which of the following best defines the word circumvent

ATI TEAS 7

ATI TEAS English Practice Test

1. Which of the following best defines the word circumvent?

A. To go around
B. To go under
C. To come near
D. To come through

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: 'To go around.' Circumvent means to find a way around an obstacle or to avoid something by cleverness or deception. Choice B, 'To go under,' is incorrect as circumvent does not involve going under something. Choice C, 'To come near,' is incorrect as circumvent does not mean to approach or get close to something. Choice D, 'To come through,' is incorrect as circumvent does not involve passing through something.

2. Choose the sentence that most effectively follows the conventions of standard written English:

A. Wilbur and Orville Wright were two brothers who tested their prototype airplane on a beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
B. The two brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, tested their prototype airplane on a beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
C. The two brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, were testing their prototype airplane on a beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
D. The beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina was where the two brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, came to test their prototype airplane.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B. This sentence effectively follows the conventions of standard written English by clearly presenting the subject ('The two brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright') and the verb ('tested') with appropriate punctuation. Choice A introduces an unnecessary comma and could be more concise. Choice C changes the tense of the verb to 'were testing,' which is not required for the context provided. Choice D creates a more awkward sentence structure by placing the location at the beginning and using 'came and tested,' which is less direct than 'tested'. Thus, Choice B is the most effective and grammatically correct option.

3. Why is it not recommended to edit while writing your first draft?

A. It is considered prewriting.
B. It wastes effort.
C. It clouds judgment.
D. It changes the organization.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 'It wastes effort.' Editing while writing the first draft can be counterproductive as it interrupts the flow of ideas and slows down the writing process. Instead of focusing on perfecting each sentence or paragraph, it is more beneficial to get all ideas down first during the initial drafting phase. Choice A is incorrect as editing is not part of the prewriting stage. Choice C is incorrect because editing may affect the quality of judgment but is not the primary reason to avoid it during the first draft. Choice D is incorrect because changes in organization can be made during the revision stage, not necessarily while writing the initial draft.

4. Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?

A. I enjoy reading, watching movies, and spending time with friends.
B. Reading, watching movies, and spending time with friends are all activities I enjoy.
C. I like to read, watch movies, and spend time with friends.
D. Reading, movies, and friends are all things I enjoy.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Parallel structure means using the same grammatical form for elements in a list. Option (B) uses parallel gerunds ('reading,' 'watching,' 'spending'), making it the correct choice. The other options have inconsistencies in the form of the listed activities, making them grammatically incorrect. Option (A) starts with 'I enjoy' but then switches to '-ing' verbs. Option (C) changes from 'like' to '-ing' verbs, breaking parallelism. Option (D) lists 'reading' correctly but then switches to singular nouns ('movies,' 'friends'), which is not parallel.

5. Which example shows correct comma usage for dates?

A. The due date for the final paper in the course is Monday, May 16.
B. Tuesday, March 10, 2021 was when the meeting took place.
C. We will meet on Friday, March 11, 2022.
D. We met on Monday, December 11, 2020.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because it uses a comma to separate the day of the week from the date, as well as a comma after the month when the date is included in a sentence. In choice B, there should be commas after both the day of the week and the date. Choice C correctly uses commas after the day of the week and the date. Choice D incorrectly places the comma before the date instead of after the month.