Nursing Elites

1. Please don't take what I said so personally. Which of the following parts of speech is 'personally' as used above?

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

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In the sentence, 'personally' is modifying the verb 'take,' indicating how the action is done. Adverbs often answer questions like how, when, where, and to what extent. 'Personally' in this context is an adverb, making choice D the correct answer. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect as 'personally' does not function as an article (a, an, the), adjective (describing a noun), or verb (action word) in this sentence.

2. Which of these examples is a compound sentence?

• A. Alex and Shane spent the morning coloring and later took a walk down to the park.
• B. After coloring all morning, Alex and Shane spent the afternoon at the park.
• C. Alex and Shane spent the morning coloring, and then they took a walk down to the park.
• D. After coloring all morning and spending part of the day at the park, Alex and Shane took a nap.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Option C is a compound sentence because it consists of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction ('and then'). The first independent clause is 'Alex and Shane spent the morning coloring,' and the second independent clause is 'they took a walk down to the park.' Choices A, B, and D are not compound sentences. In choice A, although there are two actions mentioned, they are not independent clauses; they are part of a single sentence. Choice B is a complex sentence with a dependent clause ('After coloring all morning') and an independent clause. Choice D is a complex sentence with a compound predicate ('After coloring all morning and spending part of the day at the park') followed by an independent clause.

3. Which of the following sentences has the correct subject-verb agreement?

• A. The Akhal-Teke horse breed, originally from Turkmenistan, has long enjoyed a reputation for bravery and fortitude.
• B. The employer decided that he could not, due to the high cost of health care, afford to offer other benefits to his employees.
• C. Though Puerto Rico is known popularly for its beaches, its landscape also includes mountains, which are home to many of the island’s rural villages.
• D. Each of the storm chasers decides whether or not to go out when rain makes visibility low.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The subject 'employer' in sentence B agrees with the singular verb 'decided.' In subject-verb agreement, singular subjects need singular verbs, while plural subjects need plural verbs. The use of 'decided' correctly pairs with the singular subject 'employer' in this sentence. Choice A is incorrect as the subject 'Akhal-Teke horse breed' is singular and should be paired with the singular verb 'has,' not 'have.' Choice C is incorrect because the verb 'play' does not agree with the plural subject 'mountains'; it should be 'play host' or 'are home to.' Choice D is incorrect as 'Each of the storm chasers' is a singular subject and should be paired with the singular verb 'decides,' not 'decide.'

4. Which of the following sentences shows the correct use of quotation marks?

• A. "Grady asked Abe, 'Did you know that an earthquake and a tsunami hit Messina, Italy, in 1908?'"
• B. Grady asked Abe, 'Did you know that an earthquake and a tsunami hit Messina, Italy, in 1908?'
• C. Grady asked Abe, "Did you know that an earthquake and a tsunami hit Messina, Italy, in 1908?"
• D. Grady asked Abe, "Did you know that an earthquake and a tsunami hit Messina, Italy, in 1908?"

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct use of quotation marks is in option C. In this option, the entire quoted sentence is enclosed within double quotation marks. This is the standard convention for punctuating direct speech in English. Option A has an incorrect placement of single and double quotation marks. Option B lacks opening double quotation marks for the spoken sentence. Option D incorrectly places the closing quotation mark outside the question mark, which is not the standard punctuation rule for quoted sentences.

5. Which sentence uses comma splices incorrectly?

• A. The baker kneaded the dough, flour dusted her apron, and the oven warmed up.
• B. The mountains, shrouded in mist, seemed to disappear into the clouds.
• C. He arrived late, having forgotten his keys, and the meeting had already started.
• D. The movie, despite its flaws, was surprisingly enjoyable.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Option (C) incorrectly combines two independent clauses with only a comma, resulting in a comma splice. A comma should not be used to connect independent clauses; instead, a semicolon, conjunction, or period is needed to properly separate the ideas in the sentence. Choices (A), (B), and (D) do not contain comma splices and present their ideas in a grammatically correct manner.

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