Nursing Elites

1. Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence? "Otto, somewhat abruptly, got up out of his chair, and just like that, headed into the next room."

• A. The comma after "somewhat"
• B. The comma after "Otto"
• C. The semicolon after "that"
• D. The comma after "chair"

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The semicolon after "that" is used incorrectly; a comma should be used instead. Semicolons are typically used to join two independent clauses without a conjunction. In this sentence, the phrase "just like that" is not an independent clause, so a comma is more appropriate for separating it from the rest of the sentence. Choices A, B, and D all use commas correctly within the sentence.

2. Which of the following sentences contains an incorrect use of capitalization?

• A. For Christmas, we are driving to the South to visit my grandmother in Mississippi.
• B. Last year, we went to East Texas to go camping in Piney Woods.
• C. Next month, we will visit my Aunt Darla, who lives just east of us.
• D. When my sister-in-law Susan has her baby, I will take the train north to see her.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C. In this sentence, 'East' should not be capitalized because it is not part of a proper noun. Choices A, B, and D use capitalization correctly. In option A, 'South' and 'Mississippi' are capitalized as they are referring to specific regions. In option B, 'East Texas' and 'Piney Woods' are proper nouns and correctly capitalized. In option D, 'Susan' is a proper noun and capitalized appropriately.

3. Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?

• A. I enjoy reading, watching movies, and spending time with friends.
• B. Reading, watching movies, and spending time with friends are all activities I enjoy.
• C. I like to read, watch movies, and spend time with friends.
• D. Reading, movies, and friends are all things I enjoy.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Parallel structure means using the same grammatical form for elements in a list. Option (B) uses parallel gerunds ('reading,' 'watching,' 'spending'), making it the correct choice. The other options have inconsistencies in the form of the listed activities, making them grammatically incorrect. Option (A) starts with 'I enjoy' but then switches to '-ing' verbs. Option (C) changes from 'like' to '-ing' verbs, breaking parallelism. Option (D) lists 'reading' correctly but then switches to singular nouns ('movies,' 'friends'), which is not parallel.

4. Identify the adverb in the sentence: 'She quickly finished her homework.'

• A. She
• B. Finished
• C. Quickly
• D. Homework

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is 'C: Quickly.' Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. In this sentence, 'quickly' describes how she finished her homework. Choice A 'She' is a pronoun, choice B 'Finished' is the verb, and choice D 'Homework' is a noun, making them incorrect choices for adverbs.

5. The swirling snow drifted down all afternoon. Which of the following parts of speech is 'swirling' as used in the sentence above?

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

Correct answer: C

Rationale: In the sentence 'The swirling snow drifted down all afternoon,' 'swirling' is functioning as an adjective. Adjectives modify or describe nouns, and in this case, 'swirling' describes the noun 'snow.' The word 'swirling' is giving more information about the nature or quality of the snow, indicating that it is moving in a circular motion. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. An interjection is a word or phrase used to express strong emotions or sentiments, which 'swirling' does not do in this context. An article is a determiner that introduces a noun, and 'swirling' is not serving this function. An adverb typically modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, but in this sentence, 'swirling' is not modifying a verb, making it an incorrect choice.

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