Writing Diagnostic, Prof. Nelson
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In each of the following sentences some part of the sentence is underlined and bolded. In the answer choices you will find four ways of writing the underlined part. The first choice repeats the underlined part in the original sentence, but the other three are different. If you think the original sentence is better than any of the suggested changes, you should choose letter A; otherwise you should mark one of the other choices. Choose the answer that produces the most effective sentence - clear and exact, without awkwardness or ambiguity. Do not make a choice that changes the meaning of the original sentence. A brief explanation is provided for each question. You have 30 minutes!
- 1.Veronica Geng's humor is intelligent and witty, it takes some thinking to understand her jokes.
- A.
It takes
- B.
they take
- C.
Which takes
- D.
But it takes
- 2.Right whales can swim at a speed of up to eight knots, but it is more likely to cruise at about three knots.
- A.
But it is more likely to cruise
- B.
But it is more likely they will cruise
- C.
But they are more likely to cruise
- D.
But, more likely, it cruises
- 3.Mary Well's version of "My Guy" is still my most favorite one that I like best.
- A.
My most favorite one that I like best
- B.
My favorite one that I like best
- C.
My most favorite
- D.
my favorite
- 4.Some people worry about overpopulation because of the food and perhaps too many people eat it in the future.
- A.
Because of the food and perhaps too many people eat it in the future
- B.
because in the future there may be too many people and not enough food to feed them
- C.
Because in the future they may have too many people and there will not be enough to feed them
- D.
Because of, in the future, perhaps having too little food for all the people eating it
- 5.Many of the schoolchildren interviewed said they wanted to become doctors or lawyers.
- A.
Doctors or lawyers
- B.
a doctor or a lawyer
- C.
A doctor and a lawyer
- D.
Doctors than lawyers
- 6.In the article it states that NATO countries face serious reductions of their military budgets.
- A.
In the article it states
- B.
The article states
- C.
They say in the article
- D.
In the article is stated the fact
- 7.Jeans and other informal costumes are accepted dress now that businesses would once have banned.
- A.
are accepted dress now that businesses would once have banned
- B.
Is an accepted way to dress now but businesses would once have banned it
- C.
That businesses would once have banned are accepted dress now
- D.
That businesses would once have banned is an accepted way to dress now
- 8.Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman to run for Vice-President on a major-party ticket, her example especially inspired the nation's women and the Italian-American community.
- A.
Her example especially inspired
- B.
Her example was especially inspiring to
- C.
while her example especially inspired
- D.
and her example especially inspired
- 9.Some experimental automobiles use natural gas instead of gasoline for fuel, this change reduces the pollutants in their exhaust by ninety percent.
- A.
Fuel, this change reduces
- B.
Fuel, and it reduced
- C.
Fuel, reducing
- D.
fuel, by which it reduces
- 10.Erosion by rivers, continuing over thousands of years, has carved vast, deep valleys.
- A.
rivers, continuing over thousands of years,
- B.
rivers having continued over thousands of years and
- C.
Rivers, it continues over thousands of years and
- D.
Rivers continues over thousands of years, it
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