JumpStart – Language & Critical Thinking Skills Check

Passage:
The history of chocolate dates back thousands of years to ancient Mesoamerica, where the cacao tree grew wild. The Maya and Aztec civilizations both prized chocolate and used it in religious ceremonies. Chocolate was so highly valued that it was even used as currency. 

When the Spanish arrived in the Americas in the 16th century, they brought chocolate back to Europe, where it quickly became popular. The first chocolate factory was established in Switzerland in the 18th century, and chocolate became a mass-produced commodity. 

Today, chocolate is enjoyed all over the world in a variety of forms, from milk chocolate bars to dark chocolate truffles. 

Question: 

Which civilization used chocolate in religious ceremonies? 

He just presents the same hackneyed ideas.  In this sentence the italicized word means:

Please replace the underlined text with the best choice.
My business partner is a man that has a seven hundred-acre ranch near the foothills outside of town.

“I write you in your capacity as the school board chairperson.” The word “capacity” as used here most nearly means:

“The War of the Worlds”, by H. G. Wells 

Every moment I expected the fire of some hidden battery to spring upon 

him; but the evening calm was unbroken. The figure of the Martian grew 

smaller as he receded, and presently the mist and the gathering night 

had swallowed him up. By a common impulse we clambered higher. Towards 

Sunbury was a dark appearance, as though a conical hill had suddenly 

come into being there, hiding our view of the farther country; and 

then, remoter across the river, over Walton, we saw another such 

summit. These hill-like forms grew lower and broader even as we stared. 

What did the narrator and the others see in the distance while watching the Martian? 

He was crowing about the group’s latest conquest. As used here, the word “crowing” most nearly means:

Which sentence below is not incorrectly punctuated?

Which sentence below is correct?

I wish you _____  making that noise. It’s bothering me.

Which sentence below is correct?

“Can I borrow your car for this evening?” “Yes, but Mom’s using it right now. If she _____ it back in time, you’re welcome to borrow it.”

What is the correct use of the word “their” within the following four options? 

Please choose the best rewrite for the following sentence.

If a person wants to succeed in school, then they have to study.

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll: 

Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do. Once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, “and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?” 

Question: What did Alice think about the book her sister was reading? 

The client was querulous. Which choice is not synonymous with the italicized word?

We have rewritten the following sentence for clarity.
Good money managers control their present expenses, and they invest surplus dollars to meet their future needs.
Please choose the most clear sentence below.

A recent study found that students who listen to classical music while studying perform better on exams than those who do not. Based on this information, what can we conclude? 

Which sentence is grammatically correct? 

Passage: 

Jane had been looking forward to the museum exhibit for weeks. She had read about the artist and the collection extensively and couldn’t wait to see it in person. As she walked through the exhibit, she was struck by the beauty and complexity of the paintings. Each one seemed to tell a story and convey a different emotion. By the time she left the museum, she felt inspired and uplifted. 

Question: 

How did Jane feel about the museum exhibit? 

Passage: 

In 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared smallpox eradicated. This was a major achievement in the field of medicine as smallpox was a deadly disease that had plagued humanity for centuries. The eradication was made possible by a global effort to vaccinate as many people as possible, particularly in countries where the disease was still prevalent. 

Question: 

What was the reason for the eradication of smallpox?