Answering Multiple-Choice Questions Nonfiction Assessment VI
The PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessments and other tests of the Common Core English standards use multiple-choice questions to check your ability to revise and edit texts. The SAT and ACT also include these sorts of questions.
The following multiple choice questions test your understanding of conventions: punctuation, spelling, grammar, and sentences. Then you will find a reading and a set of questions to test your paragraph-revision skills.
Respond to questions about conventions.
Carefully read each question and possible response before selecting your answer. If the underlined section is already correct, select NO CHANGE.
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In the sentence above, the best punctuation for the underlined section is
A. supposed-freeway and a wandering dog
B. supposed freeway and, a wandering dog
C. supposed freeway, and a wandering dog
C. supposed freeway, and a wandering dog
D. NO CHANGE
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The correct punctuation for the sentence above is
A. The librarian asked me, "How much do you already know about French Romantic-era composers"?
B. The librarian asked me, "How much do you already know about French Romantic-era composers?"
B. The librarian asked me, "How much do you already know about French Romantic-era composers?"
C. The librarian asked me: "How much do you already know about French Romantic-era composers?".
D. NO CHANGE
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In the sentence above, which of the underlined words is spelled incorrectly?
A. alocated
A. alocated
B. Louisiana
C. expansionist
D. NO CHANGE
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In the sentence above, the correct spelling of the underlined noun is
A. sister-in-laws
B. sisters'-in-law
C. sisters-in-laws
D. NO CHANGE
D. NO CHANGE
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In the sentence above, the correct choice for the underlined word is
A. is
B. was
C. aren't
D. NO CHANGE
D. NO CHANGE
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Which revision best corrects the error in the sentence above?
A. Slide after slide about the Spanish-American war presented the professor to us.
B. Presenting slide after slide about the Spanish-American war, the professor lectured us.
B. Presenting slide after slide about the Spanish-American war, the professor lectured us.
C. We listened, presenting slide after slide about the Spanish-American War, to the professor's lecture.
D. NO CHANGE
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What revision would correct the error in the underlined selection above?
A. Before the all-important final exam, we crammed all night.
B. We crammed all night before the all-important final exam.
C. Both A and B correct the error.
C. Both A and B correct the error.
D. NO CHANGE
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Which revision corrects the punctuation of the underlined sentence above?
A. The cast of the high school play elated to have finished a triumphant opening night, screamed for joy when the curtain closed.
B. The cast of the high school play, elated to have finished a triumphant opening night, screamed for joy when the curtain closed.
B. The cast of the high school play, elated to have finished a triumphant opening night, screamed for joy when the curtain closed.
C. The cast, of the high school play, elated to have finished a triumphant opening night screamed for joy when the curtain closed.
D. NO CHANGE
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Which revision corrects the error in the sentence above?
A. The amplifier is much less powerful.
B. The amplifier is not much more powerful.
C. The new amplifier is much more powerful than the old amplifier.
C. The new amplifier is much more powerful than the old amplifier.
D. NO CHANGE
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Which revision most improves the underlined sentences above?
A. The apartment is small. It has one bathroom. Everything else is one room.
B. The apartment is small, with just one bathroom and everything else in one other room.
B. The apartment is small, with just one bathroom and everything else in one other room.
C. The apartment is small has one bathroom everything else is one room.
D. NO CHANGE
Respond to questions about paragraph revisions.
Carefully read the sample paragraphs and then answer the revision questions that follow.
Listen to "Paragraph Revision Model"
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Source 1
(1) After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in the cold war, the cold war was a protracted political struggle over who would become the dominant world power. (2) The two countries competed in a variety of venues. (3) Their most dramatic competition was the so-called “space race,” the battle to see who could attain supremacy in the exploration of outer space.
(4) In 1957, Russia’s launch of Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite, shocked the world. (5) Suddenly the launch of Sputnik created fears that the Soviet Union would develop space weaponry that would give it a military edge. (6) These weapons have rarely been used. (7) The launch also shook the United States to its core. As the first nation to develop nuclear weapons, the United States had enjoyed military superiority because of nuclear weapons.
(8) The United States developed its own space program. (9) Soon, the program began to focus on an almost unbelievable goal—taking human passengers to the moon and bringing them back. (10) The program developed to reach the moon was known as Apollo. (11) The first Apollo mission ended in tragedy during a launch simulation when the command module caught fire on the launchpad, killing all three members of the crew. (12) Subsequent tests proved successful, and in 1969, Apollo 11 landed two U.S. astronauts on the moon. (13) Around the world, millions watched the event live on television.
(14) Several lunar landings gave the United States a key victory in the space race, but another program helped maintain U.S. dominance. (15) In 1981, the United States launched the first reusable space shuttle, signaling the next phase in space exploration. (16) More importantly, the United States and the Soviet Union finally began to cooperate on space exploration.
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Which part of sentence 1 should be deleted?
A. After World War II
B. engaged in the cold war
C. the cold war was
C. the cold war was
D. NO CHANGE
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Which of the following would make the best addition to the beginning of sentence 8?
A. In response to Sputnik,
A. In response to Sputnik,
B. The Soviets fought back,
C. First of all,
D. In conclusion,
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Which of the following sentences should be deleted?
A. Sentence 2.
B. Sentence 6.
B. Sentence 6.
C. Sentence 11.
D. Sentence 15.
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Which revision would improve this essay?
A. Switch sentence 5 with sentence group 7.
A. Switch sentence 5 with sentence group 7.
B. Switch sentence 1 with sentence 3.
C. Switch sentence 11 with sentence 15.
D. Switch sentence 15 with sentence 16.
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Which sentence would make the best conclusion to this passage?
A. Sentence 2.
B. Sentence 6.
C. Sentence 11.
D. Sentence 15.
D. Sentence 15.