Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow.
(1) Both a cold and the flu can make you miserable, but they are different in several ways. (2) Experts say a cold will go away by itself. (3) However, the flu can lead to pneumonia and other serious or even deadly problems. (4) A cold usually comes on gradually, accompanied by little or no fever. (5) In contrast, the flu comes on suddenly, and its fever can spike as high as 104 degrees and linger for three or four days. (6) Someone with a cold might experience mild body aches and fatigue, but the flu often brings severe body aches, deep fatigue, chills, and a major headache. (7) In general, a cold is wet, with much congestion, a runny nose, and even runny eyes. (8) The flu, on the other hand, is far drier, marked by a dry cough.
Select the number of the topic sentence in the paragraph above.

A) Sentence 1
B) Sentence 2
C) Sentence 6

Select the letter of the correct answer. A writer who is proofreading is

A) having classmates, friends, or tutors read his or her paper and provide suggestions for improvement.
B) conducting research to make sure that all of the information in a paragraph or essay is accurate.
C) slowly reading a paragraph or essay to find and correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

Read the following paragraph. For each set of sentences below the paragraph, select the letter of the sentence that provides the best revision for consistency; parallel structure; sentence variety; and fresh, concise language.
On December 4, 1872, the crew of the Dei Gratia discovered a ship named the Mary Celeste drifting in the Atlantic. Some of them rowed out to investigate. According to their account, the ship was seaworthy, but a lifeboat was missing, and not one single, solitary person was on board. It seemed that the Mary Celeste 's crew simply vanished into thin air without a trace, leaving their oilskin boots and pipes behind. The Mary Celeste 's captain recorded his last entry in the ship's log book on November 25 when the ship lands on an island in the Azores. An Admiral Court inquiry found no evidence of foul play or piracy, and praise for the crew of the Dei Gratia for safely bringing both vessels to harbor. The public didn't give a hoot about the incident until young Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional version of the event made them chomp at the bit to learn more in 1884. Conan Doyle described untouched breakfasts and still-warm cups of tea on the captain's table. The public began to confuse fiction with the facts. Obsessed with the mystery, many people developed theories about what happened; some suggested, for example, that the ship experienced a "seaquake," and others wondering if the Dei Gratia 's men slaughtered everyone.
Which sentence provides the best revision for consistency; parallel structure; sentence variety; and fresh, concise language?

A) On December 4, 1872, the crew of the Dei Gratia discovered a ship named the Mary Celeste drifting in the Atlantic. Some of them row out to investigate.
B) On December 4, 1872, the crew of the Dei Gratia discovered a ship named the Mary Celeste drifting in the Atlantic, and some of them rowed out to investigate.
C) On December 4, 1872, the crew of the Dei Gratia discovered a ship named the Mary Celeste drifting in the Atlantic, and some of them rowing out to investigate.

In each group, select the letter of the sentence that is limited enough to be the thesis statement of a good essay. Select the thesis statement.

A) Marriage is beneficial for both spouses' physical health.
B) Marriage is a good idea.
C) This essay will discuss the benefits of marriage.