Nursing Elites

1. At last night’s company function, in honor of Mr. Robertson’s retirement, several employees spoke kindly about his career achievements. In the preceding sentence, what part of speech is the word function?

• A. Adjective
• B. Adverb
• C. Verb
• D. Noun

Correct answer: D

Rationale: In the sentence provided, the word 'function' is used as a noun to refer to an event or gathering. Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas, and in this case, 'function' is a thing (an event), so it functions as a noun. Adjectives describe nouns, adverbs modify verbs, and verbs express actions or states, none of which apply to the word 'function' in the sentence. Therefore, the correct answer is 'D: Noun.' Choices 'A: Adjective,' 'B: Adverb,' and 'C: Verb' are incorrect because 'function' in this context isn't being used to describe, modify, or express an action; it is naming an event.

2. What is the meaning of the idiom 'to bite off more than one can chew'?

• A. To be overly confident
• B. To take on more than one can handle
• C. To be easily discouraged
• D. To be meticulous in planning

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'To bite off more than one can chew' means to take on more than one can handle or to undertake a task exceeding one's capabilities. This idiom warns against overcommitting oneself and facing difficulties in managing the workload effectively. Choice A, 'To be overly confident,' is incorrect as the idiom implies a situation of overestimating one's capacity rather than confidence. Choice C, 'To be easily discouraged,' is not related to the idiom's meaning, which focuses on task difficulty rather than emotional response. Choice D, 'To be meticulous in planning,' is not accurate as the idiom refers to the execution of tasks rather than the planning phase.

3. First and foremost, they receive an annual pension payment. T has been reviewed and changed a number of times, most recently to reflect the salary of a high-level government executive. Which of the following would NOT be an acceptable way to revise and combine the underlined portion of the sentences above?

• A. annual pension payment, the amount of which
• B. annual pension payment; the amount of the pension
• C. annual pension payment; over the years since 1958, the amount of the pension
• D. annual pension payment, the amount of the pension.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Option C is the correct answer because it disrupts the flow of the sentence and introduces unnecessary information. The phrase 'over the years since 1958' is irrelevant in this context and does not contribute to the intended meaning of the sentence. The sentence is focused on the recent changes to the pension, not its historical evolution. Choices A, B, and D provide clear and concise ways to revise and combine the underlined portion of the sentences, maintaining a logical and relevant sentence structure.

4. It's really time for me to leave, and yet there are still so many things I'd like to do; next year I think I'll spend an extra week. Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence above?

• A. The comma after the word 'think'
• B. The semicolon after the word 'do'
• C. The period at the end of the sentence
• D. The comma after 'and yet'

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The comma after 'think' is unnecessary and incorrect. It should be removed to correct the sentence. The semicolon after 'do' is correct as it separates two independent clauses. The period at the end of the sentence is necessary to indicate the end of the sentence. The comma after 'and yet' is correctly used to separate two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

5. Which of the following sentences contains a homograph?

• A. Suddenly he tore up the drawing that had taken him weeks to create.
• B. The short ceremony was dreadful in the rain.
• C. He imagined what he might do in a similar situation.
• D. Raised beds produce more vegetables than those grown directly in soil.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. 'Raised' is a homograph, as it can mean both 'lifted' and 'cultivated.' In this context, 'raised' refers to beds that are lifted above the ground, as well as beds that are cultivated for growing vegetables. Choices A, B, and C do not contain homographs. In choice A, 'tore' is a homograph (past tense of 'tear' as in ripping or crying), but the question specifically asks for a homograph sentence, not a single word.

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