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 suffix "-ness" indicates a state or quality, as seen in words like "happiness" (the state of being happy). Choice A, "-ic," typically denotes characteristics or qualities, such as in "heroic." Choice C, "-ous," often signifies the presence of a quality or relationship, like in "poisonous." Choice D, "-ful," usually means full of or characterized by, as in "beautiful." Therefore, the correct answer is B because it best fits the description of indicating a state or quality.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The word 'shear' means to cut, while 'sheer' in this context means 'complete' or 'unqualified.' The correct spelling in the sentence should be 'sheer.' Choice A, 'peeked' is the correct past tense of 'peek,' meaning to glance quickly or briefly. Choice B, 'through' is the correct preposition to indicate moving in one side and out the other. Choice D, 'scene,' is the correct term for a part of a play or movie, not 'seen,' which is the past participle of 'see.'

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. A compound sentence consists of two independent clauses joined by a conjunction or a semicolon. In sentence A, 'The sky is clear' and 'the stars are bright' are two independent clauses joined by the conjunction 'and.'<br>Choice B is a complex sentence as it has a dependent clause ('Although it was late') and an independent clause ('he stayed up').<br>Choice C is a simple sentence with only one subject and one verb.<br>Choice D is a complex sentence with a dependent clause ('While she reads') and an independent clause ('she listens to music').

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Anthropology.' This term is derived from the Greek words 'anthropos' meaning 'human' and 'logos' meaning 'study.' Therefore, Anthropology refers to the study of humans. Choice A, 'Biology,' is the study of living organisms, not specifically focused on humans. Choice B, 'Philanthropy,' refers to the practice of giving and helping others. Choice C, 'Anthropomorphism,' is the attribution of human characteristics to non-human entities.