Knowledge of Language

The following passage is an excerpt from an essay about the invention of the automatic dishwasher.

Although Josephine Cochrane had no formal training in engineering, she resolved to design a machine that could wash dishes faster and safer than human hands. Working in a backyard shed with a local mechanic, she constructed a copper boiler with a wooden wheel that turned as hot water sprayed onto wire racks. She was motivated by the desire to solve a practical problem, and this motivation drove her to persist through multiple design failures until she completed it. Her invention was patented in 1886 and later won top honors at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.

Which choice most effectively eliminates the wordiness and redundancy of the underlined portion while maintaining grammatical correctness?

The following passage contains an underlined portion.

Mary Anning, a nineteenth-century British paleontologist, combed the cliffs of Lyme Regis to find fossils of prehistoric marine reptiles. Owing to the fact of her possessing a keen eye that was observant of small details, Anning discovered the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton. Her findings challenged established scientific beliefs about the history of the Earth.

Which choice most effectively and concisely expresses the underlined portion of the sentence?

The following passage is an excerpt from an essay about the invention of Morse code.

In the 1830s, Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail developed the electric telegraph, a device that revolutionized long-distance communication. To represent letters, Vail assigned the shortest codes to the most frequently occurring letters, [a decision that was made to increase] transmission speed. By analyzing quantities of metal type in a local print shop, he determined that the letter 'E' was used most often, so he gave it the simplest code: a single dot.

Which of the following choices for the underlined portion most effectively eliminates wordiness and maintains grammatical correctness?

Read the passage below. Identify the single word that most precisely and clearly completes the sentence to maintain the formal, academic tone of the passage. Write the correct word in the blank.

The archivist carefully examined the ancient manuscript, scanning the pages with a close look to search for any signs of water damage.

Which choice most effectively eliminates redundancy in the underlined portion of the sentence?

Although the single-celled slime mold *Physarum polycephalum* lacks a brain or nervous system, it exhibits a form of primitive intelligence. In experiments, researchers have observed the organism navigating complex mazes to locate food sources, choosing the shortest path with remarkable efficiency. To achieve this, the slime mold leaves behind a trail of extracellular slime as it explores. Upon encountering its own previous trails, the mold avoids them, using the slime as a spatial memory system to prevent it from wandering into areas it has already searched. This externalized memory system demonstrates that complex problem-solving behaviors do not necessarily require a highly developed central nervous system; rather, the mold relies on a totally cool externalized trick to get around.

Which choice best maintains the established tone and style of the passage?

A portion of the passage below is underlined.

In 1956, Malcom McLean, a former trucking magnate, revolutionized global trade by introducing the modern shipping container. Before this innovation, cargo was loaded piece by piece, a process that was incredibly slow and expensive. McLean’s standardized steel boxes could be easily transferred from trucks to trains to ships, which was an efficient method that served to drastically reduce both loading times and shipping costs by a significant margin. Today, millions of these containers traverse the globe, forming the backbone of international commerce.

Which choice most effectively and concisely expresses the underlined idea?

For decades, the geological origins of the massive sarsen stones at Stonehenge remained a mystery to archaeologists. However, a recent chemical analysis has finally revealed the source where the stones originally came from. Which choice is the best replacement for the underlined portion?

In 1964, the research submersible *Alvin* was commissioned, allowing scientists to explore the deep ocean floor. Previously before this time, marine biologists relied on indirect measurements; they had no way to observe the abyss directly.

Which of the following is the best version of the underlined portion of the sentence?

Every autumn, millions of monarch butterflies embark on a perilous journey from North America to the forests of central Mexico. This annual migration occurs on a yearly basis, it is essential for their survival during the cold winter months.

Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion is the most appropriate?