Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The exercise that follow will give you practice in answering the three types of writing skills
questions you will find on the admission test.
1. We were alreadyto leave for the amusement park when John’s car broke down; we
were forced to postpone our outing. No error
2. By order of the Student Council, the wearing of slacks by we girls in school has been
permitted. No error
3. Each one of the dogs in the show require a specialkind of diet. No error
4. The major difficulty confronting the authorities was the reluctance of the people to talk;
they had been warned not to say nothing to the police. No error
5. If I were you, I would never permit himto take part in such an exhausting and painful
activity. No error
6. Stanford White, who is one of America’s most notable architects, have designed many
famous buildings, among them the original Madison Square Garden. No error
7. The notion of allowing the institution of slavery to continue to exist in a democratic
society had no appeal to either the violent followers of John Brown nor the peaceful
disciples of Sojourner Truth. No error
8. Some students prefer watching videos to textbooks because they feel uncomfortable
with the presentation of information in a non-oral form. No error
9. There was so much conversation in back of me that I couldn’t hear the actors on the
stage. No error
10. This book is too elementary; it can help neither you norI.No error
11. In a way we may say that we have reached the end of the industrial revolution. No error
12. Although the books are altogether on the shelf, they are not arranged in any kind of
order. No error
13. The reason for my prolonged absence from class was because I was ill for three weeks.
No error
14. According to researchers, the weapons and work implements used by Cro-Magnon
hunters appear beingactually quite “modern.” No error
15. Since we were caught completely unawares, the affect of Ms. Rivera’s remarks was
startling; some were shocked, but others were angry. No error
16. The committee had intended both you and I to speak at the assembly; however; only
one of us will be able to talk. No error
17. The existence of rundown “welfare hotels” in which homeless families reside at
enormous cost to the taxpayer provides a shameful commentary of America’s
commitment to house the poor. No error
18. If one is concernedwith improving conditions in the Third World, you should consider
volunteering for the Peace Corps. No error
19. As soon as the sun had roseover the mountains, the valley became unbearably hot and
stifling. No error
20. They are both excellent books, but this one isbest. No error
21. Although the news had come as a surprise to all in the room, both Jane and Oprah tried
to do her work as though nothing had happened. No error
22. Even well-known fashion designers have difficulty staying on top from one season to
anotherbecause ofchangeable moods and needs in the market place. No error
23. Arms control has been under discussion for decades with the former Soviet Union, but
solutions are stillalluding the major power. No error
24. Perhaps sports enthusiasts are realizing that jogging is not easy on joints and tendons,
for the latest fad is being walking. No error
25. Technological advances can cause factual data to become obsolete within a short time;
yet, students should concentrate on reasoning skills, not facts. No error
26. If anyone cares to join me in this campaign, either now or in the near future, they will be
welcomed gratefully. No error
27. The poems with which he occasionally desired to regale to fashionable world were
invariably bad-stereotyped, bombastic, and even ludicrous. No error
28. Ever since the quality of teacher education came under public scrutiny, suggestions for
upgrading the profession are abounding. No error
29. Because the door was locked and bolted, the police were forced to break into the
apartment throughthe bedroom window. No error
30. I will always remember you standing by me offering me encouragement. No error
31. With special raining, capuchin monkeys can enable quadriplegics as well as other
handicapped individuals to become increasingly independent. No error
32. Contrary to what had previously been reported, the conditions governing the truce
between Libya and Chad arranged by the United Nations has not yet been revealed. No
error
33. Avid readers generally either admire or dislike Ernest Hemingway’s journalistic style of
writing; few have no opinion of him. No error
34. In 1986, the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl has aroused intense speculation about the
long-term effects of radiation that continued for the better part of a year. No error
35. Howard Hughes, who became the subject of bizarre rumors as a result of his extreme
reclusiveness, was well-known as an aviator, industrialist and for producing motion
pictures. No error
36. The child is neither encouraged to be critical or to examine all the evidence before
forming an opinion.
b. The FCC, broadening its view on what constitutes indecent programming, has
caused
c. The FCC is broadening its view on what constitutes indecent programming, as a
result
d. Since the FCC is broadening its view on what constitutes indecent programming
e. The FCC, having broadened its view on what constitutes indecent programming
49. As district attorney, Elizabeth Holtzman not only had the responsibility of supervising a
staff of dedicate young lawyers but she had the task of maintaining good relations with
the police also.
a. But she had the task of maintaining good relations with the police also.
b. But she also had the task of maintaining good relations with the police
c. But also had the task of maintaining good relations with the police
d. But she had the task to maintain good relations with the police also
e. But also, she had the task to maintain good relations with the police
50. Many politicians are now trying to take uncontroversial positions on issues; the purpose
being to allow them to appeal to as wide a segment of the voting population as possible.
a. Issues; the purpose being to allow them to appeal
b. Issues in order to appeal
c. issues, the purpose is to allow them to appeal
d. Issues and the purpose is to allow them to appeal
e. Issues; that was allowing them to appeal
5 Sentence is correct.
11 Sentence is correct.
14 Incorrect verbal. Change the participle being to the infinitive ‘to be’
22 Sentence is correct.
27 Sentence is correct
29 Sentence is correct.
31 Sentence is correct
44 E Sentence is correct.
Error in parallelism. Parallel structure requires that not only and but
46 C
also immediately precede the words they limit.
Phrases Meaning
A chip off the old block Someone who is very similar in character to their
father / mother
A cog in the (or a) machine (or a wheel) A small or insignificant member of a large
organization
At heel Close
Call a spade a spade Tell the truth which maybe unfavorable to many
2.very different
Go against the grain Do sth that is the opposite of what is usually done
Hard nut (to crack) A very difficult problem / situation to deal with
Have several irons in the fire Having too much work in hand
In a hole In a difficulty
In the mean time The period of time between now and sth is
supposed to happen
Let sleeping dogs lie Leave things alone that may cause trouble
2.not arranged
Penny-wise and pound-foolish Careful about small matters but careless about
important ones
Point-black Frankly
Put all one’s eggs in one basket Risk everything one has in a single venture
2.behave violently
Square peg in a round hole A person better fitted for another post than what
he holds
Straight from the horse’s mouth Information direct from a reliable source
Well to do Affluent
Worship the rising sun Show respect and honor to a man rising in power
Synonyms Antonyms
Words
1. Authentic Counterfeit
2. Cramped Spacious
3. Tedious Refreshing
4. Disengage Attach
5. Innovate Copy
6. Unkempt Tidy
7. Impassive Agitated
8. Actor Spectator
9. Happy Lamentable
10. Sycophant Leader
11. Nocturnal Daily
12. Affluence Wealth
13. Clandestine Secret
14. Lucid Clear
15. Sumptuous Lavish
16. utopian Idealistic
17. Amass Disperse
18. Contamination Purification
19. Intangible Touchable
20. Spurious Authentic
21. Proximate Distant
22. Sanction Authorization
23. Realistic Pragmatic
Each passage below is accompanied by a number of questions. For some questions, youwill
consider how the passage might be revised to improve the expression of ideas. Forother
questions, you will consider how the passage might be edited to correct errors insentence
structure, usage, or punctuation. A passage or a question may be accompanied byone or more
graphics (such as a table or graph) that you will consider as you make revisingand editing
decisions.Some questions will direct you to an underlined portion of a passage. Other questions
willdirect you to a location in a passage or ask you to think about the passage as a whole.After
reading each passage, choose the answer to each question that most effectivelyimproves the
quality of writing in the passage or that makes the passage conform to theconventions of
standard written English. Many questions include a“NOCHANGE”option.Choose that option if
you think the best choice is to leave the relevant portion of thepassage as it is.
levels. B) reductions
(2)However, library staffing has beencut by C) deducting
almost four percent since 2008, and the D) deducts
demandfor librarians continues to decrease,
even though half ofpublic libraries report
that they have an insufficientnumber of 2
staff to meet their patrons’ A) NO CHANGE
needs.Employment in all job sectors in the B) Consequently,
United States isprojected to grow by C) Nevertheless,
expanding. A) NO CHANGE
B) to be circulated by them.
The share of library materials that is in C) for their circulating.
nonprint formatsis increasing steadily; in D) for circulation.
QUESTION 7.
QUESTION 3.
Choice B is the best answer because it
Choice A is the best answer because the
consolidates references to the
singular verb “has” agrees with thesingular
subject,“librarians,” by placing the relative
noun “trend” that appears earlier in the