Directions: The following questions will test your knowledge of fragments, comma splices, and run-on sentences. Choose the answer from the revised phrase in (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E). Compare your answers to the answer key at the back of the book.
1. We were terrified when the car drifted, and was on the other side of the road.
A. drifted and was on
B. as the car drifted, and was on
C. drifted to the other side
D. drifted, to the other side
E. drifted on the other side
2. Paul Revere, the son of a Huguenot silversmith a well-known silversmith.
A. silversmith, is
B. silversmith; was
C. Paul Revere;
D. silversmith, was also
E. silversmith; a
3. Letters that are handwritten by Abraham Lincoln are widely collected, they are historic and valuable.
A. collected, but
B. collected; historic and valuable.
C. collected are
D. collected; which
E. collected;
1. C
2. D
3. E
Questions 1 to 3 are based on the following passage.
(1) Most people would agree that Elizabeth Bennet is sensible and mature from the start of Pride and Prejudice, but she actually has two selves. (2) The first is the naïve and witty Lizzy at the beginning and the second is the aware and grown up Lizzy in the middle. (3) Elizabeth would like to think that her mother’s shallow views never had any affect on her, but her mother as well as the rest of her family are all role models.
(4) She wanted to believe that her opinion of Darcy as a proud and disagreeable man who as for respectability, “…he will probably never reach” was her own opinion.
(5) It was not original though because, “When she thought of her mother indeed, her confidence gave way a little, but she would not allow that any objections there had material weight with Mr. Darcy, whose pride she was convinced, would receive a deeper wound from the want of importance in his friends’ connections, than from their want of sense…”. (6) Ultimately, Elizabeth changes from naïve to mature in her way of thinking when in her own experience she finally sees what her knowledgeable sister, Mary, knew all along and we see this change in two specific and related scenes.
1. What is the transitional phrase in sentence 6?
(A) There is no transitional phrase.
(B) Ultimately
(C) knew all along
(D) she finally feels
(E) we see this change
2. What is the purpose of sentence 1?
(A) to argue
(B) to show Elizabeth’s weakness
(C) a warm-up sentence
(D) to distract the reader
(E) to gain credibility with the idea of the “two selves” statement
3. What type of passage is this?
(A) Informative
(B) Argumentative
(C) Analytical
(D) Impressionistic
(E) Persuasion
Passage 1
1. B
2. E
3. C
The following questions will test your ability to spot the problem in the structure of a sentence. Each sentence item has one underlined element. Choose the appropriate letter choice among (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E) that creates the most effective sentence. Letter choice (A) is the exact underlined element, which you would choose if you think the original sentence is the best. (Think clear and concise). Compare your answers to the answer key at the back of the book.
1. The intuition and strange feelings Nan experiences throughout the novel are not able to be controlled just as falling in love isn’t either.
(A) uncontrollable just as falling in love isn’t either.
(B) not able to be controlled just as falling in love isn’t either.
(C) uncontrollable just as is falling in love.
(D) things she can’t control or falling in love.
(E) something she has no control over just as isn’t falling in love
2. When one reads one has to not only take in the author’s intent, but always try to think of new things to see besides what the author is saying.
(A) When reading, one has to realize the author’s intent while thinking of new ideas beyond that intent.
(B) When one reads, one not only has to consider the author’s intent, but also try to think of new ideas besides what the author has in mind.
(C) When one reads one has to not only take in the author’s intent, but always try to think of new things to see besides what the author is saying.
(D) As one reads, it is important for them to consider many view points other than just the author’s.
(E) Reading requires interpretation of the material in a way that not only recognizes the author’s intent, but of new things to see besides what the author is saying.
3. The growing feminist movement brought more women’s literature out in the open; however, at the time, university curricula have of course not reflected that movement.
(A) The growing feminist movement brought more women’s literature out in the open; however, at the time, university curricula have of course not reflected that movement.
(B) however university curricula were not of course interested in it.
(C) however, university curricula did not reflect that movement.
(D) however, at the time, the universities completely ignored it.
(E) however, at the time, university curricula have of course not been accepting.
1. A
2. C
3. B
