Which of the following words fits best in the sentence below? ___________ she is the youngest member of her class, Octavia is taller than her classmates.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The word 'Although' is the correct choice as it is used to introduce a contrast between two ideas. In this sentence, it highlights the unexpected nature of Octavia being taller than her classmates despite being the youngest member of her class. This conjunction effectively conveys the discrepancy between her age and height in the context of the sentence. Choice A ('Despite') indicates a contradiction or contrast but does not capture the nuance of unexpectedness present in the sentence. Choice B ('Since') implies a causal relationship, which is not the intended meaning. Choice D ('Provided') suggests a condition or stipulation, which is not suitable for the context of the sentence. Therefore, 'Although' is the most appropriate choice.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In the context of the sentence, the word 'wound' is not used correctly. It should be 'wove' instead of 'wound.' The correct word usage should be: 'The staunch hikers took a torturous downhill path that wove through thick vegetation.' 'Wound' is the past tense of 'wind,' while 'wove' is the past tense of 'weave,' which is the appropriate verb to describe a path navigating through vegetation. Choice A, 'staunch,' Choice B, 'torturous,' and Choice D, 'vegetation,' are all used appropriately in the sentence and do not contain any errors.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct form to use in this sentence is the present participle 'taking.' The sentence should read, 'Before taking this medicine, consume a modest meal.' It is important to use the present participle form when talking about an action that occurs before another action. Choice A 'having taken' is incorrect as it suggests a completed action before consuming a meal. Choice C 'took' is in the past tense, not suitable for indicating an action that should happen before another. Choice D 'will take' is in the future tense, which does not fit the context of the sentence.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: In this sentence, the subject 'board of education' is singular, so the verb should also be singular to match. 'Plans' is the correct form of the verb to use with a singular subject. The correct sentence should be: 'The board of education plans to hold a special meeting.' Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they do not agree in number with the singular subject 'board of education.' 'Plan' is plural, 'planning' is a gerund form, and 'do plan' is not the correct verb form for the subject-verb agreement in this sentence.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct word to substitute for the underlined words 'the children' in the sentence would be 'their' to ensure clarity and proper possessive form. Using 'their' makes it clear that the photographs belong to the children. Choice A 'its' is incorrect as it refers to singular possession. Choice C 'they' is a pronoun and does not indicate possession. Choice D 'his' is incorrect as it is singular and refers to a male possessive form, which does not match the plural 'children' in the sentence.