Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is 'and.' 'And' is the most appropriate conjunction here as it simply adds information about her love for animals without implying cause or effect. It connects two independent clauses in a neutral way, indicating that she loves animals and also volunteers at the shelter. The other choices, 'because,' 'therefore,' and 'so,' suggest a cause-and-effect relationship between loving animals and volunteering at the shelter, which is not the intended meaning in this context.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Option A correctly uses the comparative degree by comparing the quality of two movies with the word 'better.' This sentence demonstrates a comparison between two items in terms of quality, making it the correct use of the comparative degree of an adjective. Choice B uses the superlative degree ('tallest') instead of the comparative degree. Choice C uses the comparative degree correctly but with an adverb ('harder') instead of an adjective. Choice D uses the comparative degree correctly, but it compares the temperature of two coffees rather than the quality of the coffee.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A, Metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things by stating that one thing is another. In the phrase 'a heart of gold,' the good nature of a person is being directly compared to gold, indicating that the person is kind, valuable, and precious, much like gold. This comparison is not using 'like' or 'as,' which would make it a simile, but rather it is a direct assertion, making it a metaphor. Simile involves comparing two things using 'like' or 'as,' which is not present in this phrase. Hyperbole is an exaggeration, which is not the case here. Personification gives human qualities to non-human entities, which is also not occurring in 'a heart of gold.'

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is 'apprehensive.' In the context of an upcoming presentation, being apprehensive implies a sense of worry or nervousness. This aligns well with the situation where one might feel uneasy or concerned about their upcoming presentation. The word 'bored' (choice B) is incorrect as it does not convey the right emotion for this context. 'Excited' (choice C) and 'relieved' (choice D) do not match the expected sentiment of worry or nervousness associated with an upcoming presentation, making them incorrect choices.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The word 'growing' in the sentence 'He felt a growing sense of unease' is functioning as an adjective. It describes the sense of unease, indicating a characteristic of the sense rather than an action (verb), a person, place, thing, or idea (noun), or modifying a verb, an adjective, or another adverb (adverb). Therefore, 'growing' is an adjective in this context.