Parrots, among the most intelligent birds in the world, have been prized pets for many centuries; in fact, the first recorded instance of parrot training was written in the thirteenth century. Which of the following is a synonym for prized as used in the sentence?

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: In the context of the sentence, 'prized' is used to describe how much people value parrots as pets. Synonyms for 'prized' in this context would include esteemed, cherished, or valued, making option D the most suitable choice. Options A, B, and C do not accurately capture the meaning of 'prized' in this sentence.

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: B

Rationale: In the sentence, 'water that has evaporated remains in the sky,' the word 'remains' is functioning as a verb. It is describing the action of water staying in the sky in cloud form for a certain duration. Verbs are words that express actions, occurrences, or states of being, and in this case, 'remains' is indicating the state of the water being in the sky in cloud form. The other choices are incorrect: 'noun' refers to a person, place, thing, or idea; 'adjective' describes or modifies a noun; and 'adverb' typically modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, but in this sentence, 'remains' is not being modified by an adverb.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The misspelled word in the sentence is 'astronemers,' which should be spelled as 'astronomers.' 'Astrophysicists,' 'techniques,' and 'technology' are all correctly spelled words in the sentence. Ensuring proper spelling is essential for effective communication and clarity. The term 'astronomers' refers to individuals who study celestial bodies, including stars, making it the correct answer in this context.

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: 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.'

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Sentence C correctly maintains the pronoun-antecedent agreement. In this sentence, the antecedent is 'number of people,' and the pronoun 'it' is used to refer back to this antecedent. The singular pronoun 'it' matches the singular antecedent 'number,' making the sentence grammatically correct. Choice A is incorrect because it uses the plural pronoun 'they' to refer back to the singular antecedent 'storm.' Choice B is incorrect as it uses the plural pronoun 'they' to refer back to the singular antecedent 'each of the cars.' Choice D is incorrect because it uses the singular pronoun 'he or she' to refer back to the plural antecedent 'many people.' This creates a lack of agreement between the pronoun and its antecedent.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The comma (,) is used to separate the introductory clause 'After a twelve-hour workday' from the main clause 'James was exhausted when he heard the news.' This punctuation correctly indicates the relationship between the two clauses without interrupting the flow of the sentence. Choice A (.), a period, would create two separate sentences, which is not appropriate in this context. Choice B (;) is too strong of a pause and semicolons are typically used to connect closely related independent clauses. Choice D (-) is an em dash, which is used to set off an abrupt break or interruption in the sentence, not to separate an introductory clause from the main clause.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The complete subject in a sentence includes all the words that describe the main focus of the sentence. In this case, the complete subject is "Sandra's principal reason for choosing the job" as it encompasses all the relevant details about Sandra and her reason for selecting the job. Choice A is the correct answer because it provides the most comprehensive and specific information, making it the complete subject. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not include all the necessary elements to form the complete subject and do not convey the full context of the sentence.