English Language

Multiple Choice Practice

Sentence Completion

Direction: Each of the following sentences has EITHER one OR two words missing. Choose
from the four suggested answers the word or pair of words which BEST completes the
meaning of the sentence.

1. While the members of Parliament______________ insults across the floor, the Speaker of the
House tried in vain to_____________ order.

a. spoke… impose

b. made… conserve

c. gave…maintain

d. hurled…restore

2. We should avoid the use of _______ ink at an examination, in case we need to make
_____________ in our answers.

a. illegible…corrections

b. indelible… alterations

c. infallible… amendments

d. washable…repairs

3. George was __________ of stealing the book but there was no _________ that he had done
the act.

a. convinced … clue

b. accused…certainty

c. blamed… proof

d. charged… witness

4. The movie star was ___________ in her spending and soon he had no money left.

a. expensive

b. luxurious

c. extravagant

d. thrifty

5. Babies should not be allowed to come in contact with people suffering from__________
disease.

a. epidemic

b. communicable

c. fatal

d. serious
Items 6 – 10

Antonyms

Direction: Each sentence in this section has ONE underlined word. Choose from the four
suggested answers the word which is nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined
word.

6. The staff at the Banana Board has been working hard to revive an ailing industry.

a. sickly

b. dying

c. thriving

d. emerging

7. After descending the mountain, the hikers showed signs of fatigue.

a. surprise

b. exhaustion

c. energy

d. dehydration

8. She seems to be sensitive to the feeling of others

a. unaffected by

b. interested in

c. unaware of

d. unsure about.

9. After leaving the hospital, the old lady had a hazy memory of the accident.

a. disparaging

b. disturbing

c. dim

d. clear

10. The hungry man ate sparingly during his lunch break but his dinner was quite lavish.

a. skimpy

b. abundant

c. necessary

d. festive
Items 11 – 13

Error Recognition

Directions: Some of the following sentences are unacceptable because of inappropriate grammar,
idiom or vocabulary. Some sentences are acceptable as they stand. No sentence contains more
than one inappropriate element.

Choose the one underlined part of the sentence that you feel is inappropriate by selecting the
appropriate letter. If the sentence is acceptable as it stands, choose D.

11. Neither the officer in charge nor his subordinates was here to see the debacle that took place
during the gas riots.

a. Neither

b. subordinates

c. was

d. No error

12. A large number of people was waiting to surprise the eloping couple at their secret hide-a-
way.

a. large

b. was

c. eloping

d. No error

13. Although Junior’s pair of trousers was torn by the prickly thorns, Davin’s cotton trousers was
not so lucky.

a. was

b. Davin's

c. was

d. No error

Equivalent Sentences

Directions: Choose the sentence which means the same or mostly the same as the original.

14. In the unfortunate event that a category five hurricane should directly hit our island, such
devastating infrastructural damage may result, as to cause our civilization, as it exists now, to
end.

a. Another hurricane will hit our island and totally destroy our civilization

b. When another hurricane hits our island there will be such devastating infrastructural damage
that our civilization will cease to exist.

c. Civilization will end on our island because another category five hurricane is approaching.

d. Should a category five hurricane directly affect our island, great infrastructural damage may
result, ending our present civilization.
Items 15 – 20

Construction Shift

Directions: Revise each of the following sentences according to the directions that follow it.
Do not change the meaning of the original sentence. Look at the choices A to D for the
correct word or phrase that should be included in your revised sentences and select the
correct letter.

15. If Carl had been diligent in his studies he would have been awarded a scholarship.

Begin with “Carl was not awarded a scholarship”

a. although he had studied with diligence

b. despite studying assiduously

c. because he had studied assiduously

d. because he had failed to study diligently

16. Flipping the omelet over, the jovial chef looked playfully at the bewildered customer.

Begin with “The jovial chef”

a. is flipping the omelet

b. flips the omelet

c. while flipping the omelet

d. flip the omelet

17. If Carl had been diligent in his studies he would have been awarded a scholarship.

Begin with “Carl was not awarded a scholarship”

a. although he had studied with diligence

b. despite studying assiduously

c. because he had studied assiduously

d. because he had failed to study diligently

18. The security personnel said they knew nothing about the contraband discovered on the
aircraft.

Substitute “said’ for “denied”

a. denied knowing anything

b. denied knowing nothing

c. denied the discovery

d. denied that they know

19. Diana said that she ate the dinner but did not enjoy it.

Insert “even though “before “she’

a. but she did not enjoy

b. she did not enjoy

c. she enjoys it

d. but she enjoy it

20. “The last time we went to the beach was last summer” complained the children.

Begin with “The children complained that the last time that

a. we went

b. them had been

c. us had been

d. they went

Items #s21 - 28

Directions: Read the following passage then choose the best answer or the questions
following.

Burton’s heart beat like a wasp in a jar as the dentist moved across the room, did unseeable
things by the sink, and returned with a full hypodermic. A drop of fluid, by some miracle of
adhesion, clung trembling to the needle’s tip. Burton opened his mouth while the dentist’s back
was turned. When at last the man pivoted, his instrument tilting up, a tension beneath his
mustache indicated surprise and perhaps amusement at finding things in such readiness. “Open a
little wider, please”, he said. “Thank you.” The needle moved closer. It was under Burton’s nose
and out of focus. “Now, this might hurt a little. ”What a kind thing to say! The sharp prick and
the consequent slow, filling ache drove Burton’s eyes up, and he saw the tops of the bare willow
trees, the frightened white sky, and the black birds. “Destiny and Doubt” by John Updike in The
Same Door, 1959.

21. Which of the following words best describe the mood in the first three lines of the passage?

a. melancholy

b. pensive

c. apprehensive

d. reflective

22. The word ‘pivoted’ means

a. to come closer

b. to stoop

c. to turn on one’s heel

d. to squirt liquid from

23. According to the passage, the dentist moved across the room to

a. let the wasp out of the jar

b. to see what was in the sink

c. to get a syringe

d. to get an adhesive.
24. Why do you think Burton opened his mouth?

a. he was in a state of shock

b. he was frightened

c. he was about to address the dentist

d. he was preparing for a tooth extraction.

25. Which of the following words best describe the attitude of the dentist towards Burton in lines
7 and 8?

a. tense

b. suspicious

c. amused

d. elated

26. What technique does the writer use in the following line ‘What a kind thing to say!’

a. exaggeration

b. hyperbole

c. oxymoron

d. irony

27. The style of writing in this passage can best be described as

a. persuasive

b. argumentative

c. narrative

d. expository

28. The pervading mood in the concluding sentence of the passage is one of

a. tranquility

b. distrust

c. fear

d. discouragement

Items 29 – 38

Directions: Read the following advertisement carefully and then answer items 29-38 on the basis
of what is stated or implied.

Tired of spots and pimples? Need a smooth, clean, clear complexion? Try Pimple Free every
night and morning to get the most out of your skin. Pimple Free makes you everything you want
to be. More beautiful. More attractive More radiant, more everything! Two daily applications of
Pimple Free do wonders for your face. Guarantee to work on spots and blemishes caused by
acne. Don’t hide in the dark anymore… Try Pimple Free today and have heads turning your
way! Doctor recommended. Available at all leading drug stores island wide.
29. According to the advertisement, what is the major benefit of using ‘Pimple Free’?

a. It makes you popular

b. It gives you smooth, clean skin

c. It causes people to look at you.

30. What persuasive device is used in the following sentence?

‘Tired of spots and pimples?’ (line 1)

a. repetition

b. reliable source

c. rhetorical question

31. What group of people is being targeted in the advertisement?

a. people who have spots and bumps

b. those who are interested in beauty and fashion

c. only teenagers

32. The claim that Pimple Free gets rid of bumps and spots

a. is not backed up with any evidence

b. is obviously a true claim to make

c. is made because it is the best product.

33. What literary device is used in the following line?

‘need a smooth, clean, clear complexion?’ (line 1)

a. metaphor

b. simile

c. alliteration

34. The name Pimple Free is repeated because

a. the law requires a name of a product to be repeated

b. it has an attractive sound and gives enjoyment

c. repetition reinforces the appeal being made.

35. The purpose of the advertisement is

a. to encourage girls with acne to come out of the dark

b. to prove that the product is well recommended

c. to persuade people to use Pimple Free to get rid of spots and blemishes.

36. Which of the following statement is a fact?

a. Pimple Free makes you everything you want to be

b. Pimple Free does wonders for your face

c. Pimple Free is available at all leading drug stores island-wide.

37. The expression, ‘doctor recommended’ is an example of the persuasive technique

a. emotional appeal

b. analogy

c. authority

38. ‘have heads turning your way !’ (line 12) means

a. you will be noticed by others

b. you will be observed

c. you will be able to look at others confidently.

Items #39 – 47

Directions: Read the passage then answer ALL questions. Circle the correct answers on the
answer sheet provided.

Cleaning up our Acts!

Take a walk into some classrooms some evenings. You will be amazed at the amount of trash left
behind by students who are members of the class. A clean-up program that involves close
monitoring of the classroom, serious penalties for littering, and volunteer work by students
would reduce the amount of garbage left in the classroom.

We can assume that most students are from neat orderly homes and so, they try to keep their
classroom clean too. On the other hand, there are students who do not embrace cleanliness. They
stuff lunch boxes under desks, throw their refuse on the ground, and are too lazy to deposit their
trash in the available garbage cans. They need to clean up their act!

The principal should station monitors in strategic areas on the school campus to stop litter bugs
from littering. These monitors should have the power to demand that students pick up and throw
their garbage in the bins provided. They should wear badges on their clothing so that they can be
recognized.

Students should be fined for littering. People think twice about littering when they know that
they will have to pay a lot of money if they get caught. In some schools, fines for littering range
from $20 to $100.

Students should be encouraged to clean up their act. This would help to make our school a better
place to learn. It would also encourage other people not to litter so that their fellow classmates
would not have to clean up after them.

With so many people cleaning up, fewer would be likely to litter. Teachers would not waste
precious time overseeing the cleaning of classrooms during class time. Our classrooms would
once again be a beautiful place in which to learn.

It is time to clean up our act!

39. The passage addresses the issue of

a. the importance of monitors in ensuring a clean environment.

b. people who habitually litter their environment.

c. making our environment a beautiful place in which to learn.

d. the improper disposal of garbage in some classrooms.

40. In the passage the word involves means

a. includes

b. confuses

c. leaves out

d. along with

41. According to the passage, which of the following is a fact?

a. All students from neat, orderly homes keep their classrooms clean.

b. In some schools, fines for littering range from $20-$100.

c. Lazy students are the ones who litter classrooms.

d. You would be amazed by the amount of litter left in classrooms.

42. When the writer looks at classrooms in the evenings, he/she probably feels

a. proud

b. hopeless

c. upset

d. cheerful

43. According to the passage, how would monitors help stop littering?

a. They would wear badges.

b. They would volunteer to pick up trash in and around classrooms

c. They would instruct litterbugs to dispose of their refuse properly.

d. They would have the power to report untidy students.

44. You can tell from the passage that the word ‘monitors’ means(line 9)

a. a security device system

b. a student chosen to watch or check up on an event

c. a computer receiver

d. a TV or radio.

45. From the passage, we learn that ‘cleaning up our acts’ entails

a. the proper disposal of our garbage

b. better behaviour in our classrooms

c. apologizing for our bad acts

d. cleaning up after spilling liquid on the floor

46. Another word from the passage that could be used instead of garbage is

a. litterbug

b. refuse
c. stuff

d. deposit

47. The writer’s main purpose for writing this passage is to

a. express disgust for untidy classrooms.

b. give suggestions on how to get rid of garbage in classrooms

c. show sympathy for teachers who teach in untidy classrooms

d. persuade students and teachers to keep their community and classrooms clean.

Items #48 – 55

Directions: Read the following poem carefully and then answer items #48 – #55 on the basis
of what is stated or implied.

Sunrise?

The dark horizon became golden

Soon the watery grey sky was molten

Like a volcano erupting

It raised its head without warning

Yes! Yes! The day is awake!

Yes! Yes! It’s natural - not a fake!

Like a volcano erupting

It raised its head without warning

Now I can see Nature’s true beauty

To protect her is my duty

The blanket of darkness no longer covers the distant city

Please stop polluting;

For – Mister Pollution -

Like a volcano erupting

Can raise his head without warning

By Lanceford Grant

48. “Now I can see Nature’s true beauty

To protect her is my duty” is an example of:

a. personification

b. pun

c. metaphor

d. imagery
49. Which of the following best expresses what literally happens in the poem?

a. A volcano is erupting and destroying nature

b. An erupting volcano is illuminating nature’s beauty

c. The sun is rising and illuminating the earth and sky

d. Someone is awakening and from sleep

50. What is the main purpose for the exclamation marks in the second stanza?

a. To emphasize the fear and apprehension felt by the poet.

b. To highlight the appreciation felt by the poet for the effect of the sunrise

c. To emphasize the warning being sent by the speaker to listeners

d. To highlight the tone of desperation felt by the speaker

51. The expression “The dark horizon became golden ” is an example of

a. hyperbole

b. metaphor

c. euphemism

d. personification

52. “his “as used in the last line of the poem refers to:

a. The volcano

b. The poet who is awakening

c. pollution

d. The sun

Items #53 – 60

Directions: Read the following extract carefully and then answer items 53 – 60 on the basis of
what is stated or implied.

My husband and I were about a year into wedded bliss, when we were made an offer we couldn’t
refuse. There was a delicatessen whose owner was anxious to sell. He was moving to another
state. We could have the store at payments we could afford. We accepted. There was an
apartment behind and connected to it which was included in the deal. We had no idea what the
neighbourhood was like, but with youthful energy and optimism, we moved in.

The first week was tragic. As the days passed and the end of the month approached, we realized
that if things continued as they were, we would not only be unable to make the payments, but
would probably have to close the doors. In the midst of this anxiety was the surly attitude of the
customers. One lady in particular seemed to relish my discomfort and attempts of self-control
while she, on each of her sorties into the establishment, accused us, now of underweighting the
cold cuts and salads, or then, of miscounting her change. For weeks I remained courteous and
patient before her onslaught. I did not want to alienate the few customers that we had.

Then suddenly, we began to see new faces. Our business started a definite upward swing. Even
our first customers seemed more pleasant. All, that is, except HER.
The day came when I felt I could no longer tolerate her attacks, and still smiling, I suggested that
since we did not seem to be able to satisfy her, that it might be a good idea if she went elsewhere.
She burst out laughing and in her thick Irish brogue, proclaimed to the other customers who were
there at the time, that at last she had made me show some ‘backbone’. Then she turned to me and
said, ‘I wondered how long you’d be taking it. ’ An Irish neighbourhood. I stood there in
complete awe, as the other customers assured me that they had, at first, abandoned the store
when they heard that “spics were buying,” but that, thanks to Madeline Hannon, for that was our
tormentor’s name, they had, one by one, come back.

Adapted from Mary Lou Conlin, Patterns Plus

53. The ‘offer’ could not have been refused because

a. the neighbourhood was perfect for that kind of business

b. the previous owner was moving to another area.

c. the business was situated at an ideal location.

d. the payments for the deal were reasonable.

54. The statement ‘The first week was tragic’ indicates that

a. the customers displayed a poor attitude towards the new owners

b. the new owners were too anxious to achieve success

c. the new owners had very few customers

d. the new owners thought of closing down the business

55. The business began to thrive because

a. the new owners demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity

b. the new owners ignored and alienated their customers

c. the new owners refused to exercise patience in their operation

d. the new owners developed different management strategies

56. The meaning of ‘relish’ in paragraph 2 is

a. appreciate

b. realize

c. delight in

d. object to

57. Madeline Hannon’s reaction to the owners’ pronouncement in paragraph 3 reveals that

a. she misunderstood what the owner was saying

b. she was ridiculing the owners as a means of intimidating them

c. she thought the owner was joking and would soon change her mind

d. her behaviour was a plot to test the tenacity of the new owners.
58. From the passage we can conclude that Madeline Hannon was

a. wicked and evil

b. tactful and wise

c. witty and villainous

d. revengeful and hateful

59. Madeline’s description of the couple’s patience as ‘intestinal fortitude’ suggests that

a. strangers are not readily welcomed into Irish neighbourhoods

b. the strangers are brave and have strong intestines

c. the new owners would face danger in their new venture

d. the wise couple fortified themselves with solid intestines

60. The couple was grateful to Madeline Hannon because

a. she was the reason they has almost closed their business

b. she had helped to make their business prospects favourable.

c. she had caused some customers to abandon the business

d. she had spent a great deal of time soliciting new customers for them