Need help explaining some Reading and Grammar questions?

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1

<p>I did a practice test from the CB online course, this is test 4 and here are 3 passages and 2 grammar question that I really didn't understand.</p>

<p>...What could the possibly reprimand him for? He was a fast and diligent worker, with enough gumption to use a little imaginative reasoning when some economic nuisance called for it. He was punctual and tidy, not overly familiar with his co-workers; quite simply, the best employee they had. Rather than indignation, though, Samuel only felt fear. </p>

<ol>
<li>In line 41 (3 in this case), the word "familiar" is closest in meaning to?
A) common
B) expected
C) forward
D) natural
E) recognizable</li>
</ol>

<p>...Einstein's theory, however, copes (unlike Newton's) with objects whose speeds are close to that of light, with the ultra strong gravity that could induce such enormous speeds, and with the effect of gravity on light itself. More important, Einstein deepened our understanding of gravity. To Newton, it was a mystery why all particles fell at the same rate and followed identical orbits, but Einstein showed that these phenomena were a natural consequence of all bodies taking the same "straightest" path in a space-time curved by mass and energy.</p>

<ol>
<li>The author places the word "straightest' (line 20, 6 in this case) in quotation marks most probably in order to
A) make the concept easier for readers to remember
B) indicate that the word is not being used literally
C) stress the differences between Newton's and Einstein's ideas
D) suggest that the word's meaning may change at some point in the future
E) show that Einstein is being quoted.</li>
</ol>

<p>...In all likelihood, the same impulse forces writers to make themselves available to their readers in the various ways writers have access to-by giving readings, for example, or answering fan mail. After all, should authors be successful, it is the readers, the people who buy the books, who allow authors to enjoy the success they have achieved.</p>

<ol>
<li>The word "available" in line 26 (1 in this case) is closest in meaning to (For this one I narrowed it to 2 answer choices, the others don't really make sense).</li>
</ol>

<p>B) present
D) accessible</p>

<p>For this one, I need help explaining why the wrong answer is wrong as I think both really make sense and are synonyms. </p>

<p>Here are some grammar questions</p>

<ol>
<li>First run in 1867 and still taking place every summer, the Belmont Stakes, a horse race for thoroughbred three years old, [was] one of the oldest races in the United States.</li>
</ol>

<p>A) was
B) is
C) were
D) are
E) has been</p>

<ol>
<li>Unlike [the hollow body of an acoustic guitar, which acts] as a sound box to project sound, the solid-body electric guitar is almost soundless without the aid of an amplification system. (I narrowed this one to 2 answer choices)</li>
</ol>

<p>A) (same as above) the hollow body of an acoustic guitar, which acts
D) an acoustic guitar, whose hollow body acts</p>

<p>Again, I need help figuring out why the wrong answer is wrong.</p>

<p>Thank You and I will post the answers later.</p>

2

<p>Okay the answers are

  1. C
  2. B
  3. D
  4. B
  5. D</p>
3

<ol>
<li>Unlike [the hollow body of an acoustic guitar, which acts] as a sound box to project sound, the solid-body electric guitar is almost soundless without the aid of an amplification system. (I narrowed this one to 2 answer choices)</li>
</ol>

<p>A) (same as above) the hollow body of an acoustic guitar, which acts
D) an acoustic guitar, whose hollow body acts</p>

<p>Note that the sentence as structured as a comparison. The second part of the comparison is “electric guitar”. So the first part of the comparison needs to be parallel to the second part. Or stated differently we need to compare one type of guitar to another. Only choice (D) achieves that – i.e. acoustic to electric… Choice (C) constitutes a comparison of a “hollow body” to an “electric guitar”.</p>

4

<ol>
<li>First run in 1867 and still taking place every summer, the Belmont Stakes, a horse race for thoroughbred three years old, [was] one of the oldest races in the United States.</li>
</ol>

<p>A) was
B) is
C) were
D) are
E) has been</p>

<p>The Belmont Stakes is singular. Note that you infer this from “a horse race”. It is still taking place. So the correct verb tense is “is”. The only possible alternative is “has been” – but this is not an appropriate choice in the usage above.</p>

5

<ol>
<li>In line 41 (3 in this case), the word “familiar” is closest in meaning to?
A) common
B) expected
C) forward
D) natural
E) recognizable</li>
</ol>

<p>One of the definitions of familiar is “informal to an inappropriate degree”. If you knew that then you would know that the answer is (C). But what if you didn’t? Can you infer it?</p>

<p>As phrased “not overly familiar with his co-workers” suggests the nature of his relationship with his coworkers. So we can eliminate A, B and E since these adjectives are not applicable to relationships. That leave “forward” or “natural”. Not “natural” (phony?) doesn’t make sense given his other qualities.</p>

6

<p>^Thank you for answering^
I guess the reason I got the #1 wrong was because I thought forward meant like going in the front so I crossed it off.
I understand #5 now, but for #4 how come it can’t be E? I was stuck between B and E and I thought both made sense.</p>

7

<p>Anyone know how to explain the other 2 reading questions?</p>