Question: The following text is adapted from Gwendolyn Bennett’s 1926 poem “Street Lamps in Early Spring.”
Night wears a garment
All velvet soft, all violet blue…
And over her face she draws a veil
As shimmering fine as floating dew…
And here and there
In the black of her hair
The subtle hands of Night
Move slowly with their gem-starred light.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
A) It presents alternating descriptions of night in a rural area and in a city.
B) It sketches an image of nightfall, then an image of sunrise.
C) It makes an extended comparison of night to a human being.
D) It portrays how night changes from one season of the year to the next.

Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately describes the overall structure of the text. Throughout the text, the speaker characterizes nighttime as if it were a person who wears clothing (“a garment” that is “velvet soft” and “violet-blue”) and a veil “over her face” and who moves her hands “slowly with their gem starred light” through her dark hair. Thus, the text is structured as an extended
comparison of the night to a human being.

Choice A is incorrect because the text never mentions any particular location; instead, it focuses on presenting a single description of the night as a person with certain clothing and features.

Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t make any reference to the sun or sunrise; instead, it focuses on presenting a single image of night as a person with certain clothing and features.

Choice D is incorrect. Rather than describing how nighttime changes seasonally (or in any other way), the text presents a single image of the night as a person with certain clothing and features.

Read and understand the text to find the main theme.

Question: According to historian Vicki L. Ruiz, Mexican American women made crucial contributions to the labor movement during World War II. At the time, food processing companies entered into contracts to supply United States armed forces with canned goods. Increased production quotas conferred greater bargaining power on the companies’ employees, many of whom were Mexican American women: employees insisted on more favorable benefits, and employers, who were anxious to fulfill the contracts, complied. Thus, labor activism became a platform for Mexican American women to assert their agency.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
A) It elaborates on a claim about labor relations in a particular industry made earlier in the text.
B) It offers an example of a trend in the World War II–era economy discussed earlier in the text.
C) It notes a possible exception to the historical narrative of labor activism sketched earlier in the text.
D) It provides further details about the identities of the workers discussed earlier in the text.

Choice A is the best answer because it best describes how the underlined portion functions in the text as a whole. The text says that the increased production quotas of food processing companies during World War II enabled employees to make better bargains in exchange for their labor. The underlined portion presents an example of this increased bargaining power: employees requested more
favorable benefits, and employers complied because they were under pressure to fulfill the demanding terms of their contracts. Thus, the underlined portion of the text elaborates on a claim about labor relations in a particular industry (food processing) made earlier in the text.

Choice B is incorrect because there is no indication in the text that the economic factors that influenced food processing also influenced other parts of the economy; thus, the bargaining described in the underlined portion of the text cannot be called an example of a trend.

Choice C is incorrect because the underlined portion supports the historical narrative of labor activism in food processing that is sketched in the text, instead of noting an exception to that narrative.

Choice D is incorrect because while the underlined portion does discuss the demands that workers made in exchange for their labor, it does not discuss the identities of the workers.

Don’t just read the underlined part, read one sentence before and after it too.

Question: The following text is adapted from Zora Neale Hurston’s 1921 short story “John Redding Goes to Sea.” John is a child who lives in a town in the woods.
Perhaps ten-year-old John was puzzling to the folk there in the Florida woods for he was an imaginative child and fond of day-dreams. The St. John River flowed a scarce three hundred feet from his back door. On its banks at this point grow numerous palms, luxuriant magnolias and bay trees. On the bosom of the stream float millions of delicately colored hyacinths. [John Redding] loved to wander down to the water’s edge, and, casting in dry twigs, watch them sail away down stream to Jacksonville, the sea, the wide world and [he] wanted to follow them.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A) It provides an extended description of a location that John likes to visit.
B) It reveals that some residents of John’s town are confused by his behavior.
C) It illustrates the uniqueness of John’s imagination compared to the imaginations of other children.
D) It suggests that John longs to experience a larger life outside the Florida woods.

Choice D is the best answer because it accurately describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text as a whole. The text establishes that John has a strong imagination and then goes on to describe the St. John River near John’s home in the Florida woods. The underlined sentence depicts John sending twigs sailing down the river while he imagines them reaching “Jacksonville, the sea, the wide world,” where he wishes he could follow. This suggests that John longs to expand his life experiences beyond the Florida woods.

Choice A is incorrect because the second and third sentences of the text provide an extended description of the riverbank where John likes to go, whereas the underlined sentence describes what John does at that location.

Choice B is incorrect because the first sentence of the text suggests that John’s behavior “was puzzling” to others around him, whereas the underlined sentence concerns the content of John’s imaginings.

Choice C is incorrect because the underlined sentence elaborates on John’s imagination but doesn’t mention any other children to whom John could be compared.

The underlined part at the end means it’s probably a conclusion type, so skim through it all then focus on the underlined and a sentence before that.

Question: The following text is adapted from Oscar Wilde’s 1891 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray is taking his first look at a portrait that Hallward has painted of him.
Dorian passed listlessly in front of his picture and turned towards it. When he saw it he drew back, and his cheeks flushed for a moment with pleasure. A look of joy came into his eyes, as if he had recognized himself for the first time. He stood there motionless and in wonder, dimly conscious that Hallward was speaking to him, but not catching the meaning of his words. The sense of his own beauty came on him like a revelation. He had never felt it before.
According to the text, what is true about Dorian?
A) He wants to know Hallward’s opinion of the portrait.
B) He is delighted by what he sees in the portrait.
C) He prefers portraits to other types of paintings.
D) He is uncertain of Hallward’s talent as an artist.

Choice B is the best answer because it presents a statement about Dorian that is directly supported by the text. The narrator of the text says that when Dorian sees his portrait, “his cheeks flushed for a moment with pleasure” and “a look of joy came into his eyes.” The narrator goes on to say that Dorian looked at the portrait “in wonder” and presents him as being so entranced by the portrait that he doesn’t notice what Hallward is saying to him. These details support the description of Dorian as being delighted by what he sees in the portrait.

Choice A is incorrect because Dorian isn’t depicted as interested in Hallward’s opinion of the portrait; rather, he is so enraptured by the painting that he’s hardly even aware of Hallward.

Choice C is incorrect because the portrait of Dorian is the only painting mentioned in the text. Although Dorian is depicted as being delighted with this particular portrait, there’s no evidence in the text that he likes portraits better than other kinds of paintings.

Choice D is incorrect because nothing in the text suggests that Dorian is uncertain about Hallward’s talent. Instead, the text is focused on Dorian’s delight with the portrait.

It is easy and fast to skim first and then take a look at the options to find the best one. If still in doubt then the first technique definitely helps you skip options – focus on a balanced option and find the best one from the paragraph.

Question: Economists Kerwin Kofi Charles and Melvin Stephens Jr. investigated a variety of factors that influence voter turnout in the United States. Using survey data that revealed whether respondents voted in national elections and how knowledgeable respondents are about politics, Charles and Stephens claim that the likelihood of voting is driven in part by potential voters’ confidence in their assessments of candidates—essentially, the more informed voters
are about politics, the more confident they are at evaluating whether candidates share their views, and thus the more likely they are to vote.
Which choice best describes data in the graph that support Charles and Stephens’s claim?
A) At each point on the political orientation scale, high-information voters were more likely than low-information voters to vote.
B) Only low-information voters who identify as independents had a voting probability below 50%.
C) The closer that low-information voters are to the ends of the political orientation scale, the more likely they were to vote.
D) High-information voters were more likely to identify as strong Democrats or strong Republicans than low-information voters were.

Choice A is the best answer because it uses data from the graph to effectively support Charles and Stephens’s claim about how level of information affects voters. The graph shows the probability of voting for both high- and low-information voters in seven categories of political orientation. Charles and Stephens claims that “the more informed voters are about politics…the more likely they are to vote.” This statement correctly asserts that the graph shows a higher probability of voting for high-information voters than for low-information voters at each of the seven political orientations. Thus, this statement accurately cites data from the graph that support Charles and Stephens’s claim about how the level of information affects voters.

Choice B is incorrect. Although this statement is correct that the only probability in the graph below 50% is for low-information voters categorized as independent (orientation 4), the claim in question is about the relative likelihood that low- and high-information voters will vote and without some reference to high-information voters, this statement cannot help support such a comparison.

Choice C is incorrect. Although this statement is correct that the highest probabilities of voting for low-information voters are at the ends of the orientation scale (1 and 7), the claim in question is about the relative likelihood that low- and high-information voters will vote, and without some reference to high-information voters, this a statement cannot help support such a comparison.

Choice D is incorrect because the graph does not give any information about how many people are represented in any of the categories, so this statement is not based on data from the graph. Furthermore, even if we did have this information, the claim is about how the level of information affects voters’ probability of voting, not whether they’re likely to strongly identify with a particular political party.

How to understand a chart, focus on color and numbers then read the paragraph.

Question: “Cities with abundant green spaces have lower crime rates, increased tourism, and improved quality of life. Establishing more parks is an investment in the health and happiness of a city’s residents, as well as an effective way to attract visitors and potential residents.”
Which choice best combines the sentences for conciseness?
A) Cities with abundant green spaces not only experience lower crime rates but also experience increased tourism and improved quality of life.
B) Cities with lots of green space have lower crime rates, more tourism, and improved quality of life.
C) Cities with abundant green spaces experience lower crime rates, increased tourism, and improved quality of life.
D) The green spaces of cities contribute to a lower crime rate, along with more tourism and quality of life.

Choice C is the best answer because it is clear, concise, and maintains a parallel structure.

Choice A is incorrect. Repetitive phrasing (“experience”) reduces conciseness.

Choice B is incorrect because “Informal wording (“lots of”) weakens the formality.”

Choice D is incorrect because “Awkward phrasing makes it unclear that cities benefit as a whole.”

Choose answers that maintain a parallel structure and avoid unnecessary repetition.

Question: “Cities with abundant green spaces have lower crime rates, increased tourism, and improved quality of life. Establishing more parks is an investment in the health and happiness of a city’s residents, as well as an effective way to attract visitors and potential residents.”
Which revision best clarifies the intended meaning of “an investment in the health and happiness of a city’s residents”?
A) an effective way to promote the health and happiness of people living in a city
B) an improvement in the quality of city life for all residents
C) a means of improving the well-being of the city’s residents
D) a way to encourage health and increase happiness in city residents

Choice C is the best answer because it clarifies that public parks benefit residents’ well-being.

Choice A is incorrect because it “Lacks specificity; doesn’t clearly state the investment aspect.”

Choice B is incorrect because “Vague; does not specifically mention “health and happiness.”

Choice D is incorrect because “Repetition and wording detract from clarity.”

Select answers that clearly convey the specific benefits mentioned in the passage.

Question: “As global temperatures continue to rise, polar ice caps are melting at an unprecedented rate. This melting contributes to rising sea levels, which pose significant risks to coastal cities. Furthermore, climate change intensifies extreme weather events such as hurricanes and droughts, impacting ecosystems and human populations alike.”
What is the primary purpose of the passage?
A) To suggest that polar ice caps are not significantly affected by climate change.
B) To inform readers about the effects of climate change on the environment and human populations.
C) To criticize scientists who study climate change.
D) To provide solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Choice B is the best answer because “The passage discusses the consequences of climate change, including rising sea levels and extreme weather.”

Choice A is incorrect because it “Opposes the passage’s description of rapid ice melt.”

Choice C is incorrect because “No mention of criticism toward scientists.

Choice D is incorrect because it “Focuses on effects, not solutions.”

Identify the main points by focusing on key words like “risks” and “impacts.”

Question: “As global temperatures continue to rise, polar ice caps are melting at an unprecedented rate. This melting contributes to rising sea levels, which pose significant risks to coastal cities. Furthermore, climate change intensifies extreme weather events such as hurricanes and droughts, impacting ecosystems and human populations alike.”
Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?
A) Optimistic
B) Neutral
C) Urgent
D) Skeptical

Choice C is the best answer because “The passage uses strong language about the risks of rising sea levels and extreme weather, indicating urgency.”

Choice A is incorrect because “Optimistic” does not fit with warnings about risks.”

Choice B is incorrect because “The tone is not neutral; it emphasizes significant dangers.”

Choice D is incorrect. No indication of doubt or skepticism about climate change.

Pay attention to descriptive words that convey the author’s feelings toward the topic.

Question: “As global temperatures continue to rise, polar ice caps are melting at an unprecedented rate. This melting contributes to rising sea levels, which pose significant risks to coastal cities. Furthermore, climate change intensifies extreme weather events such as hurricanes and droughts, impacting ecosystems and human populations alike.”
Based on the passage, what effect does the melting of polar ice caps have?
A) It leads to increased rainfall in coastal areas.
B) It causes a decline in global temperatures.
C) It raises sea levels, endangering coastal cities.
D) It decreases the likelihood of droughts.

Choice C is the best answer because “The passage directly states that ice melt contributes to rising sea levels, which is a risk to coastal areas.”

Choice A is incorrect because “No mention of increased rainfall.”

Choice B is incorrect because “Rising temperatures, not declining, are mentioned.”

Choice D is incorrect because “Climate change is said to increase, not decrease, drought likelihood.”

Use the information in the passage directly without assuming unmentioned effects.

Question: For a 2020 exhibition, photographer and neurobiologist Okunola Jeyifous _________ a series of new images based on a series of alphabet posters from the 1970s known as the “Black ABCs,” which featured Black children from Chicago. Jeyifous photographed the now-adult models and layered the photos over magnified images of the models’ cells, resulting in what he called “micro and macro portraiture.”
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) validated
B) created
C) challenged
D) restored

Choice B is the best answer because it most logically and precisely completes The text discusses Jeyifous’s series of images for the 2020 exhibition. In this context, “created” means produced. The text explains that Jeyifous, a photographer and neurobiologist photographed adults who had appeared as children in posters from the 1970s, then combined those photographs with magnified images of the adults’ cells—a process that resulted in what he called “micro and macro portraiture.” This context suggests that Jeyifous drew on his dual interests in photography and neurobiology to produce the images for display in the exhibition.

Choice A is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that Jeyifous “validated,” or corroborated, the series of images. The text describes Jeyifous’s process for composing the images but doesn’t describe Jeyifous making an effort to evaluate the images for their artistic or scientific legitimacy.

Choice C is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest that Jeyifous “challenged,” or disputed, an aspect of the images; rather, the focus of the text is on the inspiration behind the images and the method Jeyifous used to achieve them.

Choice D is incorrect because the text indicates that Jeyifous made the images himself using a combination of photography and magnified pictures of cells, not that he “restored,” or reconditioned, the images from a deteriorated state.

Work on your skimming and vocabulary skills.

Question: In addition to being an accomplished psychologist himself, Francis Cecil Sumner was a ____________ increasing the opportunity for Black students to study psychology, helping to found the psychology department at Howard University, a historically Black university, in 1930.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) proponent of
B) supplement to
C) beneficiary of
D) distraction for

Choice A is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Francis Cecil Sumner. As used in this context, “proponent of” means supporter of. The text says that Sumner helped to found the psychology department at historically Black Howard University in 1930. This is evidence that Sumner supported increasing the opportunity for Black students to study psychology.

Choice B is incorrect because the phrase “supplement to,” or addition to, wouldn’t make sense in context. The text discusses Sumner’s efforts to increase the number of Black psychology students, but it doesn’t make sense to describe him as an addition to his efforts.

Choice C is incorrect because Sumner was already an accomplished psychologist himself when he helped to found the Howard University psychology department. While Black students were the beneficiaries of his efforts—that is, they received help because of his efforts—it wouldn’t make sense in this context to describe Sumner as a “beneficiary of” opportunities, because he was the one doing the helping.

Choice D is incorrect because founding a psychology department at Howard University wouldn’t be a “distraction for” Sumner’s aim to increase the opportunity for Black students to study psychology—that is, it wouldn’t be something that draws Sumner’s attention away from that goal, but rather the opposite.

Work on your skimming skills, vocabulary, and Prepositions.

Question: Whether the reign of a French monarch such as Hugh Capet or Henry I was historically consequential or relatively uneventful, its trajectory was shaped by questions of legitimacy and therefore cannot be understood without a corollary understanding of the factors that allowed the monarch to _________ his right to hold the throne.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
A) reciprocate
B) annotate
C) buttress
D) disengage

Choice C is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of the legitimacy of the reigns of French monarchs such as Hugh Capet and Henry I. As used in this context, “buttress” means to strengthen or defend. The text indicates that regardless of whether a French monarch’s reign was significant or uneventful, each monarch faced questions about his right to the throne. The text goes on to say that in order to understand the path of a French monarch’s reign, it’s important to understand what contributed to the monarch’s ability to “hold the throne.” This context suggests that French monarchs such as Hugh Capet and Henry I had to buttress, or defend, their right to be monarchs.

Choice A is incorrect. Saying that a monarch who is faced with questions about the legitimacy of his reign was able to “reciprocate” his right to the French throne would mean that he either returned his right to the throne or that he responded in kind to the challenge. Neither of these meanings would make sense in context because the text focuses on people who did reign as French monarchs and
defended their right to do so.

Choice B is incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense in context to discuss factors that enabled a monarch to “annotate,” or add notes to or explain, his right to the French throne. Nothing in the text suggests that the monarchs were writing notes about their right to the throne; instead, faced with questions about the legitimacy of their reign, the monarchs defended their rights.

Choice D is incorrect because it wouldn’t make sense in context to discuss factors that enabled a monarch to “disengage,” or withdraw his right to the French throne. The text focuses on an examination of people who reigned as French monarchs, not on people who didn’t choose to rule.

Work on your vocabulary and skimming skills.

Question: Some bird species don’t raise their own chicks. Instead, adult females lay their eggs in other nests, next to another bird species’ own eggs. Female cuckoos have been seen quickly laying eggs in the nests of other bird species when those birds are out looking for food. After the eggs hatch, the noncuckoo parents will typically raise the cuckoo chicks as if they were their own offspring, even if the cuckoos look very different from the other chicks.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
A) It introduces a physical feature of female cuckoos that is described later in the text.
B) It describes the appearance of the cuckoo nests mentioned earlier in the text.
C) It offers a detail about how female cuckoos carry out the behavior discussed in the text.
D) It explains how other birds react to the female cuckoo behavior discussed in the text.

Choice C is the best answer because it best describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text as a whole. The first two sentences establish that birds of some species don’t raise their own young; instead, they lay their eggs in the nests of birds of other species. The underlined sentence then states that female cuckoo birds engage in this behavior, having been observed specifically laying their eggs in other nests while the other birds are out finding food. According to the text, the cuckoo chicks are then raised by the other birds. Thus, the underlined sentence provides a particular detail about how female cuckoos carry out the behavior of laying eggs for other birds to raise.

Choice A is incorrect. Rather than mentioning a physical feature of female cuckoos, the underlined sentence introduces a specific behavior of female cuckoos: laying eggs in the nests of birds of other species when the other birds are away. The only reference to physical features is the last sentence’s general mention of cuckoo chicks looking different from chicks of other species.

Choice B is incorrect because the underlined sentence refers to the nests of birds other than cuckoos and doesn’t describe how any nests look, cuckoo or otherwise. Instead, the sentence addresses how female cuckoos use other birds’ nests.

Choice D is incorrect because the underlined sentence describes only female cuckoo behavior (laying eggs in the nests of birds of other species when the other birds are away); it’s the last sentence of the text that addresses the other birds’ reaction, indicating that those birds usually raise the cuckoo chicks once they’ve hatched.

Read the underlined part and the before and after sentences of it to understand better.

Question: Cats can judge unseen people’s positions in space by the sound of their voices and thus react with surprise when the same person calls to them from two different locations in a short span of time. Saho Takagi and colleagues reached this conclusion by measuring cats’ levels of surprise based on their ear and head movements while the cats heard recordings of their owners’ voices from two speakers spaced far apart. Cats exhibited a low level of surprise when owners’ voices were played twice from the same speaker, but they showed a high level of surprise when the voice was played once each from the two different speakers.
According to the text, how did the researchers determine the level of surprise displayed by the cats in the study?
A) They watched how each cat moved its ears and head.
B) They examined how each cat reacted to the voice of a stranger.
C) They studied how each cat physically interacted with its owner.
D) They tracked how each cat moved around the room.

Choice A is the best answer because it explains how the researchers determined the level of surprise displayed by the cats in the study. The text states that Saho Takagi and colleagues played recordings of the voice of each cat’s owner and measured how surprised the cat was by the recording based on how it moved its ears and head.

Choice B is incorrect because, as the text explains, the recordings played for each cat in the study were of the voice of the cat’s owner, not a stranger’s voice.

Choice C is incorrect because the text explains that during the study, the cats didn’t interact directly with their owners; instead, the cats listened to recordings of their owners’ voices.

Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t indicate that the researchers monitored the cats’ movement around the room in which the study was conducted.

In questions like this, first, find differences in options then skim through the paragraph to find the best possible option.

Question: Despite being cheap, versatile, and easy to produce, _________ they are made from nonrenewable petroleum, and most do not biodegrade in landfills.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) there are two problems associated with commercial plastics:
B) two problems are associated with commercial plastics:
C) commercial plastics’ two associated problems are that
D) commercial plastics have two associated problems:

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modifier placement. This choice ensures that the modifying phrase “despite being cheap, versatile, and easy to produce” appears immediately before the noun it modifies, “commercial plastics,” clearly establishing that the commercial plastics—and not another noun in the sentence—are being described as cheap, versatile, and easy to produce.

Choice A is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the function word “there” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically and confusingly suggests that “there” is cheap, versatile, and easy to produce.

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun “two problems” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “problems” are cheap, versatile, and easy to produce.

Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modifier. The placement of the noun the phrase “commercial plastics’ two associated problems” immediately after the modifying the phrase illogically suggests that the “problems” are cheap, versatile, and easy to produce.

Understand English to find the correct answer.

Question: Stomata, tiny pore structures in a leaf that absorb gases needed for plant growth, open when guard cells surrounding each pore swell with water. In a pivotal 2007 article, plant cell _________ showed that lipid molecules called phosphatidylinositol phosphates are responsible for signaling guard cells to open stomata.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) biologist, Yuree Lee
B) biologist Yuree Lee,
C) biologist Yuree Lee
D) biologist, Yuree Lee,

Choice C is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation between titles and proper nouns. No punctuation is needed to set off the proper noun “Yuree Lee” from the title that describes Lee, “plant cell biologist.” Because “Yuree Lee” is essential information identifying the “plant cell biologist,” no punctuation is necessary.

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed.

Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed.

Choice D is incorrect because no punctuation is needed before or after the proper noun “Yuree Lee.” Setting the biologist’s name off with commas suggests that it could be removed without affecting the
coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case.

Learn Punctuation.

Question: Small, flat structures called spatulae are found at the tips of the hairs on a spider’s leg. These spatulae temporarily bond with the atoms of whatever they touch. __________ spiders are able to cling to and climb almost any surface.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) For instance,
B) However,
C) Similarly,
D) As a result,

Choice D is the best answer. “As a result” logically signals that the claim in this sentence—that spiders can cling to and climb almost any surface—is because of the previous information about the bonding properties of spiders’ spatulae.

Choice A is incorrect because “for instance” illogically signals that the claim in this sentence exemplifies the information in the previous sentences. Instead, the claim is because of the previous information about the bonding properties of spiders’ spatulae.

Choice B is incorrect because “however” illogically signals that the claim in this sentence contrasts with the information in the previous sentences. Instead, the claim is because of the previous information about the bonding properties of spiders’ spatulae.

Choice C is incorrect because “similarly” illogically signals that the claim in this sentence is similar to but separate from, the information in the previous sentences. Instead, the claim is because of the previous information about the bonding properties of spiders’ spatulae.

Learn Adverb and Conjunction.

Question: In November 1934, Amrita Sher-Gil was living in what must have seemed like the ideal city for a young artist: Paris. She was studying firsthand the color-saturated style of France’s modernist masters and beginning to make a name for herself as a painter. ___________ Sher-Gil longed to return to her childhood home of India; only there, she believed, could her art truly flourish.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Still,
B) Therefore,
C) Indeed,
D) Furthermore,

Choice A is the best answer. “Still” logically signals that the information about Sher-Gil in this sentence— that she longed to leave Paris and return to India—contrasts with what one would expect after reading about Sher-Gil’s experiences in Paris in the previous sentences.

Choice B is incorrect because “therefore” illogically signals that the information about Sher-Gil in this sentence is a result or consequence of the descriptions in the previous sentences. Instead, this information contrasts with what one would expect after reading about Sher-Gil’s experiences in Paris.

Choice C is incorrect because “indeed” illogically signals that the information about Sher-Gil in this sentence offers additional emphasis in support of the descriptions in the previous sentences. Instead, this information contrasts with what one would expect after reading about Sher-Gil’s experiences in Paris.

Choice D is incorrect because “furthermore” illogically signals that the information about Sher-Gil in this sentence offers additional support for or confirmation of the descriptions in the previous sentences. Instead, this information contrasts with what one would expect after reading about Sher-Gil’s experiences in Paris.

Learn Adverb and Conjunction.

Question: Before California’s 1911 election to approve a proposition granting women the right to vote, activists across the state sold tea to promote the cause of suffrage. In San Francisco, the Woman’s Suffrage Party sold Equality Tea at local fairs. ____________ in Los Angeles, activist Nancy Tuttle Craig, who ran one of California’s largest grocery store firms, distributed Votes for Women Tea.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) For example,
B) To conclude,
C) Similarly,
D) In other words,

Choice C is the best answer. “Similarly” logically signals that the activity described in this sentence (Nancy Tuttle Craig distributing Votes for Women Tea in her Los Angeles grocery stores) is like the activity described in the previous sentence (the Woman’s Suffrage Party selling Equality Tea at fairs in San Francisco). Together, the two examples support the preceding claim that “activists across the state sold tea to promote the cause of suffrage.”

Choice A is incorrect because “for example” illogically signals that the activity described in this sentence exemplifies the activity described in the previous sentence. Instead, the two activities are similar, and both support the preceding claim about selling tea to promote women’s right to vote.

Choice B is incorrect because “to conclude” illogically signals that the activity described in this sentence concludes or summarizes the information in the previous sentences. Instead, the activity is similar to the one described in the previous sentence, and both support the preceding claim about selling tea to promote women’s right to vote.

Choice D is incorrect because “in other words” illogically signals that the activity described in this sentence paraphrases the activity described in the previous sentence. Instead, the two activities are similar, and both support the preceding claim about selling tea to promote women’s right to vote.

Learn Adverb and Conjunction.

Question: Hegra is an archaeological site in present-day Saudi Arabia and was the second largest city of the Nabataean Kingdom (fourth century BCE to first century CE). Archaeologist Laila Nehmé recently traveled to Hegra to study its ancient __________ into the rocky outcrops of a vast desert, these burial chambers seem to blend seamlessly with nature.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) tombs. Built
B) tombs, built
C) tombs and built
D) tombs built

Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is punctuation use between sentences. In this choice, the period after “tombs” is used correctly to mark the boundary between one sentence (“Archaeologist…tombs”) and another (“Built…nature”).

Choice B is incorrect because it results in a comma splice. A comma can’t be used in this way to mark the boundary between sentences.

Choice C is incorrect. Without a comma preceding it, the conjunction “and” can’t be used in this way to join the two sentences.

Choice D is incorrect because it results in a run-on sentence. The sentences (“Archaeologist…tombs” and “Built…nature”) are fused without punctuation and/or a conjunction.

Learn Punctuation and Conjunction.

Question: When external forces are applied to common glass made from silicates, energy builds up around minuscule defects in the material, resulting in fractures. Recently, engineer Erkka Frankberg of Tampere University in Finland used the chemical _____________ to make a glassy solid that can withstand higher strain than silicate glass can before fracturing.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A) compound, aluminum oxide
B) compound aluminum oxide,
C) compound, aluminum oxide,
D) compound aluminum oxide

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of punctuation around noun phrases. No punctuation is needed because the noun phrase “aluminum oxide” is a restrictive appositive, meaning that it provides essential identifying information about the noun phrase before it, “the chemical compound.”

Choice A is incorrect because no punctuation is needed.

Choice B is incorrect because no punctuation is needed.

Choice C is incorrect because the noun phrase “aluminum oxide” is a restrictive appositive. Setting the phrase off with commas suggests that it could be removed without affecting the coherence of the sentence, which isn’t the case.

Learn Punctuation.

Question: Etched into Peru’s Nazca Desert are line drawings so large that they can only be fully seen from high above. Archaeologists have known of the lines since the 1920s, when a researcher spotted some from a nearby foothill, and they have been studying the markings ever since. _______________ archaeologists’ efforts are aided by drones that capture high-resolution aerial photographs of the lines.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Currently,
B) In comparison,
C) Still,
D) However,

Choice A is the best answer. “Currently” logically signals that the archaeologists’ use of drones (a current technology) to photograph the lines is the present-day continuation of the ongoing archaeological research described in the previous sentence.

Choice B is incorrect because “in comparison” illogically signals that the action described in this sentence offers a comparison to the ongoing archaeological research described in the previous sentence. Instead, the use of drones is the present-day continuation of that research.

Choice C is incorrect because “still” illogically signals that the action described in this sentence occurs despite the ongoing archaeological research described in the previous sentence. Instead, the use of drones is the present-day continuation of that research.

Choice D is incorrect because “however” illogically signals that the action described in this sentence occurs either despite or in contrast to the ongoing archaeological research described in the previous sentence. Instead, the use of drones is the present-day continuation of that research.

Learn Adverb and Conjunction.

Question: Archaeologist Sue Brunning explains why the seventh-century ship burial site at Sutton Hoo in England was likely the tomb of a king. First, the gold artifacts inside the ship suggest that the person buried with them was a wealthy and respected leader. _________ the massive effort required to bury the ship would likely only have been undertaken for a king.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Instead,
B) Still,
C) Specifically,
D) Second,

Choice D is the best answer. “Second” logically signals that the information in this sentence—that the effort to bury the ship would likely only have been made for a king—joins the information in the previous sentence (“first…”) in supporting Brunning’s claim that the burial site was likely the tomb of a king.

Choice A is incorrect because “instead” illogically signals that the information in this sentence presents an alternative or substitute to the previous information about the gold artifacts inside the ship. Rather, this sentence presents a second piece of information that supports Brunning’s claim.

Choice B is incorrect because “still” illogically signals that the information in this sentence exists in contrast to or despite the previous information about the gold artifacts inside the ship. Instead, this sentence presents a second piece of information that supports Brunning’s claim.

Choice C is incorrect because “specifically” illogically signals that the information in this sentence specifies or elaborates on the previous information about the gold artifacts inside the ship. Instead, this sentence presents a second piece of information that supports Brunning’s claim.

Learn Adverb and Conjunction.

Question: The more diverse and wide-ranging an animal’s behaviors, the larger and more energy-demanding the animal’s brain tends to be. ____________ from an evolutionary perspective, animals that perform only basic actions should allocate fewer resources to growing and maintaining brain tissue. The specialized subtypes of ants within colonies provide an opportunity to explore this hypothesis.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
A) Subsequently,
B) Besides,
C) Nevertheless,
D) Thus,

Choice D is the best answer. “Thus” logically signals that the claim in this sentence—that animals performing only basic actions should allocate relatively few resources to their brain tissue—is a consequence of the previous sentence’s claim about the energy demands of animal brains (namely, that the more diverse an animal’s behaviors, the more energy its brain needs).

Choice A is incorrect because “subsequently” illogically signals that the claim in this sentence occurs later in a chronological sequence of events than the previous sentence’s claim about the energy demands of animal brains. Instead, the second claim is a consequence of the first.

Choice B is incorrect because “besides” illogically signals that the claim in this sentence provides a separate point in addition to, or apart from, the previous sentence’s claim about the energy demands of animal brains. Instead, the second claim is a consequence of the first.

Choice C is incorrect because “nevertheless” illogically signals that the claim in this sentence is true despite the previous sentence’s claim about the energy demands of animal brains. Instead, the second claim is a consequence of the first.

Learn Adverb and Conjunction.

Question: While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike was a road built between 1792 and 1794.
• It was the first private turnpike in the United States.
• It connected the cities of Philadelphia and Lancaster in the state of Pennsylvania.
• It was sixty-two miles long.
The student wants to emphasize the distance covered by the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A) The sixty-two-mile-long Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike connected the Pennsylvania cities of Philadelphia and Lancaster.
B) The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike was the first private turnpike in the United States.
C) The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, which connected two Pennsylvania cities, was built between 1792 and 1794.
D) A historic Pennsylvania road, the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike was completed in 1794.

Choice A is the best answer. The sentence emphasizes the distance covered by the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, noting that the turnpike, which connected the two Pennsylvania cities in its name, was sixty-two miles long.

Choice B is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes the significance of the turnpike; it doesn’t emphasize the distance that the turnpike covered.

Choice C is incorrect. While the sentence mentions that the turnpike connected two Pennsylvania cities, it doesn’t emphasize the specific distance covered by the turnpike.

Choice D is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes when the turnpike was built; it doesn’t emphasize the distance that the turnpike covered.

You require High-level English, understanding, and concluding skills to answer correctly.

Question: While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Most, but not all, of the Moon’s oxygen comes from the Sun, via solar wind.
• Cosmochemist Kentaro Terada from Osaka University wondered if some of the unaccounted-for oxygen could be coming from Earth.
• In 2008, he analyzed data from the Japanese satellite Kaguya.
• Kaguya gathered data about gases and particles it encountered while orbiting the Moon.
• Based on the Kaguya data, Terada confirmed his suspicion that Earth is sending oxygen to the Moon.
The student wants to emphasize the aim of the research study. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
A) As it orbited the Moon, the Kaguya satellite collected data that was later analyzed by cosmochemist Kentaro Terada.
B) Before 2008, Kentaro Terada wondered if the Moon was receiving some of its oxygen from Earth.
C) Cosmochemist Kentaro Terada set out to determine whether some of the Moon’s oxygen was coming from Earth.
D) Kentaro Terada’s study determined that Earth is sending a small amount of oxygen to the Moon.

Choice C is the best answer. The sentence emphasizes the aim, or goal, of the research study, noting what Terada set out to do: determine whether some of the Moon’s oxygen was coming from Earth.

Choice A is incorrect. The sentence focuses on how the Kaguya satellite collected data; it doesn’t emphasize the aim of the research study.

Choice B is incorrect. While the sentence mentions what Terada was curious about before conducting the research study, it doesn’t emphasize his study’s aim.

Choice D is incorrect. The sentence presents the research study’s conclusion; it doesn’t emphasize the study’s aim.

You require High-level English, understanding, and concluding skills to answer correctly.