1) Delegates to the 1787
convention agreed that creating(A)an entirely new constitution rather than modifying(B) the Articles of Confederation were
essential(C) to fostering the long-term goals(D) of the nation. No
error(E) .
2) The construction technique (A) of layering
coils (B) of
clay in multiple stages, common during (C) the Muromachi period in Japan, account(D) for
the vases' irregular shape. No error (E).
3) If we continue(A)making
improvements in automobile (B)fuel efficiency, you(C)should
expect car prices to rise (D). No error (E).
Essay Questions:
1) In a famous speech in 1947, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said: "Many forms of government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried from time to time.
Is democracy the best form of government?
1) When developing an outline for the essay, which points provide the best approach?
(A) During World War II, Americans helped save Great Britain and so Great Britain owes the United States eternal gratitude.
(B) Democracy is fair, relies exclusively on electronic voting machines, and elections happen every four years.
(C) Democracy is fair, reflects the will of the governed, and protects against tyranny.
(D) The founding fathers had British roots, thus the United States and Britain are closer than would at first appear.
2) Which of the following is the best example of a sophisticated sentence structure that could be used in the essay?
(A) While democracy is certainly the best form of government, there are problems present even in the best democratic systems.
(B) Democracy is the best system of government; and this system of government is flawed.
(C) Democracy is the best form of government. There are problems in democracy.
(D) Democracy is the best form of government, moreover, the United States had to come to the aid of Great Britain in World War II.
3) "Although democracy is certainly the best form of government, its ------- should not be dismissed out of hand."
If you had to choose a specific word for the preceding sentence, which of the following would you choose?
(A) flaws
(B) oddities
(C) foibles
(D) problems
Grammar Question Answers :
1)
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: “Were essential” is incorrect due to a subject-verb disagreement with the gerund “creating an entirely new constitution.” Instead, “was essential” should be used.
2)
Correct Answer: D
Explanation:
3)
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: To avoid faulty parallelism in pronoun usage, "we" should be used instead of "you."
Essay Question Answers :
1)
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Only answer D offers a true thesis that directly addresses the essay topic and which can be supported via arguments, illustrations, and historical data. Answer A is not a thesis but rather a statement of fact. Answer B is a self-evident statement that does not need additional support. Answer C does not address the essay topic.
2)
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Answer A relates two thoughts together – via the clause beginning “Although…” and by use of the comma to join the clauses together properly. Answer B attempts a complicated structure by using a semi-colon, but the syntax of the second clause is flawed, weakening the whole sentence. Answer C is grammatically correct but is a very basic sentence structure, and is slightly repetitive. Answer D links two unrelated
