Mini-test (Sentence Completion)

Directions: Questions 1 – 15 are incomplete sentences. Beneath each sentence you will see
four words or phrases marked (A), (B), (C), (D). Choose the one word or phrase that best
completes the sentence. Then circle the letter that corresponds to the answer you have
chosen.

Example Samuel Pepys’s Diary ….eyewitness descriptions of the Great Plague and the
Fire of London.
(A) was contained
(B) has been containing
(C) contains
(D) is containing

You should circle (C), “contains,” which is a verb in the simple present tense. Since the book
continues to exist, it still contains this information.

1. Potatoes and onions…..from sprouting by a new technology using radiation.

(A) are preventing
(B) prevention is
(C) are prevented
(D) prevented

2. Only if…..will proper labelling be essential.

(A) the law is changed
(B) is changed the law
(C) is the law changed
(D) the law being changed

3. The sulky, a horse-drawn carriage, …to have been invented in the early nineteenth
century by an English physician.
(A) believed
(B) was believing
(C) is believed
(D) is believing

4. …….a herd of horses on Assateague Island.

(A) The pirate Blackbeard reputedly left
(B) The pirate Blackbeard reputedly leaving
(C) Had the pirate Blackbeard reputedly left
(D) No sooner did the pirate Blackbeard reputedly leave

5. Lack of exercise and high-fat diets have ……to be factors in heart attacks.
(A) long been known
(B) been long known
(C) known been long
(D) long known been

6. …….the water clear but also prevent the river from overflowing.
(A) Not only the hippo’s eating habits keep
(B) Keep not only the hippo’s eating habits
(C) The hippo’s eating habits not only keep
(D) Not only keep the hippo’s eating habits

7. Not until 1865……the first antiseptic treatment on a compound fracture.

(A) when Joseph Lister tried
 (B) when did Joseph Lister try
(C) did Joseph Lister try
(D) that Joseph Lister tried

8. At each end of the tube ….., one which gathers light and one which magnifies the
image.
(A) are two lenses there
(B) two lenses are
(C) are two lenses
(D) two lenses are there

9. When …..into the Colorado wilderness, no one could have predicted how popular the
animal would become.
(A) Hamas first bring
(B) were Hamas first brought
(C) first bringing Hamas
(D) Hamas were first brought

10. Centuries ago, …..known source of frankincense and myrrh was Yemen.
(A) not only
(B) the only
(C) only
(D) only the

11. Noise pollution generally receives less attention than ….air pollution.
(A) does
(B) it does
(C) over
(D) it does over

12. During the investigations, those questioned included …..top officials, but also the
minor employees who carried out the orders.
(A) when
(B) both
(C) without
(D) not only

13. Putrefaction …..by bacteria and not by a chemical process.

(A) to be caused
(B) causing
(C) caused
(D) is caused

14. West of Newport…..., one of the many mansions surrounded by acres of gardens.
(A) where the Aston stately home stands
(B) the stately home stands of Aston
(C) the stately home of Aston stands
(D) stands the stately Aston home

15. In the Sonora desert, the daytime temperatures….to 50 degrees Celsius.

(A) rise
(B) rising
(C) to rise
(D) risen
Mini-test (Error Recognition)
Directions: In questions 1 – 25 each sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The
four underlined parts of the sentence are marked (A), (B), (C), (D). Identify the one
underlined word or phrase that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct.
Then circle the letter that corresponds to the answer you have chosen.

Example In medieval times helmets were most of metal and varied in shape from reign
A B C
to reign.
D

The underlined word “most” (B) should be in the adverb form “mostly”.

1. The earliest references to Jericho so a city date back several thousand years.
A B C D

2. Much unknown plants and animals are disappearing as the tropical forests are destroyed.
A B C D

3. Wooden in summer grows more slowly and is darker.

A B C D

4. Blooming out birthday candles is an ancient test to see if a growing child is enough strong
A B C
to blow out a greater number each year.
D
5. Cloudy recorded in time lapses moved counter clockwise faster than the planet rotated.
A B C D

6. It is the dream of every mountaineers to climb the world’s highest peak.

A B C D

7. The caverns were more exciting before the guides came and took away the
A B C
adventurously aspect.
D
8. The council set off controversial by its strong position on wildlife management.
A B C D
9. While searching for gold, the Spanish found the Grand Canyon to be an impassably
A B C D
barrier.

10. The assassins hastily to hide the evidence against them.

A B C D

11. The figure was carved on a hillside enough that it could be seen from a distance of
A B C D
several miles.

12. In ancient Greek traditional, weapons and stable gear were placed upon the grave.
A B C D
13. During the bleak winter, food became too scarce that starvation and famine were
A B C
widespread.
D

14. Transplanting organs such hearts and kidneys has proved easier than transplanting
A B C

muscles.

15. The grenade is a small bomb done to be thrown by hand or shot from a modified rifle.
A B C D

16. There is not enough room in zoos to house all the others subspecies that need
A B C
preserving.
D

17. The high cost of testing new pesticides inadvertently discourages the develop of viruses,
A B C

protozoa, bacteria, and moulds for pest control.

D

18. The glider uses gravity to keeping flying and updrafts of air to gain altitude.
A B C D

19. A pure gold Islamic coin is expected to bring some between $8 million and $10 million at
A B C
the auction next week.
D

20. Unlike a tractor is, a mule won’t turn over on a sleep hillside and crush the driver.
A B C D

21. The rattlesnake coils to able it to spring forward and strike its victim.
A B C D

22. Faint is not uncommon in elderly people who stand up suddenly.

A B C D

23. Bicyclists joy riding across country and through small towns.
A B C D

24. He didn’t attend to bring the stack of papers home.

A B C D

25. A baby elephant sucks its trunk alike a human baby sucks its thumb.
A B C D