Nursing Elites

1. Which sentence uses the correlative conjunction 'either/or' correctly?

• A. You can either come to the party or stay home.
• B. Either she will go to the concert, or he will.
• C. I'm not sure whether I should go swimming or running.
• D. He likes both pizza and pasta, so he can have either.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: Option A uses the correlative conjunction 'either/or' correctly by presenting two exclusive options. The structure 'either...or' is used to show a choice between two alternatives, and in this sentence, it clearly presents the options of coming to the party or staying home. Choice B incorrectly separates the options with a comma after 'either,' disrupting the correlative conjunction pair. Choice C uses 'whether' instead of 'either/or,' which changes the meaning and structure. Choice D uses 'either' incorrectly, as it should be followed by 'or' to form the correlative pair.

2. The shear number of people in the audience overwhelmed the actress as she peeked through the curtain before scene one. Which of the following correctly describes an error in the sentence above?

• A. The homograph 'peeked' should be 'peaked.'
• B. The homograph 'through' should be 'threw.'
• C. The homophone 'shear' should be 'sheer.'
• D. The homophone 'scene' should be 'seen.'

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The word 'shear' means to cut, while 'sheer' in this context means 'complete' or 'unqualified.' The correct spelling in the sentence should be 'sheer.' Choice A, 'peeked' is the correct past tense of 'peek,' meaning to glance quickly or briefly. Choice B, 'through' is the correct preposition to indicate moving in one side and out the other. Choice D, 'scene,' is the correct term for a part of a play or movie, not 'seen,' which is the past participle of 'see.'

3. Which of the following options is correctly punctuated?

• A. The runaway truck, which had been parked on a steep hill, swerved and teetered before jumping a curb and slamming into a tree.
• B. The runaway truck which had been parked on a steep hill swerved and teetered before jumping a curb and slamming into a tree.
• C. The runaway truck, which had been parked on a steep hill, swerved and teetered before jumping a curb and slamming into a tree.
• D. The runaway truck which had been parked on a steep hill, swerved and teetered before jumping a curb and slamming into a tree.

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A. The sentence correctly uses commas to set off the non-essential clause 'which had been parked on a steep hill.' The use of commas before and after the clause helps to distinguish it as additional information that could be omitted without changing the essential meaning of the sentence. Choices B, C, and D lack appropriate punctuation to set off the non-essential clause, making them incorrect. In these options, the absence of commas or the placement of commas incorrectly within the sentence affects the clarity and structure of the sentence, violating punctuation rules for non-essential clauses.

4. Which sentence avoids a comma splice?

• A. The wind howled, the branches swayed, and rain lashed against the windows.
• B. He packed his bags, checked the weather forecast, and then hit the road.
• C. The movie was entertaining; it was also thought-provoking.
• D. Tired and hungry, she stopped for a quick bite at the cafe.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Option C uses a semicolon to correctly separate the two independent clauses 'The movie was entertaining' and 'it was also thought-provoking.' This usage of a semicolon avoids a comma splice, which occurs when two independent clauses are incorrectly joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction or appropriate punctuation. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they all contain comma splices. In choice A, the comma splice is present between 'The wind howled' and 'the branches swayed.' In choice B, the comma splice occurs between 'He packed his bags' and 'checked the weather forecast.' Choice D has a comma splice between 'Tired and hungry' and 'she stopped for a quick bite at the cafe.'

5. Which of the following suffixes would change the verb 'manage' into an adjective?

• A. -ed
• B. -ible
• C. -able
• D. -er

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct suffix to change the verb 'manage' into an adjective is '-able.' When added to 'manage,' it forms the adjective 'manageable,' which means capable of being managed. Choice A ('-ed') is a past participle suffix, not an adjective-forming suffix. Choice B ('-ible') is used to form adjectives meaning 'capable of' but is not the correct choice in this context. Choice D ('-er') is typically used to form agent nouns rather than adjectives.

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