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HiSET Reading practice questions

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Question 1Language Arts – Reading

When the Mill Street lot sat empty for six years, neighbors complained about trash and standing water. In 2019 a group of residents cleared the debris, built twelve raised beds, and opened the space to anyone with a trowel and a few hours a week. Today the lot holds tomatoes, beans, and a waiting list of forty families. Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?

  1. Tomatoes and beans grow well in raised beds during summer months.
  2. The city should purchase empty lots before neighbors complain.
  3. Forty families are waiting for plots at Mill Street.
  4. A neglected lot became a productive community garden. Correct answer.

Explanation

A main idea must account for the whole passage, not just one detail. The passage moves from an abandoned, trash-filled lot to a working garden with a waiting list, so the central point is the transformation of the space.

Question 2Language Arts – Reading

The committee's report was terse - three paragraphs, no charts, no appendices - but it left no doubt about the size of the deficit. As used in the sentence, the word "terse" most nearly means

  1. badly organized
  2. brief and to the point Correct answer.
  3. written in a hurry
  4. rude and insulting

Explanation

Context clues define the word: the report is described as three paragraphs with no charts or appendices, which points to shortness. The phrase "but it left no doubt" shows the brevity did not sacrifice clarity.

Question 3Language Arts – Reading

In 2021 Ridgeway replaced 2,400 sodium streetlights with LEDs. The city estimates the change will cut lighting costs by 40 percent and reduce maintenance trips by half, since the new lights last roughly three times as long as the old ones. According to the passage, one benefit of the new streetlights is that they

  1. last about three times as long Correct answer.
  2. are brighter than the old lights
  3. cost less to install
  4. run on solar power

Explanation

A supporting-detail question asks for information stated directly in the text. The passage says the LEDs "last roughly three times as long as the old ones," which is the only benefit listed in those terms.

Question 4Language Arts – Reading

Read this excerpt from a movie review. The film runs 138 minutes. Its pacing is painfully slow. The lead actor deserves an award. Nobody could sit through the final scene without laughing. Which sentence states a fact rather than an opinion?

  1. The film runs 138 minutes. Correct answer.
  2. Nobody could sit through the final scene without laughing.
  3. The lead actor deserves an award.
  4. Its pacing is painfully slow.

Explanation

A fact can be verified by measurement or observation, while an opinion expresses a judgment or evaluation. A running time can be checked with a stopwatch, so it is factual.

Question 5Language Arts – Reading

Beginning March 1, residents must place yard waste in paper bags. Plastic bags will no longer be collected. Bags must be at the curb by 6 a.m. on the regular pickup day. What is the author's main purpose in this passage?

  1. to entertain readers with a story about yard work
  2. to persuade residents to start composting at home
  3. to announce new collection rules Correct answer.
  4. to compare paper bags with plastic bags

Explanation

Purpose is revealed by what the text actually does. This passage gives dates, requirements, and deadlines, which is the pattern of an official notice informing people about a change.

Question 6Language Arts – Reading

Rinse the dried beans and pick out any stones. Cover them with two inches of water and soak overnight. In the morning, drain the beans and simmer them with a bay leaf until tender. According to the passage, what should be done immediately after draining the beans?

  1. Pick out any stones.
  2. Soak them overnight.
  3. Cover them with two inches of water.
  4. Simmer them with a bay leaf. Correct answer.

Explanation

Sequence questions require tracking the order of steps as stated. Draining occurs "in the morning," and the next action named in that same sentence is simmering the beans with a bay leaf.

Question 7Language Arts – Reading

The clerk looked at the form, then at me, then back at the form. "You've filled in the date of your birth in the box marked today's date," she said, with the patience of someone who had said this four hundred times before lunch. The tone of the passage is best described as

  1. formal and distant
  2. mildly humorous Correct answer.
  3. sad and regretful
  4. angry and accusing

Explanation

Tone is the writer's attitude, conveyed through word choice and detail. The exaggerated "four hundred times before lunch" treats an ordinary bureaucratic moment with light amusement rather than anger or sorrow.

Question 8Language Arts – Reading

The Comet opened in 1927 as a wooden coaster with a top speed of 50 miles per hour. In the 1950s its cars were replaced and the track reinforced. By 1990 it had closed twice and reopened twice. In 2016, volunteers restored the original paint scheme. The passage is organized mainly by

  1. cause and effect
  2. comparison and contrast
  3. chronological order Correct answer.
  4. order of importance

Explanation

Text structure is revealed by the transitions and ordering of information. The passage moves from 1927 to the 1950s to 1990 to 2016, arranging events in the order they occurred.

Question 9Language Arts – Reading

When the museum announced free admission on Sundays, staff expected crowds. Instead, attendance barely moved. A survey later found that most people who had never visited believed the museum was closed on Sundays. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. Free admission never attracts new visitors to museums.
  2. Some people stayed away because of a mistaken belief. Correct answer.
  3. The survey was conducted poorly and its results are unreliable.
  4. The museum's exhibits were unpopular with local residents.

Explanation

A supported inference must follow from the stated evidence without going beyond it. The survey directly links non-attendance to a false belief about Sunday hours, which explains why free admission changed nothing.

Question 10Language Arts – Reading

The senator called the proposal "a modest step in the right direction." The activist, describing the identical plan, called it "a timid shuffle." The difference between the two descriptions is mainly a difference in

  1. the speakers are describing two different proposals
  2. one speaker uses formal grammar and the other does not
  3. the phrases carry different connotations Correct answer.
  4. the phrases differ in literal accuracy

Explanation

Connotation is the emotional shading a word carries beyond its literal meaning. Both phrases describe a small forward movement, but "modest step" suggests sensible caution while "timid shuffle" suggests cowardice.

Question 11Language Arts – Reading

The river's channel had been straightened in the 1950s to speed drainage. Downstream, the marsh that once absorbed spring floods shrank by half, and the town began to flood more often. According to the passage, what was a result of straightening the channel?

  1. Spring floods stopped entirely.
  2. The town flooded more often. Correct answer.
  3. The marsh grew larger.
  4. The river stopped flowing downstream.

Explanation

Cause-and-effect questions ask what happened because of something else. The passage states that after the channel was straightened, the marsh shrank and the town "began to flood more often."

Question 12Language Arts – Reading

Passage A: Homework teaches students to manage time and to work without a teacher watching over them. Passage B: Young children already spend seven hours a day in class. Adding an hour of homework leaves little time for play, which builds social skills. How do the two authors' views differ?

  1. Only the author of Passage B believes schools assign homework.
  2. The two authors agree that homework is valuable for young children.
  3. Only the author of Passage A mentions time management.
  4. Passage A stresses benefits; Passage B stresses costs. Correct answer.

Explanation

Comparing two texts requires identifying the central claim of each. Passage A lists advantages of homework, while Passage B focuses on what homework takes away from young children.

Question 13Language Arts – Reading

"Her argument was a house of cards: one small push and the whole thing came down." What does the sentence suggest about the argument?

  1. It was too complicated to follow.
  2. It was made of several unrelated parts.
  3. It was built on careful research.
  4. It was easily undermined. Correct answer.

Explanation

A figure of speech should be read for the idea it conveys, not literally. A house of cards collapses at the slightest disturbance, so the comparison means the argument could not withstand even minor criticism.

Question 14Language Arts – Reading

Two clinics tracked patient appointments. Clinic A called each patient the day before; Clinic B did not. Missed appointments fell from 18 percent to 9 percent at Clinic A, while the rate at Clinic B stayed at 17 percent. Which conclusion is best supported by the data?

  1. Patients dislike being called.
  2. Clinic B has more patients than Clinic A.
  3. Reminder calls reduce missed appointments. Correct answer.
  4. Missed appointments cannot be prevented.

Explanation

A conclusion drawn from data must be limited to what the comparison shows. The only difference between the clinics was the reminder call, and only the calling clinic saw its no-show rate fall by half.

Question 15Language Arts – Reading

Our town has wasted money on bike lanes that hardly anyone uses. The few cyclists who do show up ignore traffic laws and hold up drivers. It's time the council listened to the people who actually pay for the roads. The author of the passage would most likely agree with which statement?

  1. Bike lanes make roads safer for everyone.
  2. The council should build more bike paths.
  3. The town wastes money on bike lanes. Correct answer.
  4. Cyclists should pay a registration fee.

Explanation

An author's point of view is the position his or her word choices build. The opening sentence calls the spending wasted, and the rest of the passage attacks bike lanes and the cyclists who use them.

Question 16Language Arts – Reading

Theo rehearsed his speech every night for a week, but when the auditorium lights came up, he spoke so quietly that the back rows leaned forward. Later, he told his sister he was glad the microphone had failed. Theo's comment about the microphone suggests that he

  1. was relieved to go unheard Correct answer.
  2. wanted to perform again soon
  3. had forgotten his speech
  4. was angry at the sound crew

Explanation

Motivation must be inferred from what a character says and does. Theo spoke too softly for the back rows yet was glad the microphone failed, which indicates he did not want his voice amplified.

Question 17Language Arts – Reading

Some deserts are not sandy at all. The Mojave, for instance, is mostly bare rock and gravel. This surprises visitors who arrive expecting dunes. In the passage, the word "This" refers to

  1. the Mojave desert itself
  2. the presence of sand in deserts
  3. the Mojave's rocky surface Correct answer.
  4. the expectation of dunes

Explanation

A pronoun or demonstrative refers to the nearest preceding idea that fits the sentence. Visitors are surprised by what the previous sentence states, namely that the Mojave is mostly bare rock and gravel.

Question 18Language Arts – Reading

(1) Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity, and a home system can cut a power bill substantially. (2) Output drops on cloudy days. Newer designs address this limitation: some panels track the sun across the sky, and others absorb light arriving from wider angles, so a passing cloud dims output less. (3) Costs have also fallen sharply in the last decade. What is the main function of the second paragraph?

  1. to argue that solar power is useless
  2. to describe a response to a drawback Correct answer.
  3. to list the costs of solar panels
  4. to explain how sunlight becomes electricity

Explanation

A paragraph's function is its job within the larger text. The second paragraph first names a weakness (cloudy days) and then explains how new designs reduce it.

Question 19Language Arts – Reading

The city should ban cars downtown. On the two days last summer when the main street was closed for a festival, air quality monitors recorded lower pollution. The evidence in the passage is limited mainly because

  1. it draws on only two unusual days Correct answer.
  2. it uses no numbers
  3. it was collected by festival organizers
  4. it relies on a single opinion

Explanation

Evaluating evidence means asking whether it is sufficient for the claim. Two festival days differ from ordinary traffic conditions and are too few to support a permanent citywide policy.

Question 20Language Arts – Reading

Every morning for forty years, Mr. Okafor swept the steps of the shop he no longer owned. When a neighbor asked why, he said the steps did not care who swept them. Which theme is best supported by the passage?

  1. Shops change hands frequently over time.
  2. Ownership is the only source of pride in work.
  3. Neighbors rarely understand each other.
  4. Steady care can outlast ownership and status. Correct answer.

Explanation

A theme is the insight about life that a story dramatizes. Mr. Okafor keeps caring for the steps long after selling the shop, and his reply suggests the work matters apart from who holds the deed.

Question 21Language Arts – Reading

The company's memo praised "efficiency" and announced that the night shift - which had not missed a deadline in six years - would be eliminated to save money. The memo closed by noting how much the company valued its people. The final sentence of the memo is an example of

  1. understatement
  2. hyperbole
  3. foreshadowing
  4. irony Correct answer.

Explanation

Irony occurs when words contrast sharply with the reality they accompany. Praising employees' value in the same memo that eliminates a loyal shift creates a contradiction between the wording and the action.

Question 22Language Arts – Reading

For three paragraphs the reviewer describes the novel's tangled plot and flat characters. Then, in a single sentence: "And yet, on page 240, something happens that made me put the book down and stare at the wall - the kind of scene that reminds you why people read at all." How does the reviewer's attitude change over the course of the passage?

  1. from enthusiasm to disappointment
  2. from criticism to admiration Correct answer.
  3. from confusion to boredom
  4. from anger to indifference

Explanation

A tone shift is signaled by contrast words such as "And yet." The review begins with complaints about plot and characters and then pivots to praise for a scene that justifies reading.

Question 23Language Arts – Reading

If we extend the library's hours until midnight, students will use the extra time to study, and test scores will improve. The argument depends on which assumption?

  1. The library has enough staff to stay open later.
  2. Extra library hours would be used for studying. Correct answer.
  3. Students currently study at home in the evenings.
  4. Test scores are the best measure of a school's quality.

Explanation

An assumption is an unstated belief the argument needs in order to work. The claim moves from longer hours to better scores only if students actually spend the added time studying.

Question 24Language Arts – Reading

Passage A: Automation eliminates routine jobs but creates new ones. The answer is retraining programs that move displaced workers into those new roles. Passage B: Retraining assumes that new jobs exist in the same towns at the same time as the old ones disappear. Often they do not, and the workers absorb the cost. The author of Passage B would most likely respond to Passage A by

  1. doubting that new jobs await displaced workers Correct answer.
  2. agreeing that automation never reduces total employment
  3. arguing that retraining programs are too expensive to run
  4. proposing that automation be banned outright

Explanation

To predict a response across texts, identify the second author's central objection. Passage B challenges the premise that retraining works because the promised jobs may not be available where workers live.

Question 25Language Arts – Reading

What does a city owe its dead? The question sounds abstract until you stand in a cemetery where headstones have sunk into the ground and no one has cut the grass since spring. The second sentence mainly serves to

  1. introduce a counterargument
  2. provide statistical evidence
  3. make an abstract question concrete Correct answer.
  4. summarize the passage's main point

Explanation

The second sentence shifts from a broad philosophical question to a specific physical scene. That movement from general to particular is what turns an abstraction into something a reader can picture and feel.

Question 26Language Arts – Reading

Three years ago the corner of Maple and Fifth was a vacant lot full of weeds and broken glass. Neighbors cleared it, built raised beds, and planted tomatoes, beans, and herbs. Today the garden supplies a weekly produce table for anyone who needs it, and the people who tend the beds know one another by name. Which sentence best states the main idea of the passage?

  1. A weekly produce table is open to anyone in the neighborhood who needs it.
  2. Tomatoes, beans, and herbs grow well in the raised beds at the garden.
  3. A vacant lot became a garden that feeds and unites neighbors. Correct answer.
  4. The corner of Maple and Fifth was once full of weeds and broken glass.

Explanation

The main idea must cover the whole passage, not just one supporting detail. The passage describes how a neglected lot was transformed and how that change helped both food access and neighbor relationships.

Question 27Language Arts – Reading

The principal's announcement was terse: two sentences, no questions, and she was gone before the bell. What does the word "terse" most nearly mean in this sentence?

  1. cheerful
  2. angry
  3. brief Correct answer.
  4. confusing

Explanation

The context clue "two sentences, no questions" signals that the announcement was short and to the point. "Terse" describes speech that is brief, often bluntly so.

Question 28Language Arts – Reading

The town opened its new pool in June. The pool holds 250,000 gallons and has eight lanes. The water is kept at 80 degrees. The locker rooms are the finest in the county. Which sentence states an opinion?

  1. The locker rooms are the finest in the county. Correct answer.
  2. The pool holds 250,000 gallons and has eight lanes.
  3. The town opened its new pool in June.
  4. The water is kept at 80 degrees.

Explanation

An opinion expresses a judgment or value that cannot be proved true or false. The word "finest" is a value judgment, while dates, capacities, and temperatures can be verified.

Question 29Language Arts – Reading

Honeybees that find food return to the hive and perform a waggle dance. The dance the bees perform is called a waggle dance. Other bees in the hive watch the dancer closely. Its angle and length show direction and distance. Which detail best supports the idea that bees share information about location?

  1. Other bees in the hive watch the dancer closely.
  2. The dance the bees perform is called a waggle dance.
  3. Its angle and length show direction and distance. Correct answer.
  4. Honeybees that find food return to the hive.

Explanation

A detail supports the idea only if it explains how location is communicated. The angle and length of the dance directly convey direction and distance to other bees.

Question 30Language Arts – Reading

Nadia read the bus schedule three times, set two alarms, and laid her clothes out the night before. At 6:40 she was standing at the stop, ticket in hand, twenty minutes early. What can the reader most reasonably infer?

  1. She is anxious about being late. Correct answer.
  2. She forgot something at home.
  3. She has never ridden a bus before.
  4. She is traveling to a job interview.

Explanation

An inference must be supported by details without going beyond them. Repeated schedule checks, multiple alarms, and very early arrival all point to worry about missing the bus.

Question 31Language Arts – Reading

The soup arrived lukewarm, the bread was burned at the edges, and the waiter vanished for half an hour. When the bill came, it included a charge for "atmosphere." Save your money and go elsewhere. What is the author's main purpose in this passage?

  1. To praise a restaurant's atmosphere
  2. To persuade readers to avoid a restaurant Correct answer.
  3. To describe how a particular soup is made
  4. To explain why restaurants charge extra fees

Explanation

The complaints about food and service build toward the direct advice "Save your money and go elsewhere." That command reveals a persuasive purpose aimed at future diners.

Question 32Language Arts – Reading

"Wonderful," Marta said, staring at the flat tire. "Just what I needed today." The tone of Marta's remarks is best described as

  1. calm acceptance
  2. sarcastic frustration Correct answer.
  3. playful excitement
  4. sincere gratitude

Explanation

Tone comes from the contrast between words and situation. "Wonderful" and "just what I needed" clash with the flat tire, so the remarks are ironic and frustrated rather than genuinely positive.

Question 33Language Arts – Reading

When beavers build a dam across a stream, the water behind it slows and spreads into a pond. The pond traps sediment, and the wet soil along its edges supports new plants. Those plants, in turn, draw insects and birds. How is the passage organized?

  1. As a sequence of steps in a recipe
  2. As a comparison between two kinds of animals
  3. As a list of problems and solutions
  4. As a chain of causes and effects Correct answer.

Explanation

Each sentence describes a result produced by the event before it: the dam causes a pond, the pond causes sediment and wet soil, and the plants draw wildlife. That linked pattern is cause and effect.

Question 34Language Arts – Reading

Last year the town replaced its streetlights with LEDs. The change cut the electricity bill by a third, but residents complained that the new lights glared into bedroom windows. This spring the town added shields to direct the light downward, and the complaints stopped. Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

  1. The town's electricity bill fell by one third last year.
  2. LED streetlights use less electricity than older bulbs do.
  3. Residents complained about light shining into their bedrooms.
  4. A money-saving change led to complaints that were fixed. Correct answer.

Explanation

A summary should capture the central sequence of events without focusing on only one fact. The passage moves from savings to complaints to a solution.

Question 35Language Arts – Reading

Passage A: A printed newspaper can be read without a battery, folded on a breakfast table, and clipped to the refrigerator. Passage B: An online news site updates by the hour and can be read on a phone anywhere there is a signal. What is the main difference between the two passages?

  1. Passage A criticizes print, while Passage B criticizes online news.
  2. Passage A is about newspapers, while Passage B is about televisions.
  3. A stresses physical ease; B stresses speed and reach. Correct answer.
  4. Passage A discusses cost, while Passage B discusses speed.

Explanation

Passage A emphasizes no battery, folding, and clipping, all physical conveniences of print. Passage B emphasizes hourly updates and phone access, which are about speed and mobility.

Question 36Language Arts – Reading

Volunteers have counted the frogs at Miller Pond every spring for ten years. The counts stayed steady until last spring, when they dropped by half. Rainfall and temperature that year were close to normal. Which conclusion is best supported by the passage?

  1. The pond has become too cold for frogs.
  2. Something besides weather may be harming frogs. Correct answer.
  3. Frogs cannot survive when rainfall is normal.
  4. The volunteers counted less carefully last spring.

Explanation

The passage rules out unusual weather by saying rainfall and temperature were normal. Since the frog count still fell sharply, another cause is likely.

Question 37Language Arts – Reading

The reckless proposal would tear up our quiet streets and hand them over to speeding cyclists. The word "reckless" mainly shows that the writer

  1. strongly opposes the proposal Correct answer.
  2. is unsure what the proposal says
  3. has read the full proposal carefully
  4. supports the proposal

Explanation

Loaded words carry a positive or negative judgment. "Reckless" and "tear up" present the proposal in a strongly negative light, revealing opposition.

Question 38Language Arts – Reading

The safety pamphlet was printed on paper so thin that it tore the first time anyone unfolded it. On the cover, in large letters, it advised: "Handle all materials with care." Why is the passage humorous?

  1. It tells readers to be careful while it falls apart. Correct answer.
  2. The pamphlet is printed in unusually large letters on its cover.
  3. The pamphlet is difficult to read.
  4. The pamphlet is about safety in the home.

Explanation

The humor comes from irony: the pamphlet's message about careful handling contradicts its own flimsy, easily torn form.

Question 39Language Arts – Reading

After the auditions, Mr. Reyes told each student "good work" as they left. When Lila reached the door, he said only, "Stay a moment." Her stomach dropped. What does Lila most likely assume?

  1. She did poorly in the audition. Correct answer.
  2. Mr. Reyes has forgotten her name.
  3. The audition is being canceled.
  4. She has won the lead role.

Explanation

Her reaction is the key clue: "her stomach dropped" suggests dread rather than excitement. Being singled out after everyone else received praise makes her expect bad news.

Question 40Language Arts – Reading

The councilman argues that the new park will lower crime because "parks give young people something to do." He offers no local figures, only examples from two towns far away. What is the main weakness of the councilman's argument?

  1. It claims that parks are always empty.
  2. It ignores the cost of the park.
  3. It uses too many statistics.
  4. Its evidence comes from distant towns. Correct answer.

Explanation

An argument is weaker when its evidence does not fit the specific situation being discussed. Examples from faraway towns may not predict what will happen locally, and the councilman offers no local data.

Question 41Language Arts – Writing

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

  1. Each of the student has completed the assignment.
  2. Each of the students have completed the assignment.
  3. Each of the students has completed the assignment. Correct answer.
  4. Each of the students having completed the assignment.

Explanation

The subject is "each," which is singular, so it takes the singular verb "has." The phrase "of the students" does not change the number of the subject.

Question 42Language Arts – Writing

Which sentence uses the correct pronoun to match its antecedent?

  1. The pack of wolves hunted they're prey.
  2. The pack of wolves hunted it's prey.
  3. The pack of wolves hunted their prey.
  4. The pack of wolves hunted its prey. Correct answer.

Explanation

The antecedent is "pack," a collective noun that is singular, so the singular possessive pronoun "its" is required. "It's" and "they're" are contractions, not possessive pronouns.

Question 43Language Arts – Writing

Which sentence uses the apostrophe correctly?

  1. The dogs' owner called them inside. Correct answer.
  2. The dog's are barking loudly.
  3. The dog's owner called they're dogs inside.
  4. The dogs are barking loudly at it's owner.

Explanation

"Dogs'" is the plural possessive, correctly showing that the owner belongs to more than one dog. Apostrophes mark possession or contractions, not simple plurals.

Question 44Language Arts – Writing

Which of these is a complete sentence?

  1. Because the train arrived twenty minutes late.
  2. Although the train, twenty minutes late.
  3. The train arrived twenty minutes late. Correct answer.
  4. Arriving twenty minutes late at the station.

Explanation

A complete sentence needs a subject and a finite verb that can stand alone. "The train arrived" supplies both without relying on a subordinating word.

Question 45Language Arts – Writing

Which sentence uses commas correctly in a series?

  1. She bought apples, oranges, and pears at the market. Correct answer.
  2. She bought apples oranges, and pears, at the market.
  3. She bought apples, oranges and, pears at the market today.
  4. She bought, apples, oranges and pears at the market.

Explanation

Items in a series are separated by commas placed between the items, not before the first item or after the conjunction. A comma after "and" incorrectly splits the conjunction from its item.

Question 46Language Arts – Writing

Choose the sentence that uses the correct word.

  1. The students must bring their books to class. Correct answer.
  2. The students must bring there books to class.
  3. The students must bring they're books to class.
  4. The students must bring theirs books to class.

Explanation

"Their" is the possessive form meaning "belonging to them," which is what the sentence requires before a noun. The other forms are a place word, a contraction, and a stand-alone possessive pronoun.

Question 47Language Arts – Writing

Which sentence maintains a consistent verb tense?

  1. She walks into the room and turned on the light.
  2. She walked into the room and turns on the light.
  3. She walked into the room and turned on the light. Correct answer.
  4. She walking into the room and turned on the light.

Explanation

Verbs joined by "and" in the same clause should be in the same tense unless a time shift is intended. Both verbs here are simple past, which keeps the sequence consistent.

Question 48Language Arts – Writing

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

  1. The storm knocked out the power; the streets were dark for hours; because the wind was strong.
  2. The storm knocked out the power; dark streets for hours.
  3. The storm knocked out the power; the streets were dark for hours. Correct answer.
  4. The storm knocked out the power; and the streets were dark for hours.

Explanation

A semicolon joins two complete, closely related clauses without a coordinating conjunction. Each side of the mark here is an independent clause.

Question 49Language Arts – Writing

Which revision correctly fixes the run-on sentence "The library closes at six we must leave now"?

  1. The library closes at six, we must leave now.
  2. The library closes at six and we must leave now quickly.
  3. The library closes at six we must, leave now.
  4. The library closes at six, so we must leave now. Correct answer.

Explanation

A comma plus a coordinating conjunction such as "so" correctly joins two independent clauses. A comma alone is a comma splice and does not fix a run-on.

Question 50Language Arts – Writing

Which sentence uses parallel structure?

  1. The job requires typing, to file, and answering the phones.
  2. The job requires typing, filing, and to answer the phones.
  3. The job requires typing, filing, and answering the phones. Correct answer.
  4. The job requires to type, filing, and answering the phones.

Explanation

Items in a list must share the same grammatical form, so all three items should be gerunds. Only one choice uses gerunds throughout.