Deck 33: Praxis I Writing

Question 1

Which course of action most improves the following sentence?
His daughters persuaded him to take a break from work and drive them to the mall so that they could meet with some of they're friends.

A)Insert a comma after mall.
B)Insert a semicolon after mall.
C)Change they're to their.
D)Change break to brake.

Answer 1

Change they're to their.

Question 2

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)"I'm not always sure
B)what I'm suppose to do next,"
C)the confused math student
D)told his teacher.

Answer 2

what I'm suppose to do next,"

Question 3

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
The population grow each year at a rate of about 2.05 percent.

A)The population grow
B)The population grew
C)The population grows
D)The population has grown

Answer 3

The population has grown

Question 4

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Therefore the etiquette rules differs depending on where a person lives.

A)Therefore the etiquette rules differs
B)Therefore the etiquette rules differ
C)Therefore, the etiquette rules differs
D)Therefore, the etiquette rules differ

Question 5

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Another important source of income for Belize is the influx of money from the Belizean's that work abroad.

A)Belizean's
B)Belizeans's
C)Belizeans'
D)Belizeans

Question 6

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has offered a loan to the government during the transition period. However, the IMF released a statement in April 2012 stating that it would withhold the loan because of concerns of instability.

A)has offered
B)have offered
C)offers
D)offered

Question 7

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Many factors, including the climate, fishing, the Mayan's ruins, and the world's second longest barrier reef support the growth of tourism.

A)the Mayan's ruins
B)the Mayans's ruins
C)the Mayan ruins
D)the Mayans' ruins

Question 8

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Men and women use separate communal bowls; often, women may sit together.

A)communal bowls; often,
B)communal bowls, often,
C)communal bowls; and often,
D)communal bowls very often

Question 9

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)"Its not going to
B)clean up its own mess,"
C)the man said,
D)pointing at his neighbor's dog.

Question 10

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)At the end of each weekly
B)meeting we review the minutes
C)and decide how each team
D)member should precede.

Question 11

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)The Italian family immigrated
B)from Rome more than a decade
C)ago but only recently
D)received their new citizenship.

Question 12

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)The realtor showed him six apartments
B)that were close to his work and
C)within his price range. Scott wasn't
D)sure how to choose between them.

Question 13

Which course of action most improves the following sentence?
Even though he seemed generous, his actions were, in the end, self-serving.

A)Remove the hyphen from self-serving.
B)Remove the first comma.
C)Change even though to despite.
D)Fix the misplaced modifier.

Question 14

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Greetings consists of speaking, shaking their hands, and smiling.

A)Greetings consists of speaking, shaking hands, and smiling.
B)Greetings consist of speaking, shaking hands, and smiling.
C)Greetings consist of speaking; shaking hands and smiling.
D)Greeting consist of speaking, shaking hands, and smiling.

Question 15

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
It is the more populated Arab nation in Africa.

A)more populated
B)most populated
C)populated
D)much populated

Question 16

Which course of action most improves the following sentence?
Some people have called for an end to the US boycott of Cuban goods.

A)Capitalize goods.
B)Lowercase Cuban.
C)Switch to passive voice to emphasize the boycott.
D)Change boycott to embargo.

Question 17

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)Journalists often use the word "alleged"
B)to avoid committing liable
C)against the alleged criminals
D)they are writing about.

Question 18

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)I'm traveling to London
B)by means of an airplane
C)because it is both faster and
D)cheaper than driving.

Question 19

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)Although they were not severe,
B)his acute lung problems
C)proved to be a source of annoyance
D)throughout his life.

Question 20

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
China calls the islands Diaoyu; in Japan, they are known as Senkaku.

A)Diaoyu; in Japan
B)Diaoyu. in Japan
C)Diaoyu, in Japan
D)Diaoyu: in Japan

Question 21

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Recently, the new government ordered banks to set aside money for troubled, property, development loans because of the mortgage crisis and recession.

A)troubled, property, development loans
B)troubled property, development loans
C)troubled property development loans
D)troubled property development, loans

Question 22

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)Stewart was worried that him
B)getting suspended would
C)permanently mar his record
D)and keep him out of Yale.

Question 23

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Many tourists fear terrorism and of being targeted by religious political parties.

A)of being targeted
B)of targets
C)agendas
D)attacks

Question 24

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Some Egyptians work in agriculture, producing corn, fruit, rice, cotton and barley near the Nile Valley and Nile River Delta.

A)producing corn, fruit, rice, cotton and barley
B)producing corn;fruit; rice; cotton; and barley
C)producing: corn, fruit, rice, cotton and barley
D)producing corn, fruit, rice, cotton, and barley

Question 25

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Because job prospects is lacking, millions of people are leaving Spain.

A)is
B)its
C)was
D)are

Question 26

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)She kept the exact recipe for
B)her award-winning chili a secret:
C)no one would believe that she
D)intentionally burned the meat.

Question 27

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)In the US Senate, a simple majority
B)of senators are able to pass a bill,
C)but a supermajority is necessary
D)to end a filibuster.

Question 28

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)Tom spent his day off
B)cleaning his apartment, planning
C)his next vacation, running errands
D)and he watched some television.

Question 29

Which course of action most improves the following sentence?
He was honest, hardworking and a regular customer at the neighborhood pub.

A)Change neighborhood to neighbourhood.
B)Insert a comma after hardworking.
C)Change hardworking to hard working.
D)Fix the parallel structure.

Question 30

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
By 1945, the United States became concerned about the nationalist movement led by the Viet Minh and started supporting the french colonization of Vietnam.

A)french
B)French
C)France
D)Frances'

Question 31

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)The interview was stressful; but
B)John kept his cool throughout
C)and felt good about his chances of
D)landing a new job.

Question 32

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
On the day of the attack three cruisers, two tankers, two battleships, six aircraft carriers, and nine destroyers sailed to a point north of Hawaii.

A)On the day of the attack three cruisers
B)On the day, of the attack three cruisers
C)On the day of the attack, three cruisers
D)On the day of the attack; three cruisers

Question 33

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
President Johnson authorized the launch of air strikes and Congress approved military force against North Vietnam but he did not declare war.

A)North Vietnam but he did not declare war.
B)North Vietnam. But he did not declare war.
C)North Vietnam; but he did not declare war.
D)North Vietnam, but he did not declare war.

Question 34

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
The largest North American palladium mine - Montana's Stillwater mine - is located in the United States.

A)is located in the United States.
B)is by the United States.
C)is through the United States.
D)is in the United States.

Question 35

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
After agreeing to another ceasefire; they returned to their former claimed areas.

A)ceasefire; they returned
B)ceasefire they returned
C)ceasefire: they returned
D)ceasefire, they returned

Question 36

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Some European countries already mandate GMO labeling, but efforts to pass legislation in the United States have met resistance.
What adjective could the writer insert after "met" to emphasize the type of "resistance"?

A)met resistance.
B)met some resistance.
C)met vital resistance.
D)met fierce resistance.

Question 37

Which section of the following passage needs to be edited for incorrect spelling, incorrect grammar, inappropriate word choice or wordiness?

A)Neither the basketball coach
B)nor the members of his team
C)was happy about losing
D)to their regional rival.

Question 38

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
President Truman assisted France by providing military equipment to help reestablish their presence and power in Vietnam.

A)their
B)there
C)itts
D)it's

Question 39

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
Palladium, a soft shiny silvery-white metal, is one of six platinum group metals and is relatively rare.

A)a soft shiny silvery-white metal
B)a soft, shiny silvery-white metal
C)a soft shiny, silvery-white metal
D)a soft shiny silvery white metal

Question 40

Choose the answer which best rewords the italicized portion. If you think the original wording is best, choose option A.
The oil embargo caused the most resentment, among the Japanese, because Japan did not have any oil of its own. Japan wanted freedom from its dependency on the United States.

A)resentment, among the Japanese, because
B)resentment among the Japanese, because
C)resentment among the Japanese; because
D)resentment among the Japanese because