Nursing Elites

1. Which of the following substitutions best captures the meaning of the word 'egregious' in the sentence: 'The errors were becoming so frequent and egregious that the company had no choice but to force the humbled administrator into early retirement'?

• A. thoughtless
• B. bizarre
• C. minor
• D. flagrant

Correct answer: A

Rationale: 'Egregious' means outstandingly bad or shocking. Among the given choices, 'thoughtless' is the best substitution that captures a similar meaning. This is because 'thoughtless' implies actions or errors committed without careful consideration, which aligns with the negative connotation of the word 'egregious' in the sentence. 'Bizarre' (choice B) means strange or unusual, not necessarily bad. 'Minor' (choice C) means of lesser importance or seriousness, which contrasts with the strong negativity of 'egregious.' 'Flagrant' (choice D) means obviously offensive or bad, but it does not fully capture the sense of shock and outstandingly bad conveyed by 'egregious.'

2. During the Civil War, the United States, still a fairly young country, was divided into the North and South on strongly felt issues. President Abraham Lincoln took a stand on the side of the North, which ultimately emerged victorious. What is the most appropriate topic sentence for the passage below?

• A. The Civil War was a war that was not easily won, but hard fought.
• B. The Civil War ended in 1865.
• C. Jefferson Davis was the President of the Confederate States.
• D. Many countries have had civil wars.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The topic sentence sets the stage for the discussion that follows. Choice A, 'The Civil War was a war that was not easily won, but hard fought,' is the most appropriate as it introduces the theme of the challenges faced during the Civil War and the determination required for victory. Choice B, 'The Civil War ended in 1865,' is a factual statement but does not lead into the paragraph content. Choice C, 'Jefferson Davis was the President of the Confederate States,' introduces a different historical figure not central to the paragraph. Choice D, 'Many countries have had civil wars,' is a broad statement not related to the specific context of the Civil War in the United States.

3. Which sentence demonstrates correct use of the apostrophe?

• A. The dog wagged its tail.
• B. It's a wonderful day.
• C. The dog's tail wagged.
• D. It's a big house.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Choice C, 'The dog's tail wagged,' is the correct use of the apostrophe to show possession. In this sentence, the apostrophe is used correctly to indicate that the tail belongs to the dog. Choice A is incorrect as 'it's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has,' not possessive. Choice B is also incorrect as 'Its' should be 'It's' to mean 'It is' or 'It has.' Choice D is incorrect as 'Its'' is grammatically incorrect; the correct form would be 'It's' if it were a contraction or 'Its' if it indicated possession without an apostrophe.

4. Identify the appositive in the following sentence: 'My favorite author, Agatha Christie, wrote many detective novels.'

• A. favorite
• B. Agatha Christie
• C. many
• D. novels

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In the sentence, 'Agatha Christie' is the appositive. An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames or clarifies another noun or pronoun in a sentence. In this case, 'Agatha Christie' renames the noun 'author.' The appositive provides additional information about the noun it follows, enhancing the reader's understanding. Choices A, C, and D are not appositives. 'Favorite' is an adjective describing 'author,' 'many' is an adjective describing 'novels,' and 'novels' is the direct object of the verb 'wrote,' not an appositive.

5. Hampton was born and raised in Maywood, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in 1948. Which revision best improves the sentence?

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. in Maywood, of Chicago, Illinois in 1948.
• C. in Maywood, of Chicago, Illinois, in 1948.
• D. in Chicago, Illinois of Maywood in 1948.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The corrected choice C 'in Maywood, of Chicago, Illinois, in 1948.' is the best revision as it places commas around the city and state, as well as around the year, improving clarity and readability. Choice A is incorrect as it does not provide the necessary punctuation for clarity. Choice B incorrectly places 'of Chicago' between 'Maywood' and 'Illinois,' disrupting the flow of information. Choice D reverses the order of 'Chicago, Illinois' and 'Maywood,' making it structurally incorrect.

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