Nursing Elites

1. The day was cold and wet. Jesse was worried that he would not beat his best time. Jesse had trained for the marathon for 6 months. Which of the following options uses correct grammar to combine the sentences for clarity?

• A. The day was cold and wet, and Jesse was worried that he would not beat his best time. Jesse had trained for the marathon for 6 months.
• B. Jesse was worried that he would not beat his best time because the day was cold and wet, and he had trained for the marathon for 6 months.
• C. Because Jesse had trained for the marathon for 6 months, he was worried that he would not beat his best time. The day was cold and wet.
• D. Jesse had trained for the marathon for 6 months, but because the day was cold and wet, Jesse was worried that he would not beat his best time.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Sentence D is the correct choice as it combines the sentences logically and clearly, showing cause and effect. It effectively connects the reason for Jesse's worry (the cold and wet day) with his training for the marathon. Choice A lacks a conjunction before 'Jesse was worried,' making it less clear. Choice B changes the sequence of events and weakens the cause-effect relationship. Choice C incorrectly places the reason for worry after the effect, leading to confusion in the sentence structure.

2. Which of the following punctuation marks is used incorrectly in the sentence? "Otto, somewhat abruptly, got up out of his chair, and just like that, headed into the next room."

• A. The comma after "somewhat"
• B. The comma after "Otto"
• C. The semicolon after "that"
• D. The comma after "chair"

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The semicolon after "that" is used incorrectly; a comma should be used instead. Semicolons are typically used to join two independent clauses without a conjunction. In this sentence, the phrase "just like that" is not an independent clause, so a comma is more appropriate for separating it from the rest of the sentence. Choices A, B, and D all use commas correctly within the sentence.

3. Which of the following choices shows the best chronological order for the sentences within the paragraph?

• A. IV, II, I, III
• B. III, IV, II, I
• C. I, II, III, IV
• D. III, I, IV, II

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct chronological order for the sentences within a paragraph should follow the sequence of events logically. In this case, 'I, II, III, IV' is the correct order. Sentence I usually sets the stage or introduces the main idea, followed by sentence II, which provides additional information. Sentence III usually presents the climax or a turning point, leading to sentence IV, which wraps up the paragraph. Choice C, 'I, II, III, IV,' maintains this logical progression, making it the best chronological order. Choices A, B, and D do not follow a coherent chronological sequence and disrupt the flow of events within the paragraph.

4. Which sentence uses correct punctuation?

• A. I cooked so I could eat dinner.
• B. I cooked so, I could eat dinner.
• C. I cooked so I, could eat dinner.
• D. I cooked, so I could eat dinner.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is sentence D: 'I cooked, so I could eat dinner.' This sentence uses a comma correctly to separate two independent clauses, 'I cooked,' and 'so I could eat dinner.' Choice A is incorrect as it lacks punctuation to separate the clauses properly. Choice B incorrectly uses a comma after 'so,' disrupting the flow of the sentence. Choice C incorrectly places a comma after 'I,' which is not needed in this context.

5. She is a fierce competitor, and nothing is going to keep her from running that marathon despite a hamstring injury. Which of the following describes the grammar problem in the sentence above?

• A. Poor diction
• B. Ambiguous word choice
• C. Tense disagreement
• D. Inappropriate transition word choice

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, tense disagreement. The sentence contains a tense disagreement between 'was' and 'is.' 'She is a fierce competitor' and 'nothing is going to keep her' are in the present tense, while 'was going to keep her' should also be in the present tense to maintain consistency. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the issue in the sentence is related to verb tense, not diction, word choice, or transition words.

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