Which of the following substitutions best captures the meaning of the word 'egregious' in the sentence: 'The errors were becoming so frequent and egregious that the company had no choice but to force the humbled administrator into early retirement'?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: 'Egregious' means outstandingly bad or shocking. Among the given choices, 'thoughtless' is the best substitution that captures a similar meaning. This is because 'thoughtless' implies actions or errors committed without careful consideration, which aligns with the negative connotation of the word 'egregious' in the sentence. 'Bizarre' (choice B) means strange or unusual, not necessarily bad. 'Minor' (choice C) means of lesser importance or seriousness, which contrasts with the strong negativity of 'egregious.' 'Flagrant' (choice D) means obviously offensive or bad, but it does not fully capture the sense of shock and outstandingly bad conveyed by 'egregious.'

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, complex. This sentence contains an independent clause ('Bess loves art') and a dependent clause ('who can draw beautifully'). The dependent clause relies on the independent clause for context and cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. The connection between the clauses is established by the relative pronoun 'who.' Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. It is not a compound-complex sentence as it lacks multiple independent clauses and a dependent clause, respectively. It is not a compound sentence since it does not have two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. Lastly, it is not a simple sentence because it contains both an independent and a dependent clause, making it more complex than a simple sentence.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The word 'obsequious' means excessively submissive or eager to please, often to the point of showing deference. In this context, 'showing deference' best captures the meaning, indicating respect or submission rather than being poorly dressed, reserved, or aggressive. 'Poorly dressed' (B) is unrelated to the meaning of obsequious. 'Reserved' (C) suggests a different behavior that is opposite to being obsequious. 'Aggressive' (D) is the opposite of obsequious and does not fit the context of the sentence.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is 'third-person singular.' In the sentence 'She went to the store after school,' the word 'she' is a third-person pronoun, indicating that the narrator is talking about someone else (not themselves) in singular form. First-person singular involves the narrator talking about themselves, second-person plural would involve addressing a group of people, and third-person plural would refer to multiple individuals, which are not the case in this sentence.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The prefix 'ante-' is commonly used to refer to something that comes before something else in terms of time, order, or position. In the provided sentence, the antechamber is described as a waiting area 'before' guests were allowed into the main hall. This usage indicates that 'ante-' in this context means 'before.' The other choices are incorrect: 'again' implies repetition, 'good' is unrelated, and 'together' does not fit the context of preceding or coming before something else.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Option A is the correct version of the sentence. It is written in a clear and grammatically correct way. The conjunction 'because' is correctly placed to show the reason for Cicily's decision, and the structure of the sentence flows logically. Choices B, C, and D have issues with sentence structure, placement of conjunctions, or unnecessary commas, making them grammatically incorrect. Choice B places 'because' in an awkward position, disrupting the flow of the sentence. Choice C introduces a comma after 'wanted to reduce unnecessary waste' unnecessarily, causing a punctuation error. Choice D shifts the focus of the sentence by placing 'she wanted to reduce unnecessary waste' at the end, making the sentence less coherent and grammatically incorrect.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In this context, the word 'fastidious' describes someone who pays great attention to detail, is very meticulous, and particular about things being perfect. Henry's behavior of keeping his workspace organized and ensuring everything is in its proper place indicates his meticulous nature. 'Fussy' aligns best with this meaning as it conveys being hard to please and excessively attentive to detail, which accurately describes Henry's behavior. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not capture the essence of being meticulous and attentive to detail, which is the central meaning conveyed by 'fastidious' in this context.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In this context, apothegms refers to short, wise sayings meant to convey wisdom or provoke thought. Apothegms are concise and insightful, serving as nuggets of wisdom. The term 'instructions' implies a set of directions or guidelines, not reflective of the nature of apothegms. 'Questions' are queries seeking information or answers, not synonymous with wise sayings. 'Lectures' are formal presentations or speeches, which are more extensive and detailed compared to the concise nature of apothegms.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Option B, 'When he leaped to the saddle, his horse bolted,' effectively removes the dangling modifier by clearly connecting the action of the subject ('he leaped to the saddle') with the consequence ('his horse bolted'). This restructuring ensures that the sentence is stylistically and logically clear. Choice A changes the order of the actions, which alters the original meaning. Choice C incorrectly places 'he leaped to the saddle' after 'His horse bolted,' leading to confusion. Choice D does not address the dangling modifier issue and maintains the original error in sentence structure.