What part of speech is the word 'silently' in the sentence 'The masked villain silently laughed while watching the hero struggle to escape'?

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: 'Silently' is an adverb in this sentence as it describes how the villain laughed. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. In this case, 'silently' is modifying the verb 'laughed,' indicating the manner in which the action was performed. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect. 'Silently' is not a preposition (A) as it doesn't show a relationship between nouns or pronouns. It is not a verb (C) because it doesn't express an action or state of being. Additionally, it is not an adjective (D) since it does not describe a noun or pronoun.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is 'Mid-America.' It is correctly hyphenated as it combines 'Mid' and 'America' to form a compound noun. Choice A, 'Ex-president,' should be hyphenated to show the prefix 'Ex-' before 'president.' Choice B, 'Hyperactive,' should not be hyphenated as 'hyper' is a prefix. Choice C, 'Self-made,' should be hyphenated to connect 'self' and 'made' in this compound adjective.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is an exclamation mark because it is used to convey strong emotion or excitement, which is appropriate for the sentence. A comma is not suitable here as it does not convey the level of excitement expressed in the sentence. A semicolon is used to join independent clauses or separate items in a list, which is not required in this context. A question mark would be incorrect as the statement is not a question but rather an expression of excitement.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is 'But.' In this sentence, the conjunction 'but' is used to show a contrast between the usual routine of taking a walk after breakfast and the fact that it was raining today. 'While' suggests a concurrent action, 'Because' implies causation, and 'When' introduces a time relationship, none of which are suitable in this context.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'Check to see that the coffee maker in the breakroom is unplugged.' This task is explicitly mentioned in the memo as one of the tasks to be performed when leaving the office. Choices A, C, and D are not specific tasks listed in the memo and do not directly relate to the instructions provided. Therefore, they are incorrect choices. It is essential to pay attention to the specific details mentioned in the instructions to identify the correct task to perform.