Diagnostic Test & Answers



Diagnostic Test & Answers

Directions: Select the best word to complete the statment and then mark the

corresponding letter on your scantron.

1. The thesis sentence usually appears in the__ first__ paragraph.

a. first b. second c. third d. fourth e. last

2. Planning is primarily a __writing__ activity.

a. thinking b. searching c. writing d. research e. none of these

3. Through _drafting__ you determine whether the information you discovered in planning can be shaped into successful writing.

a. reading b. argument c. narration d. drafting e. outlining

4. An outline that is written after a draft is known as a __descriptive__outline.

a. scratch b. discovery c. formal d. informal e. descriptive

5. An effective narration has __all of these_.

a. a story b. a plot c. a pace d. a point of view e. all of these

6. An essay that explains something is using __exposition_.

a. exposition b. causal analysis c. description d. narration e. classification

7. _Coherence__ allows readers to move easily from one sentence to the next without feeling that there are any gaps in the sequence of your ideas.

a. unity b. completeness c. order d. coherence e. all of these

8. A __topic___ sentence is a statement that presents the main idea to be developed in a paragraph.

a. thesis b. topic c. purpose d. controlling idea e. hypoothetical

9. Following are four types of diction: 1) colloquial 2) popular 3) slang and

4) learned. Which of the following reflects an order from informal to formal?

a. 3 2 1 4 b. 4 2 3 1 c. 3 1 2 4 d. 4 1 3 2 e) 1 3 2 4

3) slang, 1) coloquial, 2) popular, 4) learned

10. A comparison between a historical, literary, or mythological event or person and the subject under discussion is called a:

a. analogy b. allusion c. personification d. metaphor e. none of these

11. The word cursor is an example of what kind of language:

a. slang b. popula c. colloquial d. learned e. jargon

12. 1) trite 2) slang 3) cliched 4) jargon 5) hackneyed Which of the above words is used to describe expressions, once colorful and apt, that have been used so often that they have lost their freshness and force:

a. 1 & 2 b. 3 & 5 c. 1 & 3 & 4 d. 1 & 3 & 5 e. all of them

13. Identify the times that it is necessary to document sources: 1) use a direct quotation. 2) copy a table, chart or diagram, 3) construct a table from data provided by others 4) summarize a passage 5) paraphrase a passage:

a. 1 & 5 b. 1 & 2 & 5 c) 1 & 2 & 4 d) 1 & 2 & 3 & 5 e) all of them

14. Which of the following is incorrectly written:

a. Caucasian b. Phi Delta Kappa c. Sociology course d. Greek festival

e. department meeting.

Directions: Determine if there are any errors in grammar or usage in the following sentences. If the sentence is correct mark (a) if there is an error mark (b).

15. Marcel Proust's Swann's Way (novel title should be italicized) is a very long and elaborate novel.

16. Ernest Hemingway's short story Old Man at the Bridge (use quotes for short story title) is not well known to most people.

17. Gerard manley Hopkin's short poem God's Grandeur (use quotes for short poems) is a sonnet.

18. Unlike the audience that attends The Gerry Springer Show, Opra Winfreys (Winfrey's needs apostrophe) audience is generally well behaved.

19. Confined to a hospital bed, Rachel had to vote in absentia. (foreign words italicized)

Directions: Mark column (a) for True or column (b) for False.

20. The thesis formally asserts what you will prove in your essay. T p. 61

21. Planning is the second stage of writing involving a series of strategies designed to organize and develop a sustained piece of writing. F p. 5

22. Precise means to limit the scope of an essay. F p62

23. A thesis is unified when it can have only one interpretation. F p. 63

24. Reading to revise is another name for proofreading. F. p. 77

25. In comparison the divided pattern devilops your material through matched pairs of A and B expressed in either the same paragraph or in the same sentence. F p.110

26. Definition organizes information into groups and categories. F p. 11

27. A stipulative definition specifies the exact meaning or sense of a word as you intend to use it in your writing. T p. 113

28. In an argumentative essay it is best to only argue your own side and ignore the opposition. F. p. 126

29. Facts are always debatabl. F p. 128

30. Post hoc, ergo propter hoc is the name of the fallacy which occurs when part of what has to be proved is assumed to be true. F. 146

31. The red herring fallacy uses the introduction of an unrelated issue to divert attention from the real issue. T. p. 146

32. A paragraph can exhibit unity, completeness, and order but still lack coherence. T p. 170

33. A denotation is an implicit meaning, an implied or suggested attitude that is not stated outright. F p. 227

34. A metaphor compares two things -- A and B -- by asserting that one is like the other. F p. 236

35. Quoting an author's text word-for-word is the easiest way to record information,but you should use this method selectively. T p 358

36. If you decide to leave out part of a quoted text, use four ellipsis points (....) to indicate that you have omitted words from the beginning or middle of the sentence. F 358

37. Paraphrasing requires you to think through what the author has said and then restate the information in your own words. T p 358

38. Information that is paraphrased requires documentation. T p 372

39. All quotations must be placed within quotation marks. F p. 370

40. Quotations must be documented with a paranthetical reference that includes the exact page numbes from which they were taken, and if necessary the author's name. T 370

41. Long quotations (four or more lines of prose; three or mote lines of poetry) and set of from the text by triple spacing above and below, and indented ten spaces from both left and right margins. F 371

42. Short quotations (less than four lines of prose, less than three lines of poetry) do not require quotation marks if you work them into the syntax of your own sentence.. F p. 371

43. Use should use parentheses when you need to add your own words to a quotation to make the passage complete or gramatically correct, or on occasion when you want to make an editorial comment. F p. 371

44. Plagiarism is the use of someone else's writing without giving proper credit--or perhaps without giving any credit at all--to the writer of the original. T p 373

45. Specific examples, figures, or factual information taken from a specific source must be documented. T 373

46. Writing is not considered plagiarism as long as the writer acknowledges the source and documents the passage with a parenthetical reference. F 374

47. The current MLA style of documentation requires a superscript numeral (a number raised above the line) placed at an appropriate place itn the text--usually at the end of a sentence--to identify a source. F p 347-387

48. The superscript numbers refer the reader to the Works Cited page where the sources are listed in numerical order. F p 379

49. In the MLA documentation style readers can locate complete information about your sources only in a list of Cited Works which comes at the end of the paper. T p 378

50. End notes, if used, and as the name suggests come at the very end of the paper after the Works Cited page(s). F 380

51. All items in the Works Cited section must be in alphabetical order byTitle. F 380

52. Books and articles are basically cited the same way: by author, title and facts of publication. T 384

53. Use of the second person "you" is innapropriate for formal college essays unless one is quoting from another source or writing a process essay when "you" is understood.

54. A compound sentence contains at least two clauses: one independent and one or more subordinate clauses. F p. 489

55. A group of words containing a subject or a verb is called.

a. clause b. phrase c. sentence d. complex sent. e. run on

56. A group of words containing a subject and a verb is called.

a. dependent clause b. phrase c. independent clause d. simple sentence

e. compound sentence

57. A group of words containing a subject and verb and a complete thought is called. a. compound sentence b. complex sentence c. phrase d. independent clause e. none of these.

58. another name for an independent clause is.

a. compound sentence b. complex sentence c. simple sentence d. phrase

e. run on sentence

Directions: Identify the following word groups as: a) phrase b) dependent clause

c) independent clause d) complex sentence e) compound sentence

60. Denying the undenyable, she left the room. c) independent clause

61. Merlin, peering down from the hill. a) phrase

62. After the army departed, the city was deserted and in flames. d) complex sentence

63. Because the snow was deep and the temperature fell below zero. b) dependent clause

64. It was snowing outside, and inside the building, Harold felt warm. e) compound sentence

65. The crowd stood still looking up at the top of the building where a slim whisp of smoke circled the trapped victims. d) complex sentence

66. Because of the late hour. a) phrase

67. Because he was late. b) dependent clause

68. Some people are never on time. c) independent clause

69. When he saw her, he ran. d) complex sentence

70. There was a loud crash; suddenly, he lost consciousness. e) compound sentence

71. Flee now: pray later. e) compound sentence

72. Columbus landed in the Caribbean, not the Gulf of Mexico. c) independent clause

73. All trees, each indistinguishable from each other and each an obstacle in his or her path. a) phrase

74. The necessary qualities of political life, each and every one of them, regardless of time or place or circumstance. a) phrase

75. The new coach is loud, profane, demonstrative; he has again humiliated himself e) compound sentence

76. Since he had little imagination and even less talent. b) dependent clause

77. Shortly after midnight in a serene, enchanting, mysterious performance a) phrase

78. He was late so he hurried home. e) compound sentence

79. Because he was late, he hurried home. d) complex sentence

80. When the sun set in the western sky amidst a colorful splendor of hues, vividly illuminating the horizon from to to bottom and creating a memorable moment. b) dependent clause

Directions: Identify the following sentences as: (a) active or (b) passive:

81. The superintendent's window was broken sometime over the weekend. (b) passive:

82. Lional Richie sang the national anthem at the opening game of the season. (a) active

83. The national anthem was sung by Lionel Richie at the opening game of the season. (b) passive:

Directions: Check the following sentences for parallel construction. If the sentence is correct mark (a) if there is an error in parallelism mark (b).

84. Willy Lomancould neither understand his own problems nor could he accept the help of friends. error in parallelism mark (b).

85. The evangelist ended the service with a hymn and calling on sinners to repent. error in parallelism mark (b).

86. The narrator of Invisible Man was idealistic, intelligent, and tried to advance the cause of black people. error in parallelism mark (b).

Directions: Determine if there are any grammatical errors in the following sentences. If the sentence is correct mark (a) if there is an error mark (b).

87. To qualify for the award, the committe requires that candidates have sixty class hours and a 3.50 GPA. error mark (b).

88. While waiting for my date in the lobby, two men in tuxedos got into a violent argument. error mark (b).

89. The reporter said before noon that she would finish the article. error mark (b).

90. Charlie Chaplin was a multitalented man. Wrote, directed, and starred in his own films. error mark (b). (fragment)

91. Lorraine Hansberry was the first black female playwright of importance, she wrote A Raisin in the Sun. error mark (b). (requires semicolon)

92. Through flying, Charles Lindberg gained his notoriety, Amelia Earhart lost her life. error mark (b). (requires semicolon)

correct mark (a) if there is an error mark (b).

93. Clean-up is scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; the plant closes on Friday. correct mark (a)

94. The coach or the cocaptains supervise the practices each day. correct mark (a)

95. Neither of the boys would accept responsibility for their (his) actions. error mark (b).

96. He is at least as capable as her. (she) error mark (b).

97. Because OPEC's prices were high in the 1970s (needs comma here) American drivers began to conserve gasoline. error mark (b).

98. New recruits, who may join after finishing high school, must make numerous adjustments before they are acclimated to military life. correct mark (a)

99. All soldiers, who complete basic training, will be assigned to duty within three weeks. error mark (b). (no commas)

100. Sidney Pollack's film Out of Africa was shot on location. error mark (b). (Film title requires italics)

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