Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In the sentence, 'The nurse told Silvio's family that visiting hours were over, but Silvio's family could come back early tomorrow morning,' the second occurrence of 'Silvio's family' can be effectively substituted with the word 'them' to avoid repetition and improve clarity. Using 'them' in this context helps to make the sentence more concise and less redundant, enhancing the overall flow and readability. Choice B ('us') is incorrect as it would imply that Silvio's family could come back early tomorrow morning to the speaker and others, which is not the intended meaning. Choice C ('they') is incorrect as it would shift the subject from 'Silvio's family' to a third-person perspective, altering the original meaning. Choice D ('those') is incorrect as it does not appropriately refer back to 'Silvio's family' in a clear and concise manner.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: A comma is needed to separate the items being listed (notebook and small handmade coffee mug) in the sentence. This punctuation mark helps to clearly indicate the individual components being mentioned in a list. In this case, a comma is used in a series (also known as a list) to separate the items listed, ensuring clarity and proper punctuation structure. The other choices are incorrect because a period would create two separate sentences, a colon is used to introduce a list or an explanation (neither of which is the case here), and a hyphen is used to join words or parts of words.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In the sentence provided, the word 'lay' is used incorrectly. The correct past tense of 'lay' in this context should be 'lay.' Therefore, the sentence should read, 'Dr. Leo laid the paperwork out upon the table for us to view.' 'Laid' is the past participle of 'lay' when it requires an object. In this sentence, 'lay' is the correct choice as it is used without an object. The other choices ('upon,' 'us,' 'view') are used appropriately in the sentence and do not contain any errors.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct word to make the sentence grammatically correct is 'too.' In this context, 'too' means excessively or to a higher degree, indicating that the person is extremely uncomfortable and needs another pillow. 'To' is a preposition and does not fit the context of the sentence. 'Much' is an adverb used to refer to a large quantity, not the degree of discomfort. 'Lesser' is a comparative adjective, which is not suitable for expressing the level of discomfort in this sentence. Therefore, 'too' is the most appropriate choice to convey the intended meaning.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The word 'because' indicates the reason or cause for something. In this context, it logically connects the meteorologist's forecast of rain with Sheila bringing her umbrella to work. The conjunction 'because' explains the relationship between the rain forecast and Sheila's action of bringing an umbrella, making it the most suitable word for the sentence. Choices B, C, and D do not fit the context as they do not provide a logical reason for Sheila's action.