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: C

Rationale: The apostrophe in 'mountain's' is used incorrectly. The word should be 'mountains' without the apostrophe because it is a plural noun, not possessive. The other choices (A, B, D) have the correct usage of punctuation marks and do not contain errors related to punctuation.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The best way to revise and combine the underlined portion of the sentences is by using a semicolon to show a stronger connection between the two ideas. Using 'however' after the semicolon helps to contrast the innocuous superstition with the negative outcome that sometimes occurred, providing a smoother flow between the ideas. Choice A is incorrect as it lacks a proper conjunction or punctuation to connect the ideas. Choice B is incorrect as 'but' does not effectively contrast the ideas as 'however' does. Choice D is incorrect as a colon is used to introduce a list or explanation, which is not suitable in this context where a contrast is needed.

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 prefix 'pre-' typically means before. In this case, 'preoperative' refers to activities that occur before an operation. Therefore, the patient's preoperative evaluation, scheduled for next Wednesday, will take place before the operation. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because the prefix 'pre-' specifically indicates a time before the operation, not after, during, or outside of it.

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: 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 punctuation in this case is to use a comma (,) to set off the nonrestrictive clause 'whose death shocked America in April of 2016.' This clause provides additional information about the artist Prince without changing the essential meaning of the sentence. Choice A has a semicolon (;) which is incorrect as it separates two closely related independent clauses. Choice C uses em dashes (-) which are incorrect as they should be used for emphasis or to set off information. Choice D uses a colon (:) which is incorrect as it introduces a list or an explanation, not additional information about the artist Prince. Therefore, the correctly punctuated sentence is: 'The artist Prince, whose death shocked America in April of 2016, was one of the most successful musical artists of the last century.'

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.