Passage
(1) When I moved to New York City ten months ago to go to college, it was mainly my lack of self-confidence that made it hard to adjust to my new surroundings. (2) I'm a country kid from rural Texas. (3) 1 grew up on a ranch on the prairie. (4) I was used to wide-open spaces and peace and quiet, and most of my friends were of Mexican descent like me. (5) Fortunately, I've come to enjoy living in the city, but for a long time I felt overwhelmed and out of place.
(6) Early on for example my anxiety about getting lost was so bad that I was even scared to go for a walk or to take a bus or the subway. (7) I feared that I might have to ask a stranger for directions and that that person might not speak one of the languages I do. (8) My irrational fears went on and on.
(9) That's why I was relieved when, after many hours of reflection, I finally realized that it was my attitude and not the city that were making me miserable. (10) i adopted a new outlook and began to develop friendships and explore the city with my new companions. (11) Together we've attended many of the local festivals that are held from time to time to celebrate a holiday, a historic event, or a culture. (12) I've enjoyed the diversity here, and wanting to learn as much as I can about the different sorts of people who live here. (13) It has also been great to meet so many other people who are bilingual in Spanish and English.
(14) Being able to meet others who speak Spanish has definitely helped me. (15) Actually, there's not much about living here that intimidates me anymore, and I've even gotten used to the noise. (16) The city never sleeps, as they say, and day or night there are always hundreds of people out and about on the streets. (17) Now I wonder whether I'll be able to fall asleep when I go back to Texas, where the only noise I'll hear at night is lowing of the cattle.
In context, which choice best replaces the underlined portion in sentence 14 (reproduced below)? Being able to meet others who speak Spanish has definitely helped me
- A. made the city feel more like home
- B. given me the chance to practice.
- C. made the city sort of tolerable.
- D. been a nice surprise.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A effectively conveys that meeting Spanish speakers contributes positively to the speaker's sense of belonging in the city, enhancing their overall experience. This aligns with the context of feeling at home. Option B, while relevant, shifts focus to practicing the language rather than the emotional impact of community. Option C undermines the positive sentiment by suggesting the city is merely "tolerable," which diminishes the overall message. Option D, although it introduces a positive element, lacks the depth of connection implied by feeling at home, making it less suitable in this context.
Option A effectively conveys that meeting Spanish speakers contributes positively to the speaker's sense of belonging in the city, enhancing their overall experience. This aligns with the context of feeling at home. Option B, while relevant, shifts focus to practicing the language rather than the emotional impact of community. Option C undermines the positive sentiment by suggesting the city is merely "tolerable," which diminishes the overall message. Option D, although it introduces a positive element, lacks the depth of connection implied by feeling at home, making it less suitable in this context.
Other Related Questions
Where would the following sentence best fit in the passage? The results of two new experiments suggest that rats are surprisingly selfless.
- A. After sentence 1
- B. After sentence 3
- C. After sentence 8
- D. After sentence 11
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Placing the sentence after sentence 8 effectively introduces the new findings about rats, enhancing the flow of information regarding their behavior. This position allows for a natural transition into discussing the implications of these experiments. Option A is too early in the passage, as it lacks context for the experiments. Option B, following sentence 3, interrupts the narrative progression and does not align with the preceding content. Option D, after sentence 11, is too late, as it would disrupt the conclusion by introducing new information that should precede it. Thus, option C is the most logical placement.
Placing the sentence after sentence 8 effectively introduces the new findings about rats, enhancing the flow of information regarding their behavior. This position allows for a natural transition into discussing the implications of these experiments. Option A is too early in the passage, as it lacks context for the experiments. Option B, following sentence 3, interrupts the narrative progression and does not align with the preceding content. Option D, after sentence 11, is too late, as it would disrupt the conclusion by introducing new information that should precede it. Thus, option C is the most logical placement.
Which change is needed in the fourth paragraph?
- A. In sentence 15, change 'immanent' to 'eminent'
- B. In sentence 15, change 'dual' to 'duel'
- C. In sentence 16, change 'inspire' to 'aspire'
- D. In sentence 17, change 'proceeded' to 'preceded'
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A is necessary because "immanent" refers to something inherent or existing within, while "eminent" means distinguished or prominent, which fits the context of the paragraph. Option B is incorrect since "dual" refers to two parts, whereas "duel" signifies a contest between two individuals, which does not align with the intended meaning. Option C is not suitable because "inspire" means to motivate, while "aspire" means to aim for something. The original term correctly conveys the intended message. Option D is also wrong; "proceeded" indicates moving forward, while "preceded" means to come before, which is the intended meaning in this context.
Option A is necessary because "immanent" refers to something inherent or existing within, while "eminent" means distinguished or prominent, which fits the context of the paragraph. Option B is incorrect since "dual" refers to two parts, whereas "duel" signifies a contest between two individuals, which does not align with the intended meaning. Option C is not suitable because "inspire" means to motivate, while "aspire" means to aim for something. The original term correctly conveys the intended message. Option D is also wrong; "proceeded" indicates moving forward, while "preceded" means to come before, which is the intended meaning in this context.
Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 12 (reproduced below)?
I've enjoyed the diversity here, and wanting to learn as much as I can about the different sorts of people who live here.
- A. (as it is now)
- B. here and had been wanting
- C. here and I also wanted
- D. here, and I want
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Option C improves clarity and grammatical structure by maintaining parallelism in the sentence. The phrase "I also wanted" aligns with "I've enjoyed," creating a balanced structure that clearly expresses both enjoyment and desire. Option A retains the original phrasing, which is awkward and lacks parallelism. Option B introduces a tense inconsistency with "had been wanting," which disrupts the flow and clarity of the sentence. Option D, while clearer than A, uses "I want," which shifts the meaning to the present instead of reflecting a past desire, making it less appropriate in context.
Option C improves clarity and grammatical structure by maintaining parallelism in the sentence. The phrase "I also wanted" aligns with "I've enjoyed," creating a balanced structure that clearly expresses both enjoyment and desire. Option A retains the original phrasing, which is awkward and lacks parallelism. Option B introduces a tense inconsistency with "had been wanting," which disrupts the flow and clarity of the sentence. Option D, while clearer than A, uses "I want," which shifts the meaning to the present instead of reflecting a past desire, making it less appropriate in context.
In context, which of the following is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 3 (reproduced below)? Dark shadows: streaks of bright light, and, off-balance compositions were all typical of the visual style.
- A. (as it is now)
- B. shadows, streaks of bright light and
- C. shadows, streaks of bright light, and
- D. shadows, streaks of bright light, and,
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Option C effectively maintains the parallel structure of the list, ensuring clarity and flow. The use of commas before "and" is appropriate in a series with three or more items, adhering to standard punctuation rules. Option A retains the original structure but lacks clarity due to the unnecessary comma after "light." Option B omits the comma before "and," which can lead to confusion in longer lists, making it less clear. Option D incorrectly adds a comma after "and," which is grammatically incorrect and disrupts the flow of the sentence. Thus, C is the most effective choice for clarity and correctness.
Option C effectively maintains the parallel structure of the list, ensuring clarity and flow. The use of commas before "and" is appropriate in a series with three or more items, adhering to standard punctuation rules. Option A retains the original structure but lacks clarity due to the unnecessary comma after "light." Option B omits the comma before "and," which can lead to confusion in longer lists, making it less clear. Option D incorrectly adds a comma after "and," which is grammatically incorrect and disrupts the flow of the sentence. Thus, C is the most effective choice for clarity and correctness.