Which of the following words or phrases fits best in the sentence below? Derek insists on working out daily ___________ his time is limited.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In the sentence, the word 'despite' is the best fit to convey the meaning that Derek insists on working out daily regardless of the limitation of his time. 'Despite' is used to show contrast or defiance against a situation or condition, making it the most suitable choice among the options provided. Choice B, 'due to,' would imply that Derek is working out daily because his time is limited, which is not the intended meaning of the sentence. Choice C, 'even if,' suggests a conditional scenario which does not align with the context of Derek's daily routine. Choice D, 'whereas,' introduces a comparison between two contrasting clauses, which does not fit the sentence where the focus is on Derek's persistence in working out despite limited time.

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: 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 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: 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.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: In the sentence, the word 'despite' is the best fit to convey the meaning that Derek insists on working out daily regardless of the limitation of his time. 'Despite' is used to show contrast or defiance against a situation or condition, making it the most suitable choice among the options provided. Choice B, 'due to,' would imply that Derek is working out daily because his time is limited, which is not the intended meaning of the sentence. Choice C, 'even if,' suggests a conditional scenario which does not align with the context of Derek's daily routine. Choice D, 'whereas,' introduces a comparison between two contrasting clauses, which does not fit the sentence where the focus is on Derek's persistence in working out despite limited time.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct punctuation needed in the sentence is a colon. A colon is used to introduce a list or an explanation. In this case, the colon helps to indicate that the following phrase ('Remember the old saying') is providing an explanation or clarification related to the phrase before it. Choice A, the exclamation point, is incorrect as the sentence is not expressing strong emotion or excitement. Choice B, the apostrophe, is incorrect as it is not needed for possession or contraction. Choice D, the semicolon, is incorrect as it is used to connect two independent clauses, which is not the case here.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In the sentence, 'The nursing staff appreciate occasional thank-you cards,' the pronoun 'them' is the best word to substitute for 'nursing staff.' The word 'them' is a pronoun that refers to a group of people or things, which matches the plural form of 'nursing staff.' Therefore, 'them' is the correct choice in this context. Choice A, 'They,' could also refer to the nursing staff, but 'them' is more precise in this case. Choice B, 'It,' is singular and does not match the plural 'nursing staff.' Choice D, 'Us,' refers to the speaker and others, which is not appropriate in this context.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The word 'subcommittee' is singular, so the correct verb to use is 'meets' as it agrees with the singular subject. 'Meets' is the present tense form of the verb that matches a singular subject. Choice A 'meet' is incorrect as it is the plural form of the verb. Choice C 'meeting' is a gerund and does not fit the sentence structure. Choice D 'are meeting' is incorrect as 'are' is not the correct auxiliary verb to pair with 'subcommittee'.