Nursing Elites

1. A student reads the following sentence: A hundred years ago, automobiles were rare, but now cars are ubiquitous. However, she doesn't know what the word ubiquitous means. Which key context clue is essential to decipher the word's meaning?

• A. Ago
• B. Cars
• C. Now
• D. Rare

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The key context clue essential to decipher the word 'ubiquitous' is the word 'now.' By comparing the rarity of automobiles a hundred years ago to their ubiquity now, the student can infer that 'ubiquitous' means something that is commonplace or found everywhere. Choice A ('Ago') refers to the past and does not provide information about the current state of cars. Choice B ('Cars') only contrasts rare and ubiquitous without indicating the change over time. Choice D ('Rare') simply contrasts with 'ubiquitous' without showing the transition from rarity to ubiquity.

2. The hike became increasingly difficult as we got closer to the top of the mountain. Which of the following parts of speech is 'increasingly' as used in the sentence above?

• A. Adjective
• B. Interjection
• C. Verb
• D. Adverb

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In this sentence, 'increasingly' is functioning as an adverb. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to describe the manner, degree, or frequency of an action. In this case, 'increasingly' describes how the difficulty of the hike was growing as we approached the mountain top. Choice A, 'Adjective,' is incorrect as adjectives modify nouns or pronouns, not verbs. Choice B, 'Interjection,' is also incorrect because interjections are words used to express strong emotions or sentiments, not to describe actions or qualities. Choice C, 'Verb,' is incorrect as 'increasingly' is not a verb; it does not express an action or state of being.

3. The student feared she would fail, so she thought she should study harder. Which of the following is a correct revision of the ambiguous sentence above?

• A. Unless the student feared that she would fail out of school, she wouldn’t study harder.
• B. The student said, 'she will fail out of the university unless she studies during her exams.'
• C. The student was afraid that she should study harder before failing out during her exams.
• D. 'If I don’t study harder before the exams,' the student fretted, 'I will surely fail out of school.'

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Option D is the clearest revision as it expresses the student's concern directly through dialogue. The use of quotation marks provides clarity, and the student's worry about failing is stated clearly. The other options either lack clarity or contain grammatical issues. Option A introduces an unnecessary condition with 'unless' which changes the original meaning. Option B introduces a third-person perspective that is not present in the original sentence. Option C is awkwardly constructed and does not convey the student's concern effectively.

4. The RV was a great purchase for our family and brought us all closer together. Which of the following transitional phrases would improve this sentence?

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. Not surprisingly, the RV
• C. Furthermore, the RV
• D. As it turns out, the RV

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The transitional phrase 'As it turns out' adds a reflective tone that matches the surprise at how well the RV worked for the family. Choice A ('NO CHANGE') does not introduce any new information or transition. Choice B ('Not surprisingly, the RV') contradicts the surprise factor mentioned in the sentence. Choice C ('Furthermore, the RV') does not provide a suitable transition given the context of the sentence.

5. Which of the following options is correctly punctuated?

• A. The runaway truck, which had been parked on a steep hill, swerved and teetered before jumping a curb and slamming into a tree.
• B. The runaway truck which had been parked on a steep hill swerved and teetered before jumping a curb and slamming into a tree.
• C. The runaway truck, which had been parked on a steep hill, swerved and teetered before jumping a curb and slamming into a tree.
• D. The runaway truck which had been parked on a steep hill, swerved and teetered before jumping a curb and slamming into a tree.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. The sentence correctly uses commas to set off the non-essential clause 'which had been parked on a steep hill.' The use of commas before and after the clause helps to distinguish it as additional information that could be omitted without changing the essential meaning of the sentence. Choices B, C, and D lack appropriate punctuation to set off the non-essential clause, making them incorrect. In these options, the absence of commas or the placement of commas incorrectly within the sentence affects the clarity and structure of the sentence, violating punctuation rules for non-essential clauses.

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