing
(B) due to moisture that tourists had exhaled, thereby raising its humidity to such levels that salt from the stone would crystallize
C) because tourists were exhaling moisture, which had raised the humidity within them to levels such that salt from the stone would crystallize
(D) because of moisture that was exhaled by tourists raising the humidity within them to levels so high as to make the salt from the stone crystallize
(E) because moisture exhaled by tourists had raised
the humidity within them to such levels that salt from the stone was crystallizing
The correct answer is E.
Agreement; Parallelism
The plural subject chambers requires plural pronouns. The sentence explains a causal sequence: visitors’ breath introduced moisture that caused salt to crystallize, which caused the chambers to be closed for cleaning and repair. The phrase due to makes this causal sequence somewhat ambiguous, seeming to suggest that the repairs were due to humidity from visitors’ breath.
A) Due to is an imprecise expression of the causal connection between the tourists’ breath and the closing of the museum for cleaning; the singular pronoun its does not agree with the plural antecedent chambers.
B) It is not at all clear what the reference is for the pronoun its; fungus was growing should be parallel to salt … was crystallizing (not would crystallize) because it is another effect of the humidity.
C) The pronoun them seems to refer to tourists, which is nonsensical; the entire construction is awkward and wordy; would crystallize is not parallel to was growing.
D) Once again, them seems to refer to tourists; the entire construction is awkward, wordy, and ambiguous; crystallize is not parallel to was growing.
E) Correct. Th e causal sequence is clear, and them clearly refers to chambers.
Sunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong electromagnetic activity, are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on the Sun’s poles or equator.
(A) are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on
(B) are visible as dark spots that never have been sighted on the surface of the Sun
(C) appear on the surface of the Sun as dark spots although never sighted at
(D) appear as dark spots on the surface of the Sun,
although never having been sighted at
(E) appear as dark spots on the Sun’s surface,
which have never been sighted on
The correct answer is A.
Logical predication; Parallelism
The correct parallel structure in the original sentence emphasizes the contrast between where sunspots are found (are visible … Sun) and where they are not (have never been sighted … equator). Sunspots is the subject of the sentence; are is the verb of the fi rst part of the contrast, and have been sighted is the verb of the second. (Th e adjective visible is a complement and is parallel to the past participle sighted.) Both parts of the sentence conclude with phrases indicating location. The contrast itself is indicated by the conjunction but.
A) Correct. Th is sentence clearly and correctly draws a contrast between where sunspots are found and where they are not.
B) Th e modifying clause that never … Sun distorts the meaning of the sentence; also, without punctuation, the phrase on the surface of the Sun the Sun’s poles or equator is ungrammatical and makes no sense.
C) Although typically introduces a subordinate clause, which has a subject and a verb, but here there is no subject and sighted is not a complete verb.
D) Although usually introduces a subordinate clause, but there is no subject of the clause and having been sighted is not a complete verb phrase.
E) This phrasing makes the sentence somewhat awkward and unclear
Retail sales rose 0.8 of 1 percent in August, intensifying expectations that personal spending in the July–September quarter more than doubled that of the 1.4 percent growth rate in personal spending for the previous quarter.
(A) that personal spending in the July–September
quarter more than doubled that of
(B) that personal spending in the July–September
quarter would more than double
(C) of personal spending in the July–September
quarter, that it more than doubled
(D) of personal spending in the July–September
quarter more than doubling that of
(E) of personal spending in the July–September
quarter, that it would more than double that of
Th e correct answer is B.
Verb form; Logical predication
The sentence explains the expectations that resulted from a past retail sales trend. Since expectations look to the future but are not yet realized, the relative clause explaining these expectations should be conditional, employing the auxiliary verb would.
A) Th e simple past-tense verb form does not express the forward-looking sense of expectations.
B) Correct. By using the verb would double, this concise sentence indicates that the expectation has not yet been realized.
C) This construction is awkward, announcing the topic (personal spending) and then elaborating in a relative clause that restates this topic as it.
D) Although this option is not technically wrong, it is less clear and graceful than B.
E) Like option C, this sentence is awkward and unnecessarily wordy, announcing the topic and then using an additional clause to elaborate on it.
The Iroquois were primarily planters, but supplementing their cultivation of maize, squash, and beans with fishing and hunting.
(A) but supplementing
(B) and had supplemented
(C) and even though they supplemented
(D) although they supplemented
(E) but with supplementing
The correct answer is D.
Grammatical construction; Verb form
The participle supplementing would normally be expected to modify the first clause, describing or extending its meaning, but the logic of this sentence demands a contrast, not an extension. Consequently, the second part of the sentence must be revised to emphasize the contrast properly. The logic of the sentence also argues against a construction that would set the two clauses and the importance of their content equal when they clearly should not be. The best solution is to have the main clause describe the primary activity, and a subordinate clause, although they supplemented, describe the supplementary activity.
A) The construction using supplementing fails to support the intended meaning of the sentence.
B) And does not convey contrast; had supplemented is the past perfect tense but the simple past is required to match were.
C) And does not convey contrast and should be omitted; and even though creates a sentence fragment.
D) Correct. Using although creates a subordinate clause in this sentence and logically links that clause with the main clause; the simple past supplemented parallels the simple past were.
E) But with is awkward and unclear; supplementing is a modifier when a contrasting clause is needed.
Based on accounts of various ancient writers, scholars have painted a sketchy picture of the activities of an all-female cult that, perhaps as early as the sixth century B.C., worshipped a goddess known in Latin as Bona Dea, “the good goddess.”
(A) Based on accounts of various ancient writers,
(B) Basing it on various ancient writers’ accounts,
(C) With accounts of various ancient writers used
for a basis,
(D) By the accounts of various ancient writers
they used,
(E) Using accounts of various ancient writers,
The correct answer is E.
Logical predication; Rhetorical construction
The underlined phrase is a modifi er; it functions as an adjective to describe the noun that immediately follows it. In this case, the phrase incorrectly modifi es scholars, which does not make any sense. What are the scholars doing? When the modifi er begins with using, it correctly links the scholars with the modifi er that describes their activity.
A) Based on … incorrectly modifi es scholars.
B) Th e pronoun it does not have a clear reference.
C) Th is choice is wordy and awkward.
D) Th is choice is wordy and awkward.
E) Correct. In this sentence, using accounts of various ancient writers correctly modifies scholars in a clear and concise expression of their activity.
Scientists have recently discovered what could be the largest and oldest living organism on Earth, a giant fungus that is an interwoven filigree of mushrooms and rootlike tentacles spawned by a single fertilized spore some 10,000 years ago and extending for more than 30 acres in the soil of a Michigan forest.
(A) extending
(B) extends
(C) extended
(D) it extended
(E) is extending
The correct answer is A.
Parallelism; Verb form
The original sentence is correctly written. The giant fungus is described as an interwoven filigree spawned … some 10,000 years ago and extending for more than 30 acres. Th e present participle extending parallels the past participle spawned.
A) Correct. Th is sentence has the participles spawned and extending in a correct parallel construction. Spawned refers to something that happened in the past, while extending
refers to something that continues into the present.
B) Extends is a present tense verb, not the participle needed for parallel structure; the ostensible parallel between extends and the distant verb is is superficial and would result in an awkward and unclear sentence.
C) Extended looks parallel to spawned, but this phrase would mean that the fungus extended only in the past when the fungus clearly lives on in the present.
D) It extended is not parallel to spawned and indicates an event completed in the past.
E) Is extending is the progressive form of the
present tense verb, not the participle
required for parallelism.
In ancient Thailand, much of the local artisans’ creative energy was expended for the creation of Buddha images and when they constructed and decorated the temples that enshrined them.
(A) much of the local artisans’ creative energy was expended for the creation of Buddha images and when they constructed and decorated the temples that enshrined them
(B) much of the local artisans’ creative energy was expended on the creation of Buddha images and on construction and decoration of the temples in which they were enshrined
(C) much of the local artisans’ creative energy was expended on the creation of Buddha images as well as constructing and decoration of the
temples in which they were enshrined
(D) creating images of Buddha accounted for much of the local artisans’ creative energy, and also constructing and decorating the temples enshrining them
(E) the creation of Buddha images accounted for much of the local artisans’ creative energy as well as construction and decoration of the temples that enshrined them
The correct answer is B.
Idiom; Parallelism; Rhetorical construction
The main point of the sentence is that artisans in ancient Thailand spent most of their creative energy on three tasks: creating Buddha images, and constructing and decorating temples to enshrine the Buddhas. These three tasks must be described in parallel forms. The verb expended should be followed by the preposition on, not for.
A) For is the wrong preposition; the and when … clause introduces faulty parallelism; it is unclear what they refers to.
B) Correct. Th e three activities are presented in parallel form: creation of Buddha images and construction and decoration of the temples.
C) Constructing violates the parallelism otherwise maintained by creation and decoration.
D) The and also phrase is awkwardly set apart from the main claim of the sentence— which is that all three tasks consumed much of the artisans’ energy.
E) This construction is awkward and unnecessarily wordy and says something different—that the images accounted for the construction and decoration of temples.
According to some analysts, the gains in the stock market reflect growing confidence that the economy will avoid the recession that many had feared earlier in the year and instead come in for a “soft landing,” followed by a gradual increase in business activity.
(A) that the economy will avoid the recession that many had feared earlier in the year and instead come
(B) in the economy to avoid the recession, what many feared earlier in the year, rather to come
(C) in the economy’s ability to avoid the recession, something earlier in the year many had feared, and instead to come
(D) in the economy to avoid the recession many were fearing earlier in the year, and rather to come
(E) that the economy will avoid the recession that was feared earlier this year by many, with it instead coming
The correct answer is A.
Grammatical construction; Rhetorical construction
The original sentence successfully avoids the problems that may occur in a long sentence with multiple modifiers. Two subordinate clauses begin with that, and one of them is contained within another. That many had feared earlier in the year clearly defines the recession. Th at the economy will avoid … and instead (will understood) come… is the subordinate clause that follows the main clause; its subject, economy, is followed by two parallel verbs, will avoid and (will understood) come. Instead before the second verb properly indicates contrast.
A) Correct. Th is sentence contains two correct subordinate clauses introduced by that.
B) What cannot replace that; the economy to avoid the recession is awkward and unclear; rather to come does not complete the second part of the sentence idiomatically.
C) Earlier in the year should follow many had feared, rather than preceding it; instead to come does not complete the second part of the sentence idiomatically.
D) Th e recession must be followed by that; were fearing is the wrong tense; rather to come does not complete the second part of the sentence idiomatically.
E) The passive voice construction that was feared … is weak and wordy; with it instead coming is awkward, wordy, and ungrammatical.
A new study suggests that the conversational pace of everyday life may be so brisk it hampers the ability of some children for distinguishing discrete sounds and words and, the result is, to make sense of speech.
(A) it hampers the ability of some children for distinguishing discrete sounds and words and, the result is, to make
(B) that it hampers the ability of some children to distinguish discrete sounds and words and, as a result, to make
(C) that it hampers the ability of some children to distinguish discrete sounds and words and, the result of this, they are unable to make
(D) that it hampers the ability of some children to distinguish discrete sounds and words, and
results in not making
(E) as to hamper the ability of some children for
distinguishing discrete sounds and words,
resulting in being unable to make
The correct answer is B.
Rhetorical construction; Parallelism; Diction
The sentence describes a hypothesized causal series: The fast conversational pace impairs children’s ability to distinguish individual sounds and words, and this, in turn, impairs their ability to make sense of speech. Th ese two consequences, both impaired abilities, are most clearly and efficiently expressed in parallel infi nitive phrases (to distinguish and to make). The explanatory phrase as a result before the second infi nitive clarifies the sequence. The term ability should be followed by the preposition to, not for.
A) For is the wrong preposition to follow ability; the phrase and, the result, is introduces a new clause which indicates that children’s inability to distinguish sounds enables them to make sense of speech.
B) Correct. Th e two abilities hampered by the fast pace of conversation are described with the parallel infi nitive phrases to distinguish and to make.
C) The result of this is a new subject that grammatically requires a new verb; the phrase is wordy and unclear.
D) Th is version of the sentence nonsensically suggests that the pace of speech results in not making sense of speech, removing the
children from the picture as the ones who are affected.
E) The phrase is awkward, wordy, and unclear; for is the incorrect preposition to follow ability.
To Josephine Baker, Paris was her home long before it was fashionable to be an expatriate, and she remained in France during the Second World War as a performer and an intelligence agent for the Resistance.
(A) To Josephine Baker, Paris was her home long before it was fashionable to be an expatriate,
(B) For Josephine Baker, long before it was fashionable to be an expatriate, Paris was her home,
(C) Josephine Baker made Paris her home long before to be an expatriate was fashionable,
(D) Long before it was fashionable to be an expatriate, Josephine Baker made Paris her home,
(E) Long before it was fashionable being an expatriate, Paris was home to Josephine Baker,
The correct answer is D.
Rhetorical construction; Parallelism; Diction
The sentence describes a hypothesized causal series: The fast conversational pace impairs children’s ability to distinguish individual sounds and words, and this, in turn, impairs their ability to make sense of speech. Th ese two consequences, both impaired abilities, are most clearly and efficiently expressed in parallel infi nitive phrases (to distinguish and to make). Th e explanatory phrase as a result before the second infinitive clarifies the sequence. The term ability should be followed by the preposition to, not for.
A) For is the wrong preposition to follow ability; the phrase and, the result, is introduces a new clause which indicates that children’s inability to distinguish sounds enables them to make sense of speech.
B) Correct. Th e two abilities hampered by the fast pace of conversation are described with the parallel infinitive phrases to distinguish and to make.
C) The result of this is a new subject that grammatically requires a new verb; the phrase is wordy and unclear.
D) This version of the sentence nonsensically suggests that the pace of speech results in not making sense of speech, removing the
children from the picture as the ones who are affected.
E) The phrase is awkward, wordy, and unclear; for is the incorrect preposition to follow ability.
Many house builders offer rent-to-buy programs that enable a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to be able to move into new housing and to apply part of the rent to a purchase later.
(A) programs that enable a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to be able to move into new housing and to apply
(B) programs that enable a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to move into new housing and to apply
(C) programs; that enables a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to move into new housing, to apply
(D) programs, which enables a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to move into new housing, applying
(E) programs, which enable a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to be able to move into new housing, applying
Th e correct answer is B.
Rhetorical construction; Logical predication
In a lengthy sentence consisting of many phrases, it is essential to determine which phrases and words are necessary to the sentence and which words may be eliminated because they are unnecessary. Th e relative pronoun that correctly refers to programs and introduces the subordinate clause; family is followed by two phrases that are clear and correct. To be able to move, however, is needlessly wordy, repeating the meaning of enable, and can be reduced to to move. This creates a parallel construction in which programs … enable a family … to move … and to apply.
A) To be able to move is wordy and able is redundant after enable; to apply is not logically parallel to the infi nitive phrase (able) to move.
B) Correct. In this sentence, eliminating the wordy construction to be able allows to move to be parallel to to apply.
C) Insofar as this is grammatical, using a semicolon here causes that to refer too broadly to the entire previous clause rather than specifi cally to programs; the two infinitives should be joined by the conjunction and, not separated by a comma.
D) Enables does not agree with the plural subject; applying following a nonrestrictive clause suggests incorrectly that the builders, not the family, are applying the rent.
E) The comma after programs is incorrect because the clause is meant to be restrictive; as in D, applying will alter the meaning of the sentence.
A leading figure in the Scottish Enlightenment, Adam
Smith’s two major books are to democratic capitalism
what Marx’s Das Kapital is to socialism.
(A) Adam Smith’s two major books are to democratic capitalism what
(B) Adam Smith’s two major books are to democratic capitalism like
(C) Adam Smith’s two major books are to democratic capitalism just as
(D) Adam Smith wrote two major books that are to democratic capitalism similar to
(E) Adam Smith wrote two major books that are to democratic capitalism what
The correct answer is E.
Idiom; Logical predication
A leading figure in the Scottish Enlightenment describes Adam Smith, not his two books, so the name of Adam Smith must immediately follow the opening phrase. The comparison between Smith’s books and Marx’s book is expressed as a ratio, so the correct idiomatic expression is x is to y what a is to b.
A) The opening phrase is a dangling modifier because it describes Smith, not his books.
B) Th e opening phrase is a dangling modifier; like is an incorrect word for making the comparison.
C) Th e opening phrase is a dangling modifier; just as is an incorrect term for the comparison.
D) Similar to is an incorrect conclusion to the comparison introduced by are to.
E) Correct. The opening phrase is followed by the subject that it modifi es, Adam Smith,
and the comparison of the two men’s work is
presented idiomatically.
The Olympic Games helped to keep peace among the pugnacious states of the Greek world in that a sacred truce was proclaimed during the festival’s month.
(A) world in that a sacred truce was proclaimed during the festival’s month
(B) world, proclaiming a sacred truce during the festival’s month
(C) world when they proclaimed a sacred truce for the festival month
(D) world, for a sacred truce was proclaimed during the month of the festival
(E) world by proclamation of a sacred truce that was for the month of the festival
The correct answer is D.
Idiom; Rhetorical construction
This sentence depends on using the correct conjunction to join two independent clauses. In that is a conjunction that means inasmuch as; because in that has largely gone out of use, it is considered stilted and overly formal. It also uses two words when one would do. In this sentence, the second clause explains the fi rst one, so the conjunction for, meaning because, is the most appropriate choice for joining the two independent clauses of the compound sentence. Festival’s month is an awkward and imprecise use of the possessive; during the month of the festival is clearer.
A) In that is stilted and overly formal.
B) It is not clear who would be doing the proclaiming; a clause is preferable to a phrase here.
C) They is ambiguous, possibly referring to either the states or the Games. The phrase truce for the festival month loses the sense that it’s to take place for the duration of the month.
D) Correct. In this sentence, the conjunction
for joins the two clauses correctly and economically.
E) Wordy and awkward construction.
