English and Language Usage TEAS

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The word 'silently' in the sentence functions as an adverb modifying the verb 'laughed'. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing information on how, when, where, or to what extent an action is done. In this case, 'silently' describes how the villain laughed. The other choices are incorrect because 'silently' is not a preposition (A), as it doesn't show a relationship between words, not a verb (C) because it doesn't express an action, and not an adjective (D) because it doesn't describe a noun.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because the title "Where the Red Fern Grows" is properly enclosed in double quotation marks. Titles of books, movies, poems, and other standalone works are typically enclosed in quotation marks. In this case, the title is correctly punctuated with quotation marks at the beginning and end. Choice B is incorrect because the titles of movies like "The Great Gatsby" and "Titanic" should be italicized or underlined, not enclosed in quotation marks. Choice C is incorrect because the title of the poem "Daddy" should be enclosed in quotation marks, not followed by a comma. Choice D is incorrect because the publication name "The New York Times" should be italicized or underlined, not enclosed in quotation marks.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Lacking elegance. In the context of the sentence, 'graceless' describes Janine's behavior as awkward and lacking in elegance. This is evident from the fact that she was nervous and her actions on stage were clumsy. Choices A, B, and D do not accurately capture the meaning of 'graceless' in this context. Option A, "Against fear," is not relevant to the description of Janine's behavior. Option B, "Without religion," is unrelated to the context of the sentence. Option D, "Full of caution," does not align with the idea of Janine's lack of grace and elegance.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because it follows the standard date format of day, month, year with a comma after the day and after the year. This format is commonly accepted in English writing. Choice B is incorrect as it has a comma after the day and month, which is not standard. Choice C is incorrect because it has a comma after the day and month, which is not standard. Choice D is incorrect because it has a comma after the day and month, which is not standard.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because it consists of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction ("and then"). This structure meets the criteria for a compound sentence, where two independent clauses are connected to create a complete thought. The other choices do not meet this criteria. A is a simple sentence with a compound predicate, B is a complex sentence with a dependent clause, and D is a complex sentence with a compound predicate.