JumpStart – Language & Critical Thinking Skills Check

1. Question

Which of the following words means “constant in application or effort; working diligently at a task”?

Assiduous
Taciturn
Myopic
Admonish

2. Question

We have rewritten the following sentence omitting “you.”
In a large city, you may have massive traffic jams on your daily commute to work.

Please choose the correct sentence.

In a large city, massive traffic jams may be part of the daily commute to work.
In a large city, a person may have massive traffic jams on your daily commute to work.
In a large city, a resident may have massive traffic jams on his daily commute to work.
In a large city, massive traffic jams may be part of the everyday commute on the way to work.

3. Question

Please choose the best rewrite for the following sentence to make it more clear.

We could watch the stars sitting on the balcony.

Sitting on the balcony, we could watch the stars.
No change. It is correct as it is.
Watching on the balcony, the stars sitting.
The stars we could watch sitting on the balcony.

4. Question

We _____ the match if we’d had a few more minutes.

might have won
won
had won
will win

5. Question

If I can learn German, I _____ next year studying in Berlin.

will spend
would spend
would have spent
had spent

6. Question

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

would stop
are going to stop
stop
can stop

7. Question

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

The dog chased its tail.
The dog chased it's tail.
The dog chased it's ball.
The dog chased its ball.

8. Question

Please choose the correct sentence below.

Since it was our anniversary, we ordered lobster.
Since it was our anniversary; we ordered lobster.
Since it was our anniversary we ordered lobster.
Since it was our anniversary, and we ordered lobster.

9. Question

Please rewrite the following sentence with the best choice.

After the hikers were at the bottom of the canyon, and they discovered a ghost town.

After the hikers were…

at the bottom of the canyon, they discovered a ghost town.
at the bottom of the canyon, and they discovered a ghost town.
at the bottom of the canyon they discovered a ghost town
at the bottom of the canyon when they discovered a ghost town.

10. Question

Choose the most correct sentence.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is my favorite movie.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen are my favorite movie.
The league of extraordinary gentleman are my favorite movie.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is, my favorite movie.

11. Question

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?

Listening to classical music may improve a student's performance on exams, but other factors should also be considered.
Classical music has a direct effect on a student's intelligence.
All students should listen to classical music while studying.
Students who listen to other types of music while studying will perform poorly on exams.

12. Question

Choose the most correct sentence to use.

Are David and Carlos coming here?
Are David and Carlos comming here?
Is David and Carlos coming here?
Are David & Carlos coming here?

13. Question

A company’s profits increased significantly after it implemented a new advertising campaign. Therefore, the advertising campaign caused the increase in profits. Is this a valid conclusion?

No, correlation does not imply causation, and there may have been other factors contributing to the increase in profits.
Yes, the profits increased after the new advertising campaign, so it must have been the cause.
Yes, because the company likely would not have spent money on the advertising campaign if it didn't believe it would increase profits.
No, because it is impossible to definitively determine the cause of an increase in profits.

14. Question

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

Bragging
Complaining
Congratulating
Lamenting

15. Question

Many people who live near nuclear plants are concerned. _____ go wrong, the effect on the surrounding area could be disastrous.

Should something
Something would
Something will
Does something

16. Question

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.

a man who has a seven hundred-acre ranch near the foothills outside of town.
a man that has a seven hundred-acre ranch near the foothills outside of town.
a man, that has a seven hundred-acre ranch near the foothills outside of town.
a man, who has a seven hundred-acre ranch near the foothills outside of town.

17. Question

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?

The Maya and Aztecs
The Spanish
The Incan
The English

18. Question

Which sentence below is correct?

Despite the increasing volume, the alarms maintain a high relevance.
To spite the increasing volume, the alarms maintain a relevant height.
Despite the increased noise, the alarming maintains a high relativity.
Despit the high volume, the alarms, maintained relatively.

19. Question

Read the following excerpt and answer the question(s) below

Excerpt from NIST Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity

“Privacy and cybersecurity have a strong connection. An organization’s cybersecurity activities also can create risks to privacy and civil liberties when personal information is used, collected, processed, maintained, or disclosed. Some examples include: cybersecurity activities that result in the over-collection or over-retention of personal information; disclosure or use of personal information unrelated to cybersecurity activities; and cybersecurity mitigation activities that result in denial of service or other similar potentially adverse impacts, including some types of incident detection or monitoring that may inhibit freedom of expression or association.

The government and its agents have a responsibility to protect civil liberties arising from cybersecurity activities. As referenced in the methodology below, government or its agents that own or operate critical infrastructure should have a process in place to support compliance of cybersecurity activities with applicable privacy laws, regulations, and Constitutional requirements.”

What is an example of the strong connection that the author provides when noting ‘Privacy and cybersecurity have a strong connection?’

Overcollection of personal information
Cybersecurity activities that distribute disinformation
Disclosure of profit and loss
Monitoring that promotes freedom of expression

20. Question

Passage:

Tom is a 15-year-old boy who loves playing basketball. He’s been playing since he was 6 and is now the captain of his high school basketball team. Tom is very dedicated to the sport and spends several hours each day practicing. His hard work has paid off, as he’s become one of the best players on his team.