Sentence Correction Drill #17

1. Many problems among the faculty developed after Mr. Atkins took over as principal of the school; these problems diminished both the reputation and the performance of the school.

A. school; these problems diminished both the reputation and the performance of the school
B. school, they both diminished the reputation and performance of the school
C. school, which both diminished its reputation as well as diminished its performance
D. school; these problems diminished its reputation and performance
E. school, and they diminished its reputation as well as performance

2. Despite being called “reality” television, the program about the plane crash in the Rockies seemed about as real as a cow jumping over the moon.

A. Despite being called "reality" television
B. Although its being "reality" television
C. It was called "reality" television
D. Because it was called "reality" television
E. Calling it "reality" television

3. To think that only money motivates people to choose a career in professional athletics is wrong because in sports many people do it to find personal satisfaction.

A. wrong because in sports many people do it to find personal satisfaction
B. wrong because sports would have had an effect on finding personal satisfaction
C. wrong, and the reason is because of the finding of personal satisfaction from a career in sports
D. wrong, because many athletes find personal satisfaction out of sports
E. wrong because many athletes find personal satisfaction in their sport

4. At the beginning of Joseph Conrad’s story “Gaspar Ruiz,” a soldier has been falsely accused of cowardice under fire, desertion of his post, and he gave military secrets to the enemy.

A. he gave military secrets to the enemy
B. giving military secrets to the enemy
C. gives military secrets to the enemy
D. military secrets were given to the enemy
E. the enemy received military secrets from him

5. Essential for doing business or just staying in touch with family and friends, cell phones, they are increasingly popular.

A. cell phones, they are increasingly popular
B. their popularity is growing
C. they have become more popular
D. cell phones are increasingly popular
E. cell phones, they have grown more popular

6. Drive-in restaurants that serve fatty food can be found along almost every main highway in the country, this explaining why so many Americans are overweight.

A. country, this explaining why
B. country, this is why
C. country; this fact explains why
D. country; this fact explaining the reason why
E. country, and explains why

7. When you read at a very fast rate, your eyes often skip words, and your mind grasps the meaning nevertheless.

A. When you read at a very fast rate, your eyes often skip words, and your mind grasps the meaning nevertheless
B. When you read at a very fast rate, your eyes often skip words, your mind nevertheless grasps the meaning
C. Because you read at a very fast rate, your eyes often skip words, and your mind grasps the meaning nevertheless
D. When you read at a very fast rate, your eyes often skip words, but your mind grasps the meaning nevertheless
E. Reading at a very fast rate, words are skipped by your eyes even when your mind grasps the meaning

8. The author, guiding the reader through Emma’s most intimate dreams and fantasies, accurately portraying the plight of many middle-class women in France in the 1850s.

A. The author, guiding the reader through Emma's most intimate dreams and fantasies, accurately
B. The reader is guided through Emma's most intimate dreams and fantasies by accurately
C. The reader, guided through Emma's most intimate dreams and fantasies by the author who is accurately
D. The author, who guides the reader through Emma's most intimate dreams and fantasies, accurately
E. The author guides the reader through Emma's most intimate dreams and fantasies, accurately

9. The custom of naming ships after dead war heroes has been practiced through many countries in honoring their military personnel.

A. through many countries in honoring their
B. through many countries to honor its
C. in many countries; it is to honor its
D. by many countries to honor their
E. by many a country to honor their

10. In 2011, the cost of college tuition increased considerably, while continuing to grow in 2012.

A. considerably, while continuing to grow
B. considerably, and it continued to increase
C. considerably, with continuing growth
D. considerably, it continued growing
E. considerably, continuing increasing

11. The Black Death of the fourteenth century, possibly the world’s deadliest epidemic, whose origin is thought to be central China.

A. The Black Death of the fourteenth century, possibly the world's deadliest epidemic, whose origin is thought to be central China
B. The Black Death of the fourteenth century, possibly the world's deadliest epidemic, its origin is thought to be central China
C. Possibly the world's deadliest epidemic, the origin of the Black Death of the fourteenth century is thought to be central China
D. The origin of the Black Death of the fourteenth century, possibly the world's deadliest epidemic, is thought to be central China
E. The fourteenth century's Black Death is thought to have its origin in central China, was possibly the world's deadliest epidemic

12. Before going on the senior class trip, a parental permission slip must be filled out for each student.

A. a parental permission slip must be filled out for each student
B. a student must have their parental permission slips filled out
C. their parents must fill out a permission slip for each student
D. a student must have a parental permission slip filled out
E. permission for each student must be filled out by their parents