Question 1

Instructions: Select the sentence that contains concise, fresh language. Which sentence contains concise, fresh language?

Accepted Answer

A)  In Don's opinion, he thinks that the Royals of our fair city of Kansas City are a shoo-in to win the pennant, and I think he's right as rain. 
B)  Don thinks that the Kansas City Royals are sure to win the pennant, and I agree. 
A)  In Don's opinion, he thinks that the Royals of our fair city of Kansas City are a shoo-in to win the pennant, and I think he's right as rain. 
B)  Don thinks that the Kansas City Royals are sure to win the pennant, and I agree. B

Question 2

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. Enormous stars, called red giants, can be fifty times more massive than the sun. The smallest stars, called white dwarfs, are small, usually no larger than Earth.

Accepted Answer

A)  wordy 
B)  trite 
A)  wordy 
B)  trite A

Question 3

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Accepted Answer

A)  There were crumbs all over the keyboard. 
B)  There were cookie crumbs on the computer keyboard. 
C)  There were cookie crumbs stuck in the keys of the computer keyboard. 
A)  There were crumbs all over the keyboard. 
B)  There were cookie crumbs on the computer keyboard. 
C)  There were cookie crumbs stuck in the keys of the computer keyboard. C

Question 4

Instructions: Select the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Accepted Answer

A)  We went to the post office, bought stamps, and left. 
B)  We walked to the post office, bought two rolls of stamps, and went home. 
C)  We went to the post office, bought two rolls of stamps, and left. 
A)  We went to the post office, bought stamps, and left. 
B)  We walked to the post office, bought two rolls of stamps, and went home. 
C)  We went to the post office, bought two rolls of stamps, and left.

Question 5

Instructions: Select the sentence that contains concise, fresh language. Which sentence contains concise, fresh language?

Accepted Answer

A)  My mother teaches physics at the local college. 
B)  My maternal parent functions in the capacity of a professor of physics at the local college. 
A)  My mother teaches physics at the local college. 
B)  My maternal parent functions in the capacity of a professor of physics at the local college.

Question 6

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. Clearly, then, stars are not cool and distant as they seem at first glance, but dynamic, evolving spheres of energy that never stop changing .

Accepted Answer

A)  wordy 
B)  trite 
A)  wordy 
B)  trite

Question 7

Instructions: In each of the sentences below, select the letter for the word that most exactly and vividly completes the sentence. The driving hail
____ our faces as we ran for the car.

Accepted Answer

A)  was on 
B)  hit 
C)  stung 
A)  was on 
B)  hit 
C)  stung

Question 8

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Accepted Answer

A)  We boarded the shuttle that would take us to Charleston, South Carolina. 
B)  We boarded the shuttle, stowed our belongings in the overhead compartment, and prepared for our flight to Charleston, South Carolina. 
C)  We got on the plane and flew to South Carolina. 
A)  We boarded the shuttle that would take us to Charleston, South Carolina. 
B)  We boarded the shuttle, stowed our belongings in the overhead compartment, and prepared for our flight to Charleston, South Carolina. 
C)  We got on the plane and flew to South Carolina.

Question 9

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Accepted Answer

A)  Some emergency services personnel tended to the accident victims while others directed traffic. 
B)  The paramedics tended to the accident victims while the police officers directed traffic. 
C)  The paramedics treated the accident victims' injuries while police officers directed traffic around the crash. 
A)  Some emergency services personnel tended to the accident victims while others directed traffic. 
B)  The paramedics tended to the accident victims while the police officers directed traffic. 
C)  The paramedics treated the accident victims' injuries while police officers directed traffic around the crash.

Question 10

Instructions: In each of the sentences below, select the letter for the word that most exactly and vividly completes the sentence. After lying to his best friend about the business deal, James felt ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  remorse 
B)  a kind of sadness 
C)  bad feelings 
A)  remorse 
B)  a kind of sadness 
C)  bad feelings

Question 11

Instructions: Select the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Accepted Answer

A)  The kitten sat on the arm of the couch. 
B)  The gray kitten perched on the arm of the couch. 
C)  The cat sat on the couch. 
A)  The kitten sat on the arm of the couch. 
B)  The gray kitten perched on the arm of the couch. 
C)  The cat sat on the couch.

Question 12

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. The sun is an example of a medium heat, medium weight star. The hottest stars are blue in color , and the coolest stars are red.

Accepted Answer

A)  wordy 
B)  trite 
A)  wordy 
B)  trite

Question 13

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. Actually, the stars do move through space, but they are so far away that we cannot see the movement in our lifetimes. It's anyone's guess how many stars there are in the universe.

Accepted Answer

A)  wordy 
B)  trite 
A)  wordy 
B)  trite

Question 14

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. There are billions of stars in each galaxy, and there are billions of galaxies in the universe. Stars are bodies of gas that range in size, weight, and temperature, and can be hot or cold .

Accepted Answer

A)  wordy 
B)  trite 
A)  wordy 
B)  trite

Question 15

Instructions: Select the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Accepted Answer

A)  I groove to the beat while I work out. 
B)  I play 70's disco songs on my iPod while I jog. 
C)  I listen to music while I exercise. 
A)  I groove to the beat while I work out. 
B)  I play 70's disco songs on my iPod while I jog. 
C)  I listen to music while I exercise.

Question 16

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Accepted Answer

A)  On Saturdays, Faris completes his homework assignments and prepares for the next week's classes. 
B)  On Saturdays, Faris completes his assigned exercises and writing assignments and reads the chapters related to the next week's lessons. 
C)  On Saturdays, Faris completes his schoolwork. 
A)  On Saturdays, Faris completes his homework assignments and prepares for the next week's classes. 
B)  On Saturdays, Faris completes his assigned exercises and writing assignments and reads the chapters related to the next week's lessons. 
C)  On Saturdays, Faris completes his schoolwork.

Question 17

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. Stars glow like a light bulb , even from a distance, because of the nuclear fusion going on continually exploding in the star's center.

Accepted Answer

A)  wordy 
B)  trite 
A)  wordy 
B)  trite

Question 18

Instructions: In each of the sentences below, select the letter for the word that most exactly and vividly completes the sentence.
____ boards make the porch dangerous.

Accepted Answer

A)  Wooden 
B)  Rotting 
C)  Crummy 
A)  Wooden 
B)  Rotting 
C)  Crummy

Question 19

Instructions: Select the sentence that contains concise, fresh language. Which sentence contains concise, fresh language?

Accepted Answer

A)  The truth is that when it comes to electronic equipment, Toby is as sharp as a tack. 
B)  Toby knows a great deal about electronic equipment. 
A)  The truth is that when it comes to electronic equipment, Toby is as sharp as a tack. 
B)  Toby knows a great deal about electronic equipment.

Question 20

Instructions: Select the sentence that contains concise, fresh language. Which sentence contains concise, fresh language?

Accepted Answer

A)  Shall we meet at that restaurant at the time we agreed on? 
B)  Shall we gather together at that eating establishment at the time at which we came to an agreement about? 
A)  Shall we meet at that restaurant at the time we agreed on? 
B)  Shall we gather together at that eating establishment at the time at which we came to an agreement about?

Exam 23: Revising for Language Awareness

Instructions: Select the sentence that contains concise, fresh language. Which sentence contains concise, fresh language?

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: Select the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: Select the sentence that contains concise, fresh language. Which sentence contains concise, fresh language?

Instructions: In each of the sentences below, select the letter for the word that most exactly and vividly completes the sentence. The driving hail ____ our faces as we ran for the car.

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: In each of the sentences below, select the letter for the word that most exactly and vividly completes the sentence. After lying to his best friend about the business deal, James felt ____.

Instructions: Select the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. The sun is an example of a medium heat, medium weight star. The hottest stars are blue in color , and the coolest stars are red.

Instructions: Select the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: In each group below, select the letter of the sentence that uses concise, fresh, and exact language. Which sentence uses concise, fresh, and exact language?

Instructions: The following sentences form a paragraph. Select the answer that correctly identifies the underlined portion of the sentence as wordy or trite. Stars glow like a light bulb , even from a distance, because of the nuclear fusion going on continually exploding in the star's center.

Instructions: In each of the sentences below, select the letter for the word that most exactly and vividly completes the sentence. ____ boards make the porch dangerous.

Instructions: Select the sentence that contains concise, fresh language. Which sentence contains concise, fresh language?

Instructions: Select the sentence that contains concise, fresh language. Which sentence contains concise, fresh language?

Exploring the Writing Process the Writing Process Subject, Audience, and Purpose

Prewriting to Generate Ideas

The Process of Writing Paragraphs

Achieving Coherence

Illustration

Narration

Description

Process

Definition

Comparison and Contrast

Classification

Cause and Effect

Persuasion

The Process of Writing an Essay

The Introduction, the Conclusion, and the Title

Types of Essays I

Types of Essays II

Summarizing, Quoting, and Avoiding Plagiarism

Strengthening an Essay With Research

Writing Under Pressure: the Essay Examination

Revising for Consistency and Parallelism

Revising for Sentence Variety

Putting Your Revision Skills to Work

Proofreading to Correct Your Personal Error Patterns

The Simple Sentence

Coordination and Subordination

Avoiding Sentence Errors

Present Tense Agreement

Past Tense

The Past Participle

Nouns

Pronouns

Prepositions

Adjectives and Adverbs

The Apostrophe

The Comma

Mechanics

Putting Your Proofreading Skills to Work Proofreading Strategy

Spelling

Look-Alikessound-Alikes Proofreading Strategy

Some Guidelines for Students of English as a Second Language.

Filters