Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'A: ironic.' In literature, irony is when there is a contrast between what is said and what is meant. It is a technique used to convey humor, sarcasm, or to emphasize a point indirectly. 'Earnest' (choice B) refers to being sincere or genuine, which is the opposite of what the question is describing. 'Confused' (choice C) does not accurately capture the concept of words saying the opposite of what they mean. 'Unambiguous' (choice D) means clear and not open to interpretation, which is the opposite of a situation where words have a hidden or opposite meaning.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'chiefs.' 'Chief' follows the standard rule for forming the plural by adding an 's' at the end. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not follow the standard pluralization rule for the word 'chief.' 'Chieves,' 'chievs,' and 'chiefes' are not valid plural forms of 'chief.'

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is 'B: styles.' 'Styles' is the correct plural form of 'style.' 'Oxes' in choice A is incorrect; the plural of 'ox' is 'oxen.' 'Monarchys' in choice C is incorrect; the correct plural form of 'monarchy' is 'monarchies.' 'Clutchs' in choice D is incorrect; the correct plural form of 'clutch' is 'clutches.' Therefore, 'styles' is the only word written in the correct plural form among the choices provided.

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: C

Rationale: Choice C is the correct answer. The sentence is punctuated correctly with commas separating the city, state, and the rest of the sentence. In Choice A, there should be a comma after 'California' to correctly separate the city and state. Choice B lacks a comma after 'California,' creating a run-on sentence. Choice D incorrectly uses a comma before the year '2011,' which disrupts the flow of the sentence.