Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow.
(1) The federal minimum wage should be increased to at least $15.00 per hour. (2) First of all, this increase will help families who are living in poverty. (3) Not only will it provide these people with a fairer and more decent rate of pay for their labor, but it will also decrease their need for welfare, food stamps, and other forms of government support. (4) Increasing the minimum wage may also stimulate job growth. (5) According to one study published by the Fiscal Policy Institute, employment in small businesses grew faster in states that boosted their minimum wage above the federal minimum than in states requiring only the federal minimum. (6) This report also found that total job growth was faster in the states with higher minimum wages. (7) That may be because workers who earn more can spend more, which stimulates the economy.
How many arguments support the topic sentence?

A) two
B) three
C) four

Find the complete subject and the complete verb in each sentence. Then select the answer that contains both the subject and the verb. The river water contains alkaline substances.

A) river water, contains
B) river, substances
C) river water, alkaline

For each of the following sentences, select "correct" if the sentence is punctuated correctly, "fragment" if it is a fragment, "run-on" if it is a run-on, and "comma splice" if it is a comma splice. John Calloway was elected governor of Oklahoma in 1923, he had a large barbecue.

A) correct
B) fragment
C) run-on
D) comma splice

Wilson, J. Q., & DiIulio, Jr., J. J. (2004) .   American government (9th ed.) . Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

A) Correct
B) Incorrect

Select the letter of the correct noun to fill in the blank in each of the following sentences. Most ____ in the Northeast have public transportation systems.

A) citys
B) cities
C) city

The topic sentence below is followed by a brainstormed list of possible ideas for a paragraph. Decide which ideas support the topic sentence and should be kept and which ideas should be dropped. Select "keep" or "drop" for each idea. Topic sentence: In order to be a good cook, you have to be prepared in the kitchen.
Arrange space to have enough counter space for cutting.

A) Keep
B) Drop

Each question below is a plan for a process paragraph. The steps for the plans are not in the correct chronological order. Select the letter of the answer that numbers the steps in the proper time sequence. To properly use a fire extinguisher, use the PASS (pull-aim-squeeze-sweep) procedure.
____ Next, squeeze the handle to release the substance inside the fire extinguisher.
____ First of all, hold the fire extinguisher upright, remove the plastic tie from the handle, and pull out the pin.
____ Finally, sweep the extinguisher from side to side until the fire goes out.
____ Then, continuing to keep the extinguisher upright, aim the nozzle at the base of the blaze.

A) 2, 4, 1, 3
B) 3, 1, 4, 2
C) 4, 2, 3, 1

Below is a source followed by passage(s) from student papers. If the student has summarized, directly quoted, or indirectly quoted the source correctly, select "Correct." If you believe the source is incorrectly summarized or plagiarized, select "Incorrect."
"Americans are rushing to get tucked, suctioned, tightened, and tweaked like never before. More than 8.7 million people underwent cosmetic surgery in 2003, up 33 percent from the year before, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. No longer a privilege of society wives and aging starlets, cosmetic surgery has gone mainstream, available to almost anyone with a credit card and some vacation time."
⎯ Shute, Nancy. "Makeover Nation."
U.S. News & World Report 31 May 2004: 52. Print.
Student version: Over the past several years, the number of people getting cosmetic surgery has dramatically increased. As Nancy Shute puts it, "Americans are rushing to get tucked, suctioned, tightened, and tweaked like never before" (52) .

A) Correct
B) Incorrect

Read the essay that follows, written without proper paragraph breaks, and then answer the question(s) by selecting the letter of the correct answer.
(1) Pele and Slouch, my two cats, are so unlike, it's a wonder that they get along. (2) Pele is a short-haired, long-eared, slim but agile feline. (3) His color is silver gray. (4) Slouch, on the other hand, is a long-haired, short-eared, chubby, and clumsy cat. (5) He is brown and gold. (6) Pele has always been a very active cat. (7) He will fetch a crumpled piece of paper as often as I can throw it. (8) I've yet to tire him out. (9) Jumping to a height of 3 feet is an effortless task for him, or so he makes it seem. (10) His muscle coordination is something to see. (11) If I throw a paper directly at him, he will sit back on his hind legs and catch it with his front paws. (12) Whenever he gets tired of that, he just runs all over the apartment. (13) With people, Pele is extremely gentle. (14) Because Slouch didn't come along until Pele was ten months old, Pele got a lot of attention. (15) He likes being held and petted. (16) On occasion he will jump up next to a visitor with a crumpled piece of paper in his mouth, all primed for fun and games! (17) Slouch, on the contrary, is a lazy but unpredictable cat. (18) His daily exercise consists of walking over to the dish where his food is kept. (19) When he gets tired of that, he will just sit by the bowl as if he were waiting to get hungry. (20) On those long days when the cat food loses its appeal, he will walk around, head bent down, sniffing the floor for imaginary food droppings. (21) His methodical and determined approach to this pastime reminds me of a cow grazing in the fields. (22) But people, beware: don't ever try to hold on to a piece of food while feeding Slouch. (23) He will claw wildly to get it. (24) I was told by his previous owner that he was the runt of the litter, often shoved aside by the larger cats. (25) Perhaps this accounts for his greedy and fearful hunger. (26) Contrary to what might be expected, Pele and Slouch are the best of friends. (27) I have seen Pele help Slouch with the laborious task of washing his long coat. (28) Once in a while, Slouch will join Pele in a game of slow tag, or perhaps they'll just lie together. (29) On sunny afternoons they often sit by the open window, sharing the weird smells drifting in on the breeze. (30) They seem to know they are like two children, each loved in a different way, but nevertheless loved. ⎯ Angel Reyes, Student
What word or words in the thesis statement indicate the type of development used?

A) unlike
B) wonder
C) color
D) get along

Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow.
According to sports writer Ian Stafford, the British hold the record for winning the world's oddest competitions . In one of these bizarre events, contestants contort their faces and are judged on their ugliness. One competitor removed half his dentures and reversed the other half, rolled his eyes, and tucked his nose into his mustache and upper lip to achieve prize-winning ugliness. Another of these eccentric contests is snail racing. Opponents in this case are, of course, snails, which are placed in the center of a thirteen-inch cloth circle. The first to reach the edge of the circle wins. The race often takes four to five minutes, although the all-time champion (owned and trained by an English seven-year-old) finished the course in two minutes. Toe wrestling, bog snorkeling, worm charming ⎯ the British have emerged as unconquered rivals in all of these so-called sports. Perhaps you think that sports writer Ian Stafford should win first prize in the Biggest Liar in the World Competition. No, every one of these outlandish games exists. You can check them all out on the Internet.
What synonym refers to the subject of this passage (in italics) ?

A) an English seven-year-old
B) first prize
C) these outlandish games