First and foremost, they receive an annual pension payment. T has been reviewed and changed a number of times, most recently to reflect the salary of a high-level government executive. Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable way to revise and combine the underlined portion of the sentences above?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Option C is the correct answer because it disrupts the flow of the sentence and introduces unnecessary information. The phrase 'over the years since 1958' is irrelevant in this context and does not contribute to the intended meaning of the sentence. The sentence is focused on the recent changes to the pension, not its historical evolution. Choices A, B, and D provide clear and concise ways to revise and combine the underlined portion of the sentences, maintaining a logical and relevant sentence structure.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses that are joined by coordinating conjunctions such as 'and,' 'but,' or 'or.' In choice A, the sentence contains two independent clauses separated by the coordinating conjunction 'and': 'Plague, generally not a major public health concern, actually continues to spread among rodent populations today' and 'it even occasionally makes its way into a human host.' Choice B is a complex sentence as it contains a dependent clause 'which seeks answers to humanity's questions about its past' and an independent clause 'is significantly helped by new technologies.' Choice C is a simple sentence with one independent clause: 'In the fight against obesity, countries around the world are imposing taxes on sodas and other sugary drinks in an effort to curb unhealthy habits.' Choice D is a complex sentence with a dependent clause 'Because the assassination of President John F. Kennedy continues to haunt and fascinate Americans' and an independent clause 'new movies, books, and television series about it are released every year.'

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct spelling is 'potatoes,' with the correct plural form being used in this context. The other choices are spelled correctly: 'saliva,' 'conservators,' and 'restore.' 'Saliva' refers to a bodily fluid, 'conservators' are professionals who work on art conservation, and 'restore' means to bring something back to its original condition or state.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In the sentence, 'widely' is used as an adverb. It modifies the adjective 'available,' describing the extent to which professional dental care is available. An adverb can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. In this case, 'widely' modifies the adjective 'available,' making it an adverb. Choice A, 'adjective,' is incorrect because 'widely' is not describing a noun. Choice B, 'noun,' is incorrect because 'widely' is not a noun. Choice D, 'verb,' is incorrect because 'widely' is not being used as a verb in the sentence.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The root word 'corp' is related to the body as it comes from the Latin word 'corpus,' meaning body. Words like 'corporal' and 'corporation' are derived from this root, linking them to the body in some manner. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect. 'Auto' relates to self or automatic, 'man' pertains to human or hand, and 'bio' is associated with life or living organisms, none of which directly signify the body.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. In this phrase, the words 'Senator' and 'California' are capitalized correctly since they refer to a specific position and a proper noun, respectively. 'Senator' is capitalized as it is part of the title and 'California' is capitalized as a proper noun. Choice A is incorrect because 'President' should be capitalized when it precedes a specific name, like 'President Carter.' Choice C is incorrect because 'Aunt' and 'Uncle' are not proper nouns and should not be capitalized. Choice D is incorrect because only 'New Year's Eve' should be capitalized as it is a proper noun for the event.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: "intra-". The prefix "intra-" is used to indicate that something is inside or within. For example, "intracellular" means within a cell, and "intrapersonal" means within oneself. Choice B, "trans-", typically indicates across, beyond, or through, not inside or within. Choice C, "anti-", is used to indicate against or opposed to. Choice D, "hyper-", usually denotes excessive or above normal levels, not inside or within.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct plural form of 'potato' is 'potatoes.' In English, most plural nouns form by adding '-es' or simply '-s' to the singular form. Therefore, 'potatoes' is the correctly formed plural noun in this list. The other choices, 'vertebrae,' 'geese,' and 'octopuses,' are the correct plural forms of 'vertebra,' 'goose,' and 'octopus,' respectively. They demonstrate the common rule of adding '-es' or '-s' to form plural nouns.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: In this context, 'traditional' is used to describe the characteristic of a comic book that follows long-established conventions. The word 'conventional' is the most appropriate synonym because it implies something that follows standard or established practices. 'Old-fashioned' suggests something outdated, which is not the intended meaning here. 'Expensive' and 'popular' do not relate to the context of how comic books are released and do not align with the meaning of 'traditional' in this specific context.