Passage
(1) When I moved to New York City ten months ago to go to college, it was mainly my lack of self-confidence that made it hard to adjust to my new surroundings. (2) I'm a country kid from rural Texas. (3) 1 grew up on a ranch on the prairie. (4) I was used to wide-open spaces and peace and quiet, and most of my friends were of Mexican descent like me. (5) Fortunately, I've come to enjoy living in the city, but for a long time I felt overwhelmed and out of place.
(6) Early on for example my anxiety about getting lost was so bad that I was even scared to go for a walk or to take a bus or the subway. (7) I feared that I might have to ask a stranger for directions and that that person might not speak one of the languages I do. (8) My irrational fears went on and on.
(9) That's why I was relieved when, after many hours of reflection, I finally realized that it was my attitude and not the city that were making me miserable. (10) i adopted a new outlook and began to develop friendships and explore the city with my new companions. (11) Together we've attended many of the local festivals that are held from time to time to celebrate a holiday, a historic event, or a culture. (12) I've enjoyed the diversity here, and wanting to learn as much as I can about the different sorts of people who live here. (13) It has also been great to meet so many other people who are bilingual in Spanish and English.
(14) Being able to meet others who speak Spanish has definitely helped me. (15) Actually, there's not much about living here that intimidates me anymore, and I've even gotten used to the noise. (16) The city never sleeps, as they say, and day or night there are always hundreds of people out and about on the streets. (17) Now I wonder whether I'll be able to fall asleep when I go back to Texas, where the only noise I'll hear at night is lowing of the cattle.
In context, which choice best replaces the underlined portion in sentence 14 (reproduced below)? Being able to meet others who speak Spanish has definitely helped me
- A. made the city feel more like home
- B. given me the chance to practice.
- C. made the city sort of tolerable.
- D. been a nice surprise.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A effectively conveys that meeting Spanish speakers contributes positively to the speaker's sense of belonging in the city, enhancing their overall experience. This aligns with the context of feeling at home. Option B, while relevant, shifts focus to practicing the language rather than the emotional impact of community. Option C undermines the positive sentiment by suggesting the city is merely "tolerable," which diminishes the overall message. Option D, although it introduces a positive element, lacks the depth of connection implied by feeling at home, making it less suitable in this context.
Option A effectively conveys that meeting Spanish speakers contributes positively to the speaker's sense of belonging in the city, enhancing their overall experience. This aligns with the context of feeling at home. Option B, while relevant, shifts focus to practicing the language rather than the emotional impact of community. Option C undermines the positive sentiment by suggesting the city is merely "tolerable," which diminishes the overall message. Option D, although it introduces a positive element, lacks the depth of connection implied by feeling at home, making it less suitable in this context.
Other Related Questions
In context, which of the following sentences would best be inserted between sentences 9 and 10 (reproduced below)?
They say we could save a great deal of energy by addressing the problem of food waste. The "sell by" dates on foods are typically very conservative and result in people throwing away perfectly edible items.
- A. Better labeling might help
- B. Many people regularly buy more food than they need.
- C. Certain types of produce spoil more quickly than others.
- D. Canned foods last much longer than fresh items
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A effectively connects the idea of food waste with the potential solution of better labeling. Improved labeling can help consumers understand the actual freshness of products, reducing unnecessary waste. Option B, while relevant to food consumption, does not directly address the issue of food waste or how to mitigate it. Option C focuses on spoilage rates of produce, which, although informative, does not provide a solution to the waste problem. Option D compares canned and fresh foods but fails to connect to the overarching theme of improving food labeling to reduce waste.
Option A effectively connects the idea of food waste with the potential solution of better labeling. Improved labeling can help consumers understand the actual freshness of products, reducing unnecessary waste. Option B, while relevant to food consumption, does not directly address the issue of food waste or how to mitigate it. Option C focuses on spoilage rates of produce, which, although informative, does not provide a solution to the waste problem. Option D compares canned and fresh foods but fails to connect to the overarching theme of improving food labeling to reduce waste.
Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 12 (reproduced below)?
I've enjoyed the diversity here, and wanting to learn as much as I can about the different sorts of people who live here.
- A. (as it is now)
- B. here and had been wanting
- C. here and I also wanted
- D. here, and I want
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Option C improves clarity and grammatical structure by maintaining parallelism in the sentence. The phrase "I also wanted" aligns with "I've enjoyed," creating a balanced structure that clearly expresses both enjoyment and desire. Option A retains the original phrasing, which is awkward and lacks parallelism. Option B introduces a tense inconsistency with "had been wanting," which disrupts the flow and clarity of the sentence. Option D, while clearer than A, uses "I want," which shifts the meaning to the present instead of reflecting a past desire, making it less appropriate in context.
Option C improves clarity and grammatical structure by maintaining parallelism in the sentence. The phrase "I also wanted" aligns with "I've enjoyed," creating a balanced structure that clearly expresses both enjoyment and desire. Option A retains the original phrasing, which is awkward and lacks parallelism. Option B introduces a tense inconsistency with "had been wanting," which disrupts the flow and clarity of the sentence. Option D, while clearer than A, uses "I want," which shifts the meaning to the present instead of reflecting a past desire, making it less appropriate in context.
The best placement for sentence 12 within the third paragraph would be
- A. where it is now
- B. before sentence 11
- C. after sentence 13
- D. after sentence 14
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Placing sentence 12 after sentence 13 allows for a logical flow of ideas, as it builds on the information presented in the preceding sentences, enhancing coherence. This positioning ensures that the reader receives a complete thought before transitioning to the next point. Option A retains the sentence in its current position, which disrupts the paragraph's flow. Option B places it too early, causing a disconnect with the context of sentence 11. Option D positions it too late, potentially losing the reader's engagement with the preceding content. Thus, option C optimally maintains the paragraph's structure and clarity.
Placing sentence 12 after sentence 13 allows for a logical flow of ideas, as it builds on the information presented in the preceding sentences, enhancing coherence. This positioning ensures that the reader receives a complete thought before transitioning to the next point. Option A retains the sentence in its current position, which disrupts the paragraph's flow. Option B places it too early, causing a disconnect with the context of sentence 11. Option D positions it too late, potentially losing the reader's engagement with the preceding content. Thus, option C optimally maintains the paragraph's structure and clarity.
Which change is needed in the fourth paragraph?
- A. In sentence 15, change 'immanent' to 'eminent'
- B. In sentence 15, change 'dual' to 'duel'
- C. In sentence 16, change 'inspire' to 'aspire'
- D. In sentence 17, change 'proceeded' to 'preceded'
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A is necessary because "immanent" refers to something inherent or existing within, while "eminent" means distinguished or prominent, which fits the context of the paragraph. Option B is incorrect since "dual" refers to two parts, whereas "duel" signifies a contest between two individuals, which does not align with the intended meaning. Option C is not suitable because "inspire" means to motivate, while "aspire" means to aim for something. The original term correctly conveys the intended message. Option D is also wrong; "proceeded" indicates moving forward, while "preceded" means to come before, which is the intended meaning in this context.
Option A is necessary because "immanent" refers to something inherent or existing within, while "eminent" means distinguished or prominent, which fits the context of the paragraph. Option B is incorrect since "dual" refers to two parts, whereas "duel" signifies a contest between two individuals, which does not align with the intended meaning. Option C is not suitable because "inspire" means to motivate, while "aspire" means to aim for something. The original term correctly conveys the intended message. Option D is also wrong; "proceeded" indicates moving forward, while "preceded" means to come before, which is the intended meaning in this context.