Sample English Questions
Not so long ago, African Americans 1were still considered second class citizens in many parts of the South. They had to use different washrooms than white people, eat in different restaurants, and 2drank out of different water fountains. When African Americans rode on Alabama buses, they were also required to give up their seats and move to the back if a white person happened to board the bus. That practice changed due to the actions of a 3woman, by the name of Rosa Parks, now considered an essential figure in the Civil Rights Movement.In the long fight for equal rights, the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama was one of the simplest and most effective protests launched on behalf of the African American community. It all started when Rosa Parks boarded the city bus after work. Shortly after, a white man boarded the bus, but Rosa Parks did not follow the rules and move to the back. 4Besides, she remained seated and refused to move. Because of this, she was arrested and charged. Probably, the driver and the bus company thought that would be the end of it. However, the black community's decision was that they would not board any city buses until they were allowed to sit where they liked. For over a year, the buses traveling through Alabama were practically empty. Of course, the final decision to allow black people to sit where they liked wasn't a matter of civil rights; it was one of economics. The bus company almost went bankrupt during the boycott, and the African American community achieved their goal by negatively impacting 5the bus's company's profit margin.
1. A. NO CHANGE
B. were still considered as second class citizens
C. we're still considered second class citizens
D. were, still considered, second class citizens
2. A. NO CHANGE
B. had drunk out of different water fountains
C. drink out of different water fountains
D. to drink out of different water fountains
3. A. NO CHANGE
B. woman by the name of Rosa Parks, now considered
C. woman by the name of Rosa Parks now, considered
D. woman by the name of, Rosa Parks, now considered
4. A. NO CHANGE
B. However
C. Instead
D. Then
5. A. NO CHANGE
B. the bus company
C. the bus companies'
D. the bus company's
Answer Key:
1. Correct Answer: A
Explanation: This phrase is fine the way it is. Black people were still considered second class citizens not so long ago. B is incorrect because the "as" is unnecessary. C is incorrect because of the apostrophe. The phrase would read "we are still considered second class citizens," which doesn't make sense in the context of the sentence. D is incorrect because the two commas are not needed, and make the meaning of the phrase unclear.
2. Correct Answer: C
Explanation: This sentence lists three things that African Americans had to do: use different washrooms, eat in different restaurants, and drink out of different fountains. For the sentence to be correct, the tense of the verbs should be consistent throughout the sentence. C is the only choice that contains the correct form of the verb (drink). Therefore, it is the best answer.
3. Correct Answer: B
Explanation: B is the only answer choice the contains correctly placed commas. In the original text, the first comma is incorrect because it separates "woman" and "by the name of Rosa Parks." The sentence makes more sense when these words are kept together. C is incorrect because it separates "now" and "considered." D is incorrect because of the comma in front of Rosa Parks. B is the sentence that reads the smoothest and makes the most sense.
4. Correct Answer: C
Explanation: This sentence provides a contrast to the previous sentence. Rosa Parks did not get up and go to the back of the bus. She stayed in her seat. "Instead" is the logical transitional adverb. It is the only answer choice that accurately characterizes Rosa Parks' response. The original choice implies she did something in addition to not moving. B implies that another side of the issue is being presented. D implies that a sequence of events is being described. C is the best answer choice.
5. Correct Answer: D
Explanation: The sentence states that the protest negatively impacted the profit margin of the company. The original text is incorrect because of the apostrophe after bus. The apostrophe "s" (as in bus's) would indicate possession, as if the bus owned the company. As such, that choice is illogical and absurd. Choice B might be a good second choice but is not the best answer. Choice C would indicate that the profit margins of several bus companies were affected, but the protest hurt the profit margin of only one company. D indicates that one company's profits were negatively impacted, making it the correct choice.