Correct Answer: D

Rationale: In this sentence, 'increasingly' is functioning as an adverb. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to describe the manner, degree, or frequency of an action. In this case, 'increasingly' describes how the difficulty of the hike was growing as we approached the mountain top. Choice A, 'Adjective,' is incorrect as adjectives modify nouns or pronouns, not verbs. Choice B, 'Interjection,' is also incorrect because interjections are words used to express strong emotions or sentiments, not to describe actions or qualities. Choice C, 'Verb,' is incorrect as 'increasingly' is not a verb; it does not express an action or state of being.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'The plump, old, white cat basked in the warm sunlight.' Commas should be used to separate coordinate adjectives describing the cat. In this sentence, 'plump,' 'old,' and 'white' are coordinate adjectives, each providing distinct information about the cat. Option B incorrectly places a comma after 'white,' creating a nonessential element. Option C lacks commas to separate the coordinate adjectives. Option D incorrectly places a comma after 'cat,' causing a punctuation error.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The passage uses precise, technical language typical of scientific writing, indicating the writer is a researcher. Choice A is incorrect as the passage does not reflect a business context. Choice C is incorrect as there is no indication that the writer is a student or in an academic setting. Choice D is incorrect as the content of the passage does not align with literature or creative writing.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The subject 'Neither' is singular, so the correct verb form to use is 'is.' In this sentence, 'boys' is part of a prepositional phrase 'of the boys' and does not affect the verb agreement. 'Are' (choice B) is plural and does not match the singular subject. 'Were' (choice C) is past tense and not suitable for the present context. 'Be' (choice D) is an infinitive form and does not agree with the subject.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The passage indicates that the writer is a student writing a first draft of a paper. The language used in the passage is informal and lacks precision, suggesting it is not written by a professional in a business environment or a researcher for a scientific journal. The focus on experimenting with hitting a golf ball also aligns more with a student exploring a topic rather than an established author of literature.