Study Island
Midterm Review
Generated By: Amanda Swierczynski
From: Study Island
The Story of a Poet
by A. Gautam
Before John D. Isles became a famous poet, he lived near a farmland. He was a star student in his
junior high. He also wrote poetry and planted soybeans in his spare time. He could think of poems
anytime. One evening, John wrote, "Soy gives me joy, so does Chips Ahoy!" John knew it was his
masterpiece and showed the poem to his English teacher. His English teacher, a very gentle woman, said
to him, "Add some lines to it, my boy! And remember, language is not a toy."
So, John added many lines to the poem. He heard about a local poetry competition. He was sad to
learn that he had to pay five dollars to enter the competition. John had no money to spare, but he went to
the Dickinson Auditorium anyway. He wrote a poem and he waited outside the auditorium gate while
other people went inside. He wrote, "If only I had money, my life would be all sunny." As he was reading
the poem to himself, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. It was his English teacher. John heard his teacher
say the sweetest words in the world. She said, "I have paid for your fee. Now read some poetry."
1. The author probably wrote this selection to
A. persuade readers to enter poetry competitions.
B. explain to readers the struggles of being a poet.
C. instruct readers how to win poetry competitions.
D. entertain the reader with a funny fictional story.
It's New! It's Refreshing! It's Healthy!
This is the best drink in the whole world! This smoothie is so good that it will keep you coming back
for more. It is made of fresh fruits, milk, and natural sugars. If you drink this smoothie, you will do better
at school and remain focused. Why not try one today? The first one is on us!
2. What is the author's purpose for writing this piece?
A. to entertain the reader with a smoothie story
B. to inform the reader about the benefits of fruits
C. to teach the reader how to make a good smoothie
D. to persuade the reader to try the smoothie
An invisible mist of melted cheese, fresh-baked crust, and rich tomato sauce stretched throughout the
house.
“Dinner is here!” Mrs. Feldman called to her children and their friends as she sat the stack of
cardboard boxes down on the counter. Mrs. Feldman placed a stack of plates next to the pizza boxes and
took a step back to watch the feeding frenzy.
Sure enough, the gang of teenagers arrived within seconds. They were sniffing the air like
bloodhounds on a fox’s trail. There was a blur of hands, arms, and flying pizza. The teens disappeared
and left only a trace of melted cheese stuck to the bottom of the cardboard boxes.
“I guess I’ll have to make myself something else,” Mrs. Feldman said to herself. She sighed heavily as
she turned and opened the refrigerator.
3. How does the following sensory detail support the passage?
"There was a blur of hands, arms, and flying pizza."
A. It illustrates how quickly the teenagers took all of the pizza.
B. It convinces the reader that pizza is the best food for teens.
C. It shows that the story is imaginary.
D. It compares the teenagers with adults.
4. Which of the following sentences from the story includes a sensory detail that describes the way
something smells?
A.
The teens disappeared and left only a trace of melted cheese stuck to the bottom of the cardboard
boxes.
B. She sighed heavily as she turned and opened the refrigerator.
C. They were sniffing the air like bloodhounds on a fox's trail.
D.
An invisible mist of melted cheese, fresh-baked crust, and rich tomato sauce stretched throughout
the house.
5.
George plays soccer. George does not play tennis.
Choose the best way to combine the two sentences above.
A. George plays soccer or not tennis.
B. George plays soccer, he does not play tennis.
C. George plays soccer; and does not play tennis.
D. George plays soccer, but he does not play tennis.
6. Choose the sentence that is written correctly.
A. Bert can go to camp or he can work at the pool, but he has to choose.
B. A sleep-away camp, a public pool, a choice for Bert to make this summer.
C. Bert can go to sleep-away camp, or he can work at the public pool.
D. Going to sleep-away camp or working at the public pool this summer.
7. Identify the sentence that is written correctly.
A.
Unless Christine finishes her calculus homework, she will have to suffer Mr. Nguyen's wrath in
class tomorrow.
B.
Unless Christine finishes her calculus homework she will have to suffer Mr. Nguyen's wrath in
class tomorrow.
C.
Unless Christine, finishes her calculus homework, she will have to suffer Mr. Nguyen's wrath, in
class tomorrow.
D.
Unless, Christine finishes her calculus homework, she will have to suffer, Mr. Nguyen's wrath in
class tomorrow.
8.
Dawn could babysit Friday. Dawn could not babysit Saturday. Stacey could babysit Friday or Saturday.
Choose the best way to combine the three sentences above.
A. Stacey could babysit on Friday or Saturday, or Dawn could babysit Friday but not Saturday.
B. Dawn and Stacey could babysit Friday, but on Saturday Dawn cannot babysit, and Stacey can.
C. Dawn could babysit Friday but not Saturday, and Stacey could babysit Friday or Saturday.
D. On Friday Dawn or Stacey could babysit, but on Saturday Stacey can and Dawn cannot.
9.
_______, could you water the flowers on the front porch?
Choose the clause that best completes the sentence above.
A. You will go home
B. If you have a chance
C. Could you go home
D. You have a chance
10.
Cassandra broke her leg, _______ she won't be able to run for the track team this year.
Which word best fills in the blank?
A. but
B. so
C. if
D. or
11.
(1) It seemed to be guarding something by its side. (2) I had never seen one before. (3) It was
sitting on a fallen tree branch. (4) It was a picture perfect moment. (5) He turned his head and saw us. (6)
He growled slowly to let us know that we were standing too close to his territory.
Which of the following would be a good topic sentence for the passage above?
A. The mouse was unaware of the wolf looking down at him.
B. The wolf moved slowly in the bushes to hunt down his prey.
C. The wolf was chasing a pine cone, which was shaped like a mouse.
D. One cold, winter morning when I went sledding with my friend, I saw a wolf.
The continent measures 3,300 miles at its widest point—from St. John's, Newfoundland, to the Pacific
Coast. From Alaska to Mexico, the continent extends 4,900 miles. Europe is made up of many small
nations. Unlike it, North America is composed of only three large nations: Canada, the United States, and
Mexico.
12. Which opening sentence goes best with the details in the above paragraph?
A. North America truly stretches "from sea to shining sea"!
B. The countries of North America formed NAFTA.
C. Canada is the largest country in North America.
D. Mexico is best known for dry, hot summers.
13. Which of the following sentences would most likely come LAST in a paragraph?
A. Outside of Sara's school, a stranger asked her if she needed a ride.
B. Sara decided what to do: she reported the stranger to the authorities.
C. Sara couldn't sleep because she didn't know what to do.
D. Sara was certain that the stranger wasn't a student's parent or older sibling.
14. Which of the following sentences would most likely come LAST in a paragraph?
In July of 1863, General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia of 75,000 men and the 97,000
A. man Union Army Of The Potomac under General George G. Meade met when a Confederate
brigade observed a column of Meade's cavalry.
B.
Although the Battle of Gettysburg did not end the war, it remains the greatest battle of the
American Civil War.
C. It was a three-day battle that cost many Union and Confederate lives.
D. More men died at Gettysburg than in any other battle before or since on North American soil.
A Healthier You
Your body needs certain nutrients to make new cells and remove toxins in the body. Good nutrition
can decrease your chances of developing certain diseases. It is no secret that eating a healthy and balanced
meal is an important step to good nutrition.
To eat healthy, you may have to resolve to make healthy food choices. Instead of eating products with
refined grains like white flour, choose foods with whole grains in them. The refined grains have larger
amounts of starch which the body just stores as fat. Whole grains will give you more energy than refined
grains.
For snacks, you can choose fruits or vegetables instead of candy. Fruits and vegetables have important
vitamins that you cannot get from other foods. They can also help lower your blood pressure and may
help lessen your chance of getting cancer.
Although eating healthy requires a conscious effort on your part to make wise food choices, your body
will thank you for making nutritious decisions. With a little effort on your part, you can eat your way to
better health.
15. Which sentence can be inserted at the end of the introductory paragraph?
A. Overeating could lead to unhealthy weight gain and put your health at risk.
B. In some cases, eating healthy may require you to make a few changes to your diet.
C. Having support from family and friends will make diet changes easier for you.
D. If you find that you get hungry during the day, try eating a fruit or a vegetable for a snack.
16.
(1) It seemed to be guarding something by its side. (2) I had never seen one before. (3) It was
sitting on a fallen tree branch. (4) It was a picture perfect moment. (5) He turned his head and saw us. (6)
He growled slowly to let us know that we were standing too close to his territory.
Which of the following would be a good topic sentence for the passage above?
A. The mouse was unaware of the wolf looking down at him.
B. The wolf moved slowly in the bushes to hunt down his prey.
C. The wolf was chasing a pine cone, which was shaped like a mouse.
D. One cold, winter morning when I went sledding with my friend, I saw a wolf.
The continent measures 3,300 miles at its widest point—from St. John's, Newfoundland, to the Pacific
Coast. From Alaska to Mexico, the continent extends 4,900 miles. Europe is made up of many small
nations. Unlike it, North America is composed of only three large nations: Canada, the United States, and
Mexico.
17. Which opening sentence goes best with the details in the above paragraph?
A. North America truly stretches "from sea to shining sea"!
B. The countries of North America formed NAFTA.
C. Canada is the largest country in North America.
D. Mexico is best known for dry, hot summers.
18. Which of the following sentences correctly punctuates added information?
A.
Clucky's Chicken Shack has two locations in Minnesota. (The owner recently [April 2003] opened
a new location in Bradford.)
B.
Mr. Clucky commented, "I want to open a third location there (Belmont) so faithful customers don't
have to travel so far."
C.
Clucky's Chicken Shack opens almost every day at lunchtime. [They are closed during major
holidays (Christmas and Thanksgiving).]
D.
Mr. Clucky said that he "believe(s) that Henrietta and Foghorn, his children, will soon take over the
family restaurants."
19. From the following answer choices, choose the quotation with the right punctuation marks.
A. Henrietta, asked "Do you want to go with me?"
B. Henrietta asked, "Do you want to go with me?"
C. Henrietta asked "Do you want to go with me?"
D. Henrietta asked" ,Do you want to go with me?"
20.
Mom yelled, "Don't you raise your voice at me, young lady."
What change should be made to the sentence above?
A. Change the period to a question mark.
B. Change the period to an exclamation point.
C. Move the comma within the quotation marks.
D. Change the comma after yelled to a period.
21. It wasn't the first time for me to experience the river's charm. This time I saw the tupelo, cypress,
and yaupon trees. Through the eyes of a man who has lived his entire life along the river. Our guide
possesses the intimate knowledge of its flora and fauna and history that only a native could know.
Which is the best way to rewrite the underlined sentences?
A.
Through the eyes of a man who has lived his entire life along the river. This time I saw the tupelo,
cypress and yaupon trees.
B.
This time I saw the tupelo, cypress, and yaupon trees through the eyes of a man. Who has lived his
entire life along the river.
C.
This time I saw the tupelo, cypress, and yaupon trees, through the eyes of a man who has lived his
entire life along the river.
D.
This time I saw the tupelo, cypress, and yaupon trees through the eyes of a man who has lived his
entire life along the river.
22.
This book doesn't make sense to me, my teacher didn't cover it.
What is wrong with the sentence above?
A. It is a run-on sentence.
B. There is nothing wrong with the sentence.
C. It is missing a verb.
D. It is a fragment.
23. (1) Unlike cavemen thousands of years ago, people today eat many whole grain foods. (2) Like
bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. (3) Fruits and vegetables are also an important part of people's diets today.
(4) Vegetables are an excellent source of nutrition.
Which sentence above is a fragment?
A. sentence 2
B. sentence 1
C. sentence 4
D. sentence 3
24.
I am really looking forward to my upcoming vacation to England, I am very excited to visit Europe for
the first time.
Which of the following applies to the sentence above?
A. This is a run-on sentence.
B. This is a fragment.
C. There is nothing wrong with this sentence.
D. This is a complex sentence.
25. The weather continues to hold our interest, it is an awesome manifestation of nature. Despite
today's sophisticated technology, the weather remains beyond our ability to control or even predict with
exactness.
What is the best way to write the underlined sentence?
A. The weather continues. To hold our interest, it is an awesome manifestation of nature.
B. The weather continues to hold our interest. It is an awesome manifestation of nature.
C. It is an awesome manifestation of nature the weather continues to hold our interest.
D. The weather continues to hold our interest it is an awesome manifestation of nature.
26.
Wait a few more minutes they said they would be here within an hour.
What is the best way to change the sentence above?
A. It's correct as is.
B. Wait a few more minutes; they said they would be here within an hour.
C. Wait a few more minutes, although they said they would be here within an hour.
D. Wait a few more minutes, they said they would be here within an hour.
27.
I walked.
Which of the following applies to the sentence above?
A. There is nothing wrong with the structure of this sentence.
B. This is a complex sentence.
C. This is a fragment.
D. This is a run-on sentence.
Writing a Good Hollywood Movie
(1) The most important element in writing a script is the creation of good dialogue. (2) This dialogue
should feel natural and should follow the normal speech patterns that everyday people use. (3) Only
slightly less important is a strong, developed plot. (4) For example, you should finalize the title when
everything is done. (5) To write a good plot, you need real, complex characters who wish to achieve
believable goals. (6) Good dialogue leads to interesting characters. (7) Interesting characters lead to a
great plot. (8) As a writer, worry about the small stuff when you've completed your first draft.
28. After which numbered sentence in the paragraph should the following sentence appear?
Less important than plot, setting can help make a movie more convincing, so you will want to invent a
spectacular setting that works well with the more important elements.
A. sentence 7
B. sentence 2
C. sentence 3
D. sentence 8
Sunday Cleaning
(1) Brian spent all of Sunday cleaning his room. (2) First, he picked up the junk on the floor because
that was the majority of the mess. (3) It was those small finishing touches that made the room sparkle.
(4) Second, he made his bed and folded his clothes. (5) At that point, the room was shaping up. (6) Third,
he organized his books and video games into alphabetical order on the shelves, which was fairly simple
since they were no longer scattered around the room. (7) Fourth, he dusted the shelves and desk.
(8) Finally, Brian cleaned his windows and mirror. (9) Although he spent all day cleaning his room, he
went to bed relaxed and comfortable.
29. Which sentence is out of order?
A. sentence 7
B. sentence 3
C. sentence 5
D. sentence 1
Petra
(1) There are many examples of grand architecture in the world. (2) Some of the most impressive are
buildings of the ancient city called Petra in Jordan. (3) Petra is the Greek word for "rock." (4) The early
inhabitants of Petra—the Nabataeans—did not use wood or brick to make the structures, but instead, they
carved them right out of the desert sandstone cliffs.
(5) Two thousand years ago, Petra was an important center of activity where caravans of travelers
would pass through on their way to trade goods in other regions. (6) Their power and riches can still be
seen today in the remains of their city.
(7) Although Petra was built in a rugged, dry desert, the Nabataeans made wise plans for collecting
and storing water. (8) This water system was made of cisterns, or reservoirs, that held water and channels
that directed water from one place to another.
(9) After thriving for about 1,000 years, Petra began to decline. (10) The trade routes that had once
gone through the city were changed to go toward the sea. (11) In addition, an earthquake devastated the
area. (12) The ruins of the city were rediscovered in the 1800s by a European traveler who disguised
himself as a local Bedouin, or local Middle Eastern person, to find the remote location.
(13) Today, modern travelers can visit Petra and see its majesty in person; tours are available by foot,
donkey, or camel. (14) Much of Petra remains to be seen; archaeologists have uncovered only 15 percent
of it. (15) The rest of this city is still "lost" or underground.
30. Where would the following sentence best fit in the passage?
Because of this advanced system by the Nabataeans, many gardens flourished in Petra.
A. after sentence 10
B. after sentence 13
C. after sentence 9
D. after sentence 8
31. Where would the following sentence best fit in the passage?
Centuries after its decline, no one knew it had existed.
A. after sentence 4
B. after sentence 2
C. after sentence 13
D. after sentence 11
32. What word or phrase is modified by the prepositional phrase in the sentence below?
Nick was nervous before the baseball tryouts, so he talked to his friends and tried taking deep breaths.
A. breaths
B. friends
C. tryouts
D. nervous
33. What is the BEST way to combine the information in the two sentences below?
Lauren wants to be a doctor and do cancer research. Lauren's mother is a doctor.
A. Lauren wants to be a doctor and do cancer research, whose mother is a doctor.
B. Lauren wants to be a doctor and do cancer research before Lauren's mother is a doctor.
C. Lauren, whose mother is a doctor, wants to be a doctor and do cancer research.
D. Lauren wants to be a doctor and do cancer research, Lauren's mother is a doctor.
34. What is the BEST way to combine the information in the two clauses below?
Before the Ramirez family brought their new puppy home. They took it to the vet to get a check-up and
shots.
A.
Before the Ramirez family brought their new puppy home so they took it to the vet to get a checkup and shots.
B.
Before the Ramirez family brought their new puppy home, they took it to the vet to get a check-up
and shots.
C.
Before the Ramirez family brought their new puppy home; they took it to the vet to get a check-up
and shots.
D.
Before the Ramirez family brought their new puppy home, or they took it to the vet to get a checkup and shots.
35. Paul set his books on the table and looked in the refrigerator for a soft drink.
Which of the following is a prepositional phrase from the sentence above?
A. in the refrigerator
B. set his books
C. and looked
D. a soft drink
36.
Because Alicia forgot her racket at home, she wasn't able to practice with the rest of the tennis team.
How is the underlined linking word used in this sentence?
A. to indicate time or sequence
B. to illustrate a comparison
C. to signal additional information
D. to show cause and effect
37. Choose the linking word that could be used to show that a comparison is being made.
A. similarly
B. however
C. including
D. afterward
38.
Immediately, I recalled that I had left the wallet on top of my car.
How is the underlined linking word used in this sentence?
A. to show comparison
B. to show an addition
C. to indicate time
D. to give an illustration
39. Choose the sentence below that uses a transition word or phrase to indicate a contrast.
A. We have not forgotten what happened here; therefore, let us create a memorial.
B. I think you should remember that you are addressing your parent and act accordingly!
C. As a result,
D. This winter was unexpectedly cold; yet, I cannot recall the last time I had so much fun.
40.
My parents have taught me many valuable life lessons, such as how to be responsible and manage my
time effectively. _______ I am now prepared to enter high school next year.
Choose the linking word or phrase that best fits in the sentence above.
A. However,
B. As a result,
C. For example,
D. Otherwise,
41. Enrique is writing a paper for his English class in which he claims that newspapers are going out of
business because of the availability of online news sources. Which of these would be best for Enrique to
include to support his claim?
A. a list of major papers that have gone under since the Internet was introduced
B. an interview with a journalism teacher who believes that Internet news is inferior to news in papers
C. a quote from his neighbor, Mrs. Jennings, who has subscribed to the local newspaper for years
D. results from a survey in which students were asked about their favorite websites and blogs
(1) The Earth is a unique planet, as far as we know, in its ability to support life. (2) On Earth, much of
the water stays liquid because it remains within a narrow range of temperature. (3) That isn't true on other
planets where moisture is in the form of gases or ice. (4) Life has been able to form and grow on our
planet because of that liquid. (5) Another thing that makes us unique is the high amount of nitrogen that
makes up our atmosphere. (6) Nitrogen is a fairly inert gas, meaning that it doesn't react explosively with
other gases. (7) The atmosphere of a planet like Jupiter, for example, is 88–92% hydrogen and 8–12%
helium. (8) These are highly reactive gases that would not support life.
42. Which sentence could be added to the passage to support the main idea?
A. Probes we have sent into space have brought back data on other planets that are too far to ever visit.
B.
Also, the Earth's tilt and its distance from the sun means we have mild seasons that humans can
withstand.
C.
Recently, water has been discovered on Mars, making it seem more possible that life could exist
there.
D. Other planets, seen through telescopes, show signs of volcanic activity, much like our Earth.
43. What does the author use to support the idea that Earth is the only planet that is habitable?
A. information about which other planets might support life
B. facts about the reactive gases on a planet like Jupiter
C. a list of which gases are safe for humans to be around
D. expert testimony from scientists about life on Earth
Answers
1. D
2. D
3. A
4. D
5. D
6. C
7. A
8. C
9. B
10. B
11. D
12. A
13. B
14. B
15. B
16. D
17. A
18. A
19. B
20. B
21. D
22. A
23. A
24. A
25. B
26. B
27. A
28. A
29. B
30. D
31. D
32. D
33. C
34. B
35. A
36. D
37. A
38. C
39. D
40. B
41. A
42. B
43. B
Explanations
1. The passage is an example of a humorous, fictional story about a boy who writes poetry. The reason
that people make up jokes is to entertain with humor. They are read for pleasure or enjoyment. The
passage is not written with a purpose to persuade, inform, or instruct the reader.
2. The passage uses persuasive words like "good," "better," and "best" to get the reader to try the
smoothie. It even offers the reader a free smoothie.
3. The visual detail illustrates how quickly the teenagers grabbed all of the pizza. The description of "a
blur of hands, arms, and flying pizza" shows that the hands, arms, and pizza are moving very quickly.
4. The sensory detail in the correct answer choice tells about "an invisible mist of melted cheese, freshbaked crust, and rich tomato sauce." The invisible mist is the scent of pizza moving throughout the house.
5. The clauses "George plays soccer" and "George does not play tennis" are independent clauses. When
combining two independent clauses, separate them by a comma and the appropriate coordinating
conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet). If both clauses have the same subject or direct object, a
pronoun can replace the repeated word in the latter clause.
6. The sentence contains two independent clauses connected by a comma and the conjunction "or."
7. When you attach a subordinate clause in front of a main clause, use a comma. In the correct answer
choice, the main clause "she will have to suffer Mr. Nguyen's wrath in class tomorrow" is attached to the
subordinate clause "Unless Christine finishes her calculus homework."
8. Each of the three sentences is an independent clause. Because two of the clauses share the same
subject, you can combine the actions to create one independent clause. So "Dawn could babysit Friday"
and "Dawn could not babysit Saturday" can be combined to become "Dawn could babysit Friday but not
Saturday." Now you have two independent clauses to join. To combine these two independent clauses,
separate them by a comma and the appropriate coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
9. "If you have a chance" is a dependent clause, and "could you water the flowers on the front porch" is an
independent clause. You may join an introductory dependent clause and an independent clause with a
comma. The other choices are independent clauses. To join two independent clauses, you must use a
comma with a coordinating conjunction.
10. "Cassandra broke her leg" and "she won't be able to run for the track team this year" are both
independent clauses. They can be joined by a comma and a conjunction. Try each word to see which one
makes sense in the blank.
11. Every paragraph needs a topic sentence. The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of the
paragraph. It gives the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about. Read the paragraph
carefully. You will see that the paragraph is about a wolf.
12. A good opening sentence expresses the main idea of the paragraph; it does not focus on a specific
detail within the paragraph. The details relate the span of North America (3,300 miles at its widest point
and 4,900 miles north to south). So the opening sentence should reflect that.
13. The last sentence in a paragraph usually contains some hints that there was some information before
it.
14. This answer choice references to previous information in the paragraph. It is the concluding statement.
15. A good introductory paragraph provides a general overview of the passage; it should not focus on a
specific detail from within the passage. The sentences in this passage are about making healthy food
choices. The best sentence to add should relate to this. The sentence "In some cases, eating healthy may
require you to make a few changes to your diet" serves as a good introduction for specific ways you can
make healthier food decisions.
16. Every paragraph needs a topic sentence. The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of the
paragraph. It gives the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about. Read the paragraph
carefully. You will see that the paragraph is about a wolf.
17. A good opening sentence expresses the main idea of the paragraph; it does not focus on a specific
detail within the paragraph. The details relate the span of North America (3,300 miles at its widest point
and 4,900 miles north to south). So the opening sentence should reflect that.
18. Look at the sentence again carefully. Bracketed information inside quotes allows authors to include
additional information or corrections. Authors also use brackets to change tenses for easier integration of
quotes in their own sentences. In the right answer, the author uses brackets to set off parenthetical
information within parentheses.
19. Commas are used to set off the "he said/she said" clause. A comma should be used after "Henrietta
asked" to show that a direct quote will follow.
20. Remember that an exclamation mark is used to express strong feeling or objection. The word "yelled"
is a hint that the sentence should be punctuated with an exclamation point.
21. "Through the eyes of a man who has lived his entire life along the river," is a sentence fragment. The
sentence parts must be combined to make one sentence.
22. Although these two clauses are quite brief, and the ideas are closely related, this is a run-on sentence.
This should be broken in to two sentences.
23. Like bread, cereal, rice, and pasta cannot be a sentence because it does not contain a subject or a
predicate. A complete sentence must contain a subject and a predicate.
24. To fix this run-on sentence, change the comma to a period and begin a new sentence.
I am really looking forward to my upcoming vacation to England. I am very excited to visit Europe for
the first time.
25. The underlined sentence is an example of a run-on sentence. It should be rewritten as two separate
sentences, it could be written as one sentence, with a semi-colon after "interest."
26. The sentence is a run-on sentence. However, using the semicolon to separate the clauses takes the
place of having to use a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
27 Although very short, this sentence contains a subject and a verb and is a properly written sentence.
28. Order of importance, sometimes called "climactic order," is the structuring of details from most
important to least important, or the structuring of details from least important to most important. Look for
words like "less," "more," "major," "primarily," "importantly," "serious," or "critical" to help in
determining a paragraph organized with this structure. This sentence discusses an element that is slightly
less important than plot. As a result, it should be placed after the sentences discussing plot but before any
sentences that are less important than itself.
29. Order of importance, sometimes called "climactic order," is the structuring of details from most
important to least important, or the structuring of details from least important to most important. Look for
words like "less," "more," "major," "primarily," "importantly," "serious," or "critical" to help in
determining a paragraph organized with this structure.
30. The sentence "Because of this advanced system by the Nabataeans, many gardens flourished in Petra"
expands on the idea in sentence 8 about the Nabataeans' advanced water system by showing that it led to
gardens flourishing in their desert city.
31. This sentence refers to the decline of Petra. Sentences 9, 10, and 11 describe how that decline
happened. Because this sentence refers to a time after the decline, it fits best after sentence 11.
32. The prepositional phrase in the sentence is "before the baseball tryouts," and it modifies the word
"nervous." It describes when and why Nick was nervous.
33. When you read the two sentences, the only information that the second sentence adds is that Lauren's
mother is a doctor. That information can be added as an appositive by replacing "Lauren's" with "whose"
and putting commas around the phrase. The correct sentence should read: Lauren, whose mother is a
doctor, wants to be a doctor and do cancer research.
34. The first clause is a dependent clause. To combine the clauses, replace the period after "home" with a
comma and make "They" lowercase. The correct sentence should read: Before the Ramirez family
brought their new puppy home, they took it to the vet to get a check-up and shots.
35. The sentence contains three prepositional phrases: "on the table," "in the refrigerator," and "for a
soft drink."
36. In this sentence, because is used to show that Alicia wasn't able to practice with the tennis team as a
result of, or effect of, leaving her tennis racket at home.
37. Remember that a linking word used for comparison shows how things are alike. Similarly, likewise,
and just as can all be used to show comparison.
38. Read the sentence again. It tells the reader when the speaker remembered the forgotten wallet:
immediately.
39. In this sentence, yet signals a contrast in the sentence: Winter was very cold, yet it was also a lot of
fun. Remember that words like however, but, and although can also be used to indicate contrast in a
sentence.
40. Transitional words or phrases are used to connect ideas and sentences. In other words, a transition
shows a relationship between two sentences. In the first sentence, the speaker says that he or she has
learned valuable life lessons. The second sentence states that the speaker is now prepared to enter high
school. The transition "As a result" shows the correct relationship between the two ideas. In other words,
because the speaker has learned valuable life lessons, he or she is now prepared for high school. None of
the other choices show the correct relationship.
41. Statistics on papers that have gone under since the Internet was developed would support the idea of a
connection between the two ideas. For comparison, Enrique might also show how few papers went out of
business in the years before the Internet.
42. The main idea of the passage is that Earth is the only planet that can support life. The correct answer
gives two more reasons why this is so: our distance from the sun and the tilt of the earth, which allows us
to have mild seasons. If this were not the case, temperatures would be too extreme to support life.
43. In sentence 7, the author gives specific information about the reactive gases present in the atmosphere
of Jupiter. This example helps the author develop the idea that Earth is the only known planet where life
can thrive.