Writing and Communication Skills

Of the following, which is the best way to conclude?

Direction for questions 19 to 24: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – IV
(1)   The wheelchair-bound young man, a patient of mine, was pushed to the lectern at the high school to deliver his commencement address. (2) His face still partially paralyzed, he spoke in a soft voice. (3)  But Mark Orsini delivered a powerful speech and received a standing ovation from his fellow students, wondering  if he’d live to graduate.
(4)  The 18-year-old had developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune reaction that can cause paralysis. (5)  Soon he was almost completely paralyzed.
(6)  His parents insisted that he was a fighter; he’d get through this and go on to attend college. (7)  Immobile and on a ventilator, how was he going to ask questions or be involved in his care?
(8)  It was remarkable: The Orsinis would sit at Mark’s side and recite the alphabet. (9)  When they got to a letter Mark needed to spell a word, he’d nod “yes.” (10)  They’d write it down, then start over and wait for him to nod again. (11) They never lost patience, and Mark was involved with every decision.(12)  Standard therapy hadn’t helped, so I proposed a risky procedure to filter his blood. (13) After the treatment he showed improvement, and soon he could move his toes, his legs and then his arms.
(14)  Mark has graduated from college.  (15) I saw him in my office some time ago, and he was feeling great. (16)  But there was a lot left unsaid. (17) I wanted to say I was in awe of him, and that his parents were some of the most amazing people I’d ever met, sitting by his bed for hours, patiently listening to their child speak, letter by letter. (18)  Whenever my children wanted  to talk to me, I told him of my shame and I brushed them off because I didn’t have time to listen. (19)  But words failed me. (20)  I wanted to say I’d never forget him or his parents.

Which of the following, if inserted before sentence 1, would make a good introduction to the essay?

Direction for questions 7 to 12: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – II
(1)  I would always find myself behind the old oak tree in our back yard. (2) This was my favorite spot. (3) The thick trunk, like a bodyguard, protected me from the imaginary bullets that flew towards my body. (4) I would lean against the hard bark and for some reason it was comforting to have something sturdy to lean on. (5) It was dark brown, and every now and then a spider would nestle between the pieces of bark. (6)  Sometimes I would touch the tree to peek around the corner and my fingers would be sticky. (7)  I could never quite figure out why that was, and it was giving me the hardest time getting it off, a constant reminder of my tree.
(8)  When my brother and I weren't at "battle," I would lie beneath my oak tree and daydream. (9) As I looked up I could see millions of branches protecting me from everything above. (10)  At the end of each branch were hundreds of more leaves that would gently catch the morning dew, and carefully allowed it to make its way to the grass. (11)  In the sky, sun allowed the drops to sparkle so brightly, as it caught them, like thousands of stars. (12)  This was my heaven, and as I lay there, I could feel the plush grass, like a snuggly old blanket, holding my body gently against the ground.
(13) The grasshoppers would appear from around a blade of grass as if they were asking for approval to hop on my blanket. (14)  A leaf would jump off its branch to greet me as I sat. (15)  It would float through the air as light as feather and land softly on the grass. (16)  As the autumn drew near, it was like a rainstorm of brown, yellow and red leaves, all falling to make way for the beautiful spring leaves.
(17)  When winter came the tree stood bare, unprotected and sad. (18) Suddenly my favorite spot was stripped of its innocence and baring the naked truth. (19) But it never failed, as spring rolled around, the old oak tree lit up with vibrant green leaves and reassured me that it was ready for my companionship once again.

Which of the following, if inserted before sentence 1, would make a good introduction to the essay?

Direction for questions 19 to 24: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – IV
(1)   The wheelchair-bound young man, a patient of mine, was pushed to the lectern at the high school to deliver his commencement address. (2) His face still partially paralyzed, he spoke in a soft voice. (3)  But Mark Orsini delivered a powerful speech and received a standing ovation from his fellow students, wondering  if he’d live to graduate.
(4)  The 18-year-old had developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune reaction that can cause paralysis. (5)  Soon he was almost completely paralyzed.
(6)  His parents insisted that he was a fighter; he’d get through this and go on to attend college. (7)  Immobile and on a ventilator, how was he going to ask questions or be involved in his care?
(8)  It was remarkable: The Orsinis would sit at Mark’s side and recite the alphabet. (9)  When they got to a letter Mark needed to spell a word, he’d nod “yes.” (10)  They’d write it down, then start over and wait for him to nod again. (11) They never lost patience, and Mark was involved with every decision.(12)  Standard therapy hadn’t helped, so I proposed a risky procedure to filter his blood. (13) After the treatment he showed improvement, and soon he could move his toes, his legs and then his arms.
(14)  Mark has graduated from college.  (15) I saw him in my office some time ago, and he was feeling great. (16)  But there was a lot left unsaid. (17) I wanted to say I was in awe of him, and that his parents were some of the most amazing people I’d ever met, sitting by his bed for hours, patiently listening to their child speak, letter by letter. (18)  Whenever my children wanted  to talk to me, I told him of my shame and I brushed them off because I didn’t have time to listen. (19)  But words failed me. (20)  I wanted to say I’d never forget him or his parents.

The primary effect of the final paragraph (sentences 9 - 12) is to

Direction for questions 1 to 6: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – I
(1) Life is a white water river.  (2) At first I paddle slowly along the uncharacteristically-calm waters to school.  (3) I have got to steel myself to keep up with the tiresome work that lies ahead of me.
(4) The heavy waves of work pound me tirelessly as I attempt to manoeuvre around the feared whirlpool of depression. (5) It, with time, pulls me under and swallow me alive.
(6) The river, I may call life, would be in control at all times; I must quickly steer and paddle away from the massive rocks and devouring waves.  (7) When travelling along a rough river, it is essential that the rafter be a quick thinker, and only the experienced rafter can outwit the many perils that lie ahead.
(8) Sure, I am apt to make mistakes, I can only imagine how many times waves have knocked my raft over while learning, I can only imagine how many rocks my raft has crashed into when I did not receive a top mark: I can only imagine how many dreadful times my usually sturdy raft has almost been pulled into the whirlpool of depression.
(9) On the other hand, there are many positive aspects to this white water river with its exhilarating highs and its anticipated lows.  (10) There are many interested people whom I may accidentally bump my raft along the way. (11) Of course, the river giving me the ultimate thrill of knowing that I have managed to succeed the dastardly rough-waters. (12) Then, as the water begins to flow smoothly again, I can relax and cherish the experience, and anticipate the dangers and hard work that lie ahead.

There are many interested people whom I may accidently bump my raft along the way. Of course the river giving me the ultimate thrill.... What is the best way to combine these two sentences?

Direction for questions 1 to 6: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – I
(1) Life is a white water river.  (2) At first I paddle slowly along the uncharacteristically-calm waters to school.  (3) I have got to steel myself to keep up with the tiresome work that lies ahead of me.
(4) The heavy waves of work pound me tirelessly as I attempt to manoeuvre around the feared whirlpool of depression. (5) It, with time, pulls me under and swallow me alive.
(6) The river, I may call life, would be in control at all times; I must quickly steer and paddle away from the massive rocks and devouring waves.  (7) When travelling along a rough river, it is essential that the rafter be a quick thinker, and only the experienced rafter can outwit the many perils that lie ahead.
(8) Sure, I am apt to make mistakes, I can only imagine how many times waves have knocked my raft over while learning, I can only imagine how many rocks my raft has crashed into when I did not receive a top mark: I can only imagine how many dreadful times my usually sturdy raft has almost been pulled into the whirlpool of depression.
(9) On the other hand, there are many positive aspects to this white water river with its exhilarating highs and its anticipated lows.  (10) There are many interested people whom I may accidentally bump my raft along the way. (11) Of course, the river giving me the ultimate thrill of knowing that I have managed to succeed the dastardly rough-waters. (12) Then, as the water begins to flow smoothly again, I can relax and cherish the experience, and anticipate the dangers and hard work that lie ahead.

What is the best way to deal with sentence 17?

Direction for questions 7 to 12: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – II
(1) “When kids are tossed together everyday, six hours a day for the entire school year,” says psychologist Thomas J. Berdnt, “friendship groupings form quite naturally. (2) ”These“ friendship groupings,” better known as cliques, are small, tightly knit, autonomous, and sometimes inclusive groups of people that share the same interests or characteristics.(3) Members of cliques often share the same values and exhibit the same behavior. (4) They have been known to form in elementary school, cliques are commonly associated with middle and high school students.
(5) In a recent nationwide survey of teenage girls’ views of cliques, 96.3 percent of the  claimed that cliques existed in their schools. (6) In addition, 84.2 percent of the respondents reported that most of their classmates belonged to cliques.
(7) Cliques “can be based on appearance, athletic ability, academic achievement, social or economic status, talent, ability to attract the opposite sex, or seeming sophistication,” according to adolescent development experts Anita Gurian and Alice Pope.(8) The prominent characteristic of a clique usually becomes the clique’s label. (9) A group of self-assured, varsity-jacketed male students might be known as “jocks” while another group’s unkempt appearance and spacey demeanor could earn them the “stoner” or “druggie” label. (10) While every high school in America seems to have its own “jocks,” “stoners,” or “druggies,” cliques can become well defined and evolve based on a school’s particular environment and culture.
(11) There are strong incentives for adolescents to join cliques.(12) For example, teenagers use cliques to ease their way through large peer groups. (13) Psychiatry professor Mitch Prinstein claims that cliques are a “sort of shortcut for adolescents to develop friendships and romantic relationships.” (14) Prinstein explains that teenagers use cliques to categorize their peers. (15) He further says that they use the cliques when they move on to middle or high school, where student populations can reach the thousands.(16) Cliques and peer groups also help them establish an identity.(17) Importantly most, teenagers join cliques to gain a sense of belonging.

In contest, which is the best way to revise and combine the underlined portions of sentences 14 and 15 (reproduced below)? Prinstein explains that teenagers use cliques to categorize their peers. (15) He further says that they use the cliques when they move on to middle or high school, where student populations can reach the thousands.

Direction for questions 7 to 12: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – II
(1) “When kids are tossed together everyday, six hours a day for the entire school year,” says psychologist Thomas J. Berdnt, “friendship groupings form quite naturally. (2) ”These“ friendship groupings,” better known as cliques, are small, tightly knit, autonomous, and sometimes inclusive groups of people that share the same interests or characteristics.(3) Members of cliques often share the same values and exhibit the same behavior. (4) They have been known to form in elementary school, cliques are commonly associated with middle and high school students.
(5) In a recent nationwide survey of teenage girls’ views of cliques, 96.3 percent of the  claimed that cliques existed in their schools. (6) In addition, 84.2 percent of the respondents reported that most of their classmates belonged to cliques.
(7) Cliques “can be based on appearance, athletic ability, academic achievement, social or economic status, talent, ability to attract the opposite sex, or seeming sophistication,” according to adolescent development experts Anita Gurian and Alice Pope.(8) The prominent characteristic of a clique usually becomes the clique’s label. (9) A group of self-assured, varsity-jacketed male students might be known as “jocks” while another group’s unkempt appearance and spacey demeanor could earn them the “stoner” or “druggie” label. (10) While every high school in America seems to have its own “jocks,” “stoners,” or “druggies,” cliques can become well defined and evolve based on a school’s particular environment and culture.
(11) There are strong incentives for adolescents to join cliques.(12) For example, teenagers use cliques to ease their way through large peer groups. (13) Psychiatry professor Mitch Prinstein claims that cliques are a “sort of shortcut for adolescents to develop friendships and romantic relationships.” (14) Prinstein explains that teenagers use cliques to categorize their peers. (15) He further says that they use the cliques when they move on to middle or high school, where student populations can reach the thousands.(16) Cliques and peer groups also help them establish an identity.(17) Importantly most, teenagers join cliques to gain a sense of belonging.

Which of the following could be added at the beginning of sentence 9, so as to represent a better relationship between sentences 8 and 9?

Direction for questions 7 to 12: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – II
(1) “When kids are tossed together everyday, six hours a day for the entire school year,” says psychologist Thomas J. Berdnt, “friendship groupings form quite naturally. (2) ”These“ friendship groupings,” better known as cliques, are small, tightly knit, autonomous, and sometimes inclusive groups of people that share the same interests or characteristics.(3) Members of cliques often share the same values and exhibit the same behavior. (4) They have been known to form in elementary school, cliques are commonly associated with middle and high school students.
(5) In a recent nationwide survey of teenage girls’ views of cliques, 96.3 percent of the  claimed that cliques existed in their schools. (6) In addition, 84.2 percent of the respondents reported that most of their classmates belonged to cliques.
(7) Cliques “can be based on appearance, athletic ability, academic achievement, social or economic status, talent, ability to attract the opposite sex, or seeming sophistication,” according to adolescent development experts Anita Gurian and Alice Pope.(8) The prominent characteristic of a clique usually becomes the clique’s label. (9) A group of self-assured, varsity-jacketed male students might be known as “jocks” while another group’s unkempt appearance and spacey demeanor could earn them the “stoner” or “druggie” label. (10) While every high school in America seems to have its own “jocks,” “stoners,” or “druggies,” cliques can become well defined and evolve based on a school’s particular environment and culture.
(11) There are strong incentives for adolescents to join cliques.(12) For example, teenagers use cliques to ease their way through large peer groups. (13) Psychiatry professor Mitch Prinstein claims that cliques are a “sort of shortcut for adolescents to develop friendships and romantic relationships.” (14) Prinstein explains that teenagers use cliques to categorize their peers. (15) He further says that they use the cliques when they move on to middle or high school, where student populations can reach the thousands.(16) Cliques and peer groups also help them establish an identity.(17) Importantly most, teenagers join cliques to gain a sense of belonging.

In contest, which is the best version of the underlined portions of sentences 3 and 4 (reproduced below)? Members of cliques often share the same values and exhibit the same behavior. They have been known to form in elementary school, cliques are commonly associated with middle or high school students.

Direction for questions 7 to 12: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – II
(1) “When kids are tossed together everyday, six hours a day for the entire school year,” says psychologist Thomas J. Berdnt, “friendship groupings form quite naturally. (2) ”These“ friendship groupings,” better known as cliques, are small, tightly knit, autonomous, and sometimes inclusive groups of people that share the same interests or characteristics.(3) Members of cliques often share the same values and exhibit the same behavior. (4) They have been known to form in elementary school, cliques are commonly associated with middle and high school students.
(5) In a recent nationwide survey of teenage girls’ views of cliques, 96.3 percent of the  claimed that cliques existed in their schools. (6) In addition, 84.2 percent of the respondents reported that most of their classmates belonged to cliques.
(7) Cliques “can be based on appearance, athletic ability, academic achievement, social or economic status, talent, ability to attract the opposite sex, or seeming sophistication,” according to adolescent development experts Anita Gurian and Alice Pope.(8) The prominent characteristic of a clique usually becomes the clique’s label. (9) A group of self-assured, varsity-jacketed male students might be known as “jocks” while another group’s unkempt appearance and spacey demeanor could earn them the “stoner” or “druggie” label. (10) While every high school in America seems to have its own “jocks,” “stoners,” or “druggies,” cliques can become well defined and evolve based on a school’s particular environment and culture.
(11) There are strong incentives for adolescents to join cliques.(12) For example, teenagers use cliques to ease their way through large peer groups. (13) Psychiatry professor Mitch Prinstein claims that cliques are a “sort of shortcut for adolescents to develop friendships and romantic relationships.” (14) Prinstein explains that teenagers use cliques to categorize their peers. (15) He further says that they use the cliques when they move on to middle or high school, where student populations can reach the thousands.(16) Cliques and peer groups also help them establish an identity.(17) Importantly most, teenagers join cliques to gain a sense of belonging.

Of the following, which is the best way to revise and combine the underlined portions of sentences 7 and 8 (reproduced below)? One must be willing to educate people about the environment. And educate those people who support other causes.

Direction for questions 19 to 24: The following passage is an early draft of an essay. Some parts of the passage need to be rewritten. Read the passage and select the best answers for the questions that follow. Some questions are about particular sentences or parts of sentences and ask you to improve sentence structure or word choice. Other questions ask you to consider organization and development. In choosing answers, follow the requirements of standard written English.

Passage – IV
(1) Blowing bubbles in my open water class, I’ve logged over 100 dives. (2)This love for diving has evolved into an intense passion towards protecting the ocean, and all of its inhabitants. (3) I’ve chosen to put my love for the ocean into action, as an environmentalist. (4)  Actually, this passion extends out towards efforts that took to help all the planetary domains gain protection.  (5) As such, I appreciate when others take the time educate me on those other realms for which I know less about.  (6) To be an environmentalist, one must choose the cause which resonates within ones sole, and run with it. (7) One must be willing to educate people about the environment.(8) And educate those people who support other causes. (9)  Together we can help each other towards learning how to become a true “Environmentalist”.(10)  We must all encourage positive collaboration and education as opposed to being against something. (11)  For example, sharks are being decimated to near extinction simply for their fins. (12)  The fins are used to make Shark Fin soup, a delicacy popular particularly in Taiwan and Singapore.  (13) It would be easy to blame these communities for creating the demand. (14) However in conversing with Asian environmentalists, they liken the culture around eating Shark Fin soup to the culture surrounding Americans eating turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. (15) There are continuous  and progressing efforts to educate these people, by members of their own community, on just how dangerous his cultural practice is and the devastating impact this could have on their (our) world if all the sharks were to disappears as a result.
(16) Famous restaurants have taken endangered Swordfish off their menus, these same restaurants are buying wild-caught salmon (and boosting the economy of local fisheries in the process), laundromats have started selling green detergent, this just to name a few of these enlightened changes.  (17) This is how the “Environmentalist” can begin the revolution. (18)  Just find something you believe in and make a stand.  (19)  One by one, we can make our planet a cleaner place to live, steeped in healthy bio-diversity for generations to come.