- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: placing
This question tests gerunds after the verb "suggested." The verb "suggest" is followed by either a gerund (ing-form) or a that-clause with subjunctive, but not an infinitive. Here we need "placing" as the object of "suggested." The instructor suggested placing (not "to place") the noun close to its verb. Choice B ("to place") incorrectly uses an infinitive, choice C ("placed") is past tense without a subject, and choice D ("places") is present tense. Certain verbs like suggest, recommend, avoid, and consider are always followed by gerunds, not infinitives.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: we
The opening phrase 'Climbing the first steep mile' is a participial modifier, so whatever follows the comma must name who was doing the climbing. Only 'we' can climb, which is why it is the correct subject and avoids a dangling modifier. 'The trail' cannot climb itself; a trail is the thing being climbed, not the climber, so it creates an illogical, dangling modifier. 'Our heavy packs' names the gear we carried, and packs do not climb switchbacks on their own, so this too leaves the modifier without a logical subject. 'The winding route' describes the path underfoot rather than a person, and a route cannot do the climbing, so it also produces a dangling modifier. In each incorrect option, an inanimate thing is illogically credited with the action of climbing; only a human subject makes the sentence conform to Standard English.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: it
This question tests pronoun-antecedent agreement. The pronoun must refer back to "the moth" (singular) mentioned in the previous sentence, so we need the singular pronoun "it." The sentence explains that because the moth uses ultrasound-sensitive organs, the moth (it) can react quickly. Choice A ("they") is plural and doesn't match the singular antecedent, choice C ("we") inappropriately shifts to first person, and choice D ("them") is objective case when we need a subject pronoun. When a pronoun begins a new clause after "because," always check what noun it logically refers to in the previous clause.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: were
With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the nearer subject 'students,' which is plural, so 'were' is correct. The other choices use singular agreement or inappropriate tense/aspect.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: is
The subject is the singular phrase 'The number ...,' so the verb must be singular: 'is creating.' The other choices either use plural agreement or incorrect tense.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: has decided
Because the subject 'committee' is singular, the correct verb is 'has decided.' The other choices either mismatch number ('have decided'), use an ungrammatical form ('has deciding'), or are illogical/passive in context ('are decided').
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: I
The subject performing the action after the modifier must be the nominative pronoun 'I.' The other pronouns are incorrect in subject position and would create a grammatical or logical error.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: appear
The subject is 'titles,' which is plural, so 'appear' is correct. 'Appears' mismatches the plural subject, 'is appearing' is the wrong tense/aspect for a general statement, and 'was appearing' is an illogical past progressive here.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: is presenting
With 'each' as the subject, the verb must be singular: 'is presenting.' 'Are presenting' and 'were presenting' are plural or past-progressive, and 'has presented' mismatches the scheduled timing implied by 'this evening.'
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: had adjusted
This question tests verb tense sequencing with past perfect. The sentence describes two past events: the researchers adjusting sensor placement and the second test beginning in March. Since the adjustment happened before the second test began (indicated by "By the time"), we need past perfect "had adjusted" to show the earlier action. Choice A "adjust" is present tense, Choice C "will adjust" is future tense, and Choice D "are adjusting" is present continuous—none of these correctly show an action completed before another past action. When you see "by the time" followed by a past tense verb, the earlier action typically requires past perfect tense.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: the scientists
The introductory modifier 'After reviewing...' must modify the noun that did the reviewing, which is 'the scientists.' 'The photographs' creates a dangling modifier, while 'they' and 'it' lack a clear or correctly numbered antecedent.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: keeps
The singular collective noun 'team' takes the singular verb 'keeps.' The other options either use a plural form ('keep,' 'have kept') or an inappropriate tense ('were keeping').
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: the museum curator
The introductory modifier 'After cataloging hundreds of artifacts' must logically modify the subject that follows, which can only be 'the museum curator.' The other choices illogically suggest inanimate objects performed the cataloging.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: the research team
The introductory modifier must logically describe the subject that follows, so 'the research team' is the one that concluded. 'They' and 'it' are vague, and 'the survey responses' cannot logically draw conclusions.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: does not refill
This question tests subject-verb agreement and verb tense. The subject "the aquifer" is singular, and the present tense context (general scientific fact about how aquifers behave) requires "does not refill." Choice B ("do not refill") has a plural verb for a singular subject, Choice C ("did not refill") uses past tense for a general truth, and Choice D ("have not refilled") uses present perfect which doesn't fit the context of explaining a general principle. Scientific explanations about how things generally work use simple present tense.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: it
The head noun is 'suite,' which is singular, so the pronoun must be 'it.' The plural forms and the reflexive 'themselves' are not appropriate.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: the library will
The modifier After completing the renovation must describe the library, so the library will is the logical subject. The other choices either make the modifier illogical or introduce an ambiguous pronoun.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: him
This question tests pronoun case in compound objects. After the verb "asked," we need the objective case "him" as part of the compound object "Priya and him." Choice A "he" is subjective case and incorrect as an object, Choice C "his" is possessive and doesn't fit the syntax, and Choice D "himself" is reflexive and would only be correct if the coach were asking himself. To test pronoun case in compounds, try the sentence with just the pronoun—you wouldn't say "asked he to lead," so "him" is correct.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: was
The singular subject 'set' requires 'was' to maintain past-tense agreement. 'Were' disagrees in number, and 'had been' and 'have been' introduce inappropriate perfect tenses.
- Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Answer: This
"This" correctly refers to the entire preceding situation (the decision and its effects). The plural demonstratives "These/Those" and the pronoun "They" do not match a clear plural antecedent.
