2020 Practice Exam 3 MCQ

B In sentence 2, changing "have undoubtedly uncovered the" to "may have uncovered a"

The writer wants to avoid expressing the argument of the passage in absolute terms. Which of the following changes should the writer make in order to achieve this goal?

A

In sentence 1, deleting "with remarkable frequency"

B

In sentence 2, changing "have undoubtedly uncovered the" to "may have uncovered a"

C

In sentence 7, adding "most likely" before "comes"

D

In sentence 9, changing "thanks to" to "due to"

E

In sentence 10, changing "they might have" to "the heart-shaped tail bones may have"

B Titanosaurs, the group of dinosaurs notable for their behemoth size, small heads, and long necks and tails, once plodded over every continent on Earth during the Cretaceous, the last period of dinosaurs before their extinction.

The writer wants to add an introductory sentence to the passage that orients the audience by providing contextual information. Which of the following sentences best accomplishes this goal?

A

If movies like Jurassic World piqued your interest in paleontology, then you may be excited to learn about a new species of dinosaur discovered in Tanzania and the painstaking process it took to excavate it.

B

Titanosaurs, the group of dinosaurs notable for their behemoth size, small heads, and long necks and tails, once plodded over every continent on Earth during the Cretaceous, the last period of dinosaurs before their extinction.

C

Paleontology is defined as a branch of science focused on fossils of animals and plants; a paleontologist named William Buckland first uncovered dinosaur bones in the early 1800s.

D

On February 14, 2019, paleontologists announced a scientific discovery appropriate for Valentine's Day: that of a new

B solve the mystery of how titanosaurs became so widespread during the Cretaceous period

The writer is considering changing sentence 4 (reproduced below) so that it clearly articulates the passage's overarching claim.

By studying this new dinosaur, paleontologists believe they can determine the precise function of its mysteriously heart-shaped tail bones.

Which of the following versions of the underlined portion of sentence 4 best supports this goal?

A

(as it is now)

B

solve the mystery of how titanosaurs became so widespread during the Cretaceous period

C

develop more effective techniques for extricating fossils from rugged terrain

D

learn how titanosaurs used their immense size to defend themselves from predators such as the Tyrannosaurus rex

E

predict with greater accuracy where to find other titanosaur fossils in Africa

E public, in part because of a unique feature

The writer wants to combine sentences 5 and 6 (reproduced below) to reduce redundancy and ensure precision of meaning.

The announcement in February 2019 created a great buzz in both the scientific community and the general public. This excitement was in part because of a unique feature: the titanosaur's heart-shaped tail bones.

Which of the following changes to the underlined portion of sentences 5 and 6 best accomplishes this goal?

A

public, which was being caused by a unique feature

B

public because of a unique feature in some aspect

C

public, the cause of this buzz being in part due to a unique feature

D

public; this buzz was because of a unique feature in part

E

public, in part because of a unique feature

E distinctive

The writer wants to ensure that the language used in sentence 9 (reproduced below) maintains the tone used in the rest of the passage.

Gorscak's team knew they had found a new species thanks to the weird tail bones, as well as specific neck and chest bones.

Which of the following versions of the underlined text best accomplishes this goal?

A

(as it is now)

B

really cool

C

bizarre

D

totally peculiar

E

distinctive

D Before sentence 9

The writer wants to add the following sentence to the second paragraph.

In fact, so prolonged was the process that even though paleontologists first discovered M. moyowamkia bones in 2004, it took 15 years to fully excavate them, piece them together, and analyze the results.

Which of the following choices is the most logical place to insert this sentence in the paragraph?

A

Before sentence 5

B

Before sentence 7

C

Before sentence 8

D

Before sentence 9

E

Before sentence 10

C prevalent

The writer is considering changing the underlined portion of sentence 14 (reproduced below) so that it is consistent with the writer's perspective on titanosaurs in the passage.

And while titanosaurs were one of the most domineering groups during the age of dinosaurs, says Gorscak, "their early evolutionary history remains obscure, and Mnyamawamtuka helps reveal those beginnings."

Which of the following versions of the underlined portion of sentence 14 best accomplishes this goal?

A

(as it is now)

B

commanding

C

prevalent

D

rampant

E

mundane

D No, because it undermines the unity of the passage's conclusion by adding a detail that does not add to the discussion of the find's importance.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence after sentence 15.

It should be noted, of course, that Gorscak and his team found approximately 45 percent of the M. moyowamkia skeleton and unfortunately did not recover the skull.

Should the writer make this addition after sentence 15 ?

A

Yes, because it strengthens the passage by providing evidence to support the claim that fossil digs can be lengthy processes.

B

Yes, because the reader might otherwise wonder about the appearance and intactness of the M. moyowamkia skeleton.

C

Yes, because it provides a compelling image at the end of the passage that complements other details regarding the titanosaur fossils.

D

No, because it undermines the unity of the passage's conclusion by adding a detail that does not add to the discussion of the find's importance.

E

No, because the details it provides are not rendered in clear enough terms to be accessible to the audien