ACT Exam Questions

Page 10 of 26

181.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

Students must meet with his advisers at least once a semester.

  • their advisers

  • No change

  • her advisers

  • them advisers

Students must meet with their advisers at least once a semester.

The antecedent "students" is gender neutral, while the pronoun "his" refers only to male students. Therefore, it is necessary to use a plural, gender neutral pronoun. This means that "their advisers" is the correct usage.

182.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

The mayor stated two things: he is responsible for enforcing city planning, and the final decision for the park's location rests with him.

  • No change

  • two things;

  • two things

  • too things

The mayor stated two things: he is responsible for enforcing city planning, and the final decision for the park's location rests with him.

A colon is used after a complete sentence to introduce a series of items.

183.

Find the volume of a box whose length, width and height are 9 inches, 6 inches and 5 inches, respectively.

  • 270 cubic inches

  • 405 cubic inches

  • 260 cubic inches

  • 90 cubic inches

Correct answer: 270 cubic inches

Volume = length × width × height

9 × 6 × 5 = 270 cubic inches

184.

Read the passage then answer the following question.

According to the passage, where does Bryan work?

  • At a syrup plant

  • At a lumber yard

  • At a software company

  • At a college

The first sentence of the passage states that Bryan works for a syrup plant.

From the passage: Bryan Scott, forty, works second shift at the local syrup plant.

185.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

If I was a wealthy person, I would spend all of my free time visiting foreign countries.

  • If I were a wealthy person,

  • No change

  • If I be a wealthy person,

  • If I is a wealthy person,

If I were a wealthy person, I would spend all of my free time visiting foreign countries.

When a sentence is about a non-true situation (which will often involve the word "if), the verb "to be" will always be written as "were."

186.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

According to the author, what is the healthiest part of the grape?

  • The skin

  • The seed

  • The leaves

  • The vine

The healthiest part of the grape is the skin.

In the fourth sentence of the second paragraph, the author states that the healthiest part of the grape is the skin. Since the skins of grapes are used in the fermentation of red wine, red wine typically has more health benefits than white wine.

187.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

We'd lived within miles of each other for years; but never met until we were in college.

  • for years, but

  • No change

  • for years but,

  • for years: but

We'd lived within miles of each other for years, but never met until we were in college.

A semicolon links two independent clauses. The presence of the conjunction "but," which can also link two independent clauses, makes the semicolon unnecessary. A comma is the correct punctuation.

188.

The solution of the equation ax² − x − 15 = 0 is x = 3. 

Find the value of a.

  • 2

  • -2

  • 2 1/2

  • -2 1/2

Correct answer: 2

If the solution of ax² − x − 15 = 0 is x = 3, then:

a(3)² − 3 − 15 = 0

9a − 18 = 0

9a = 18

a = 2

189.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

We were amazed to find that, Emily was such a talented painter.

  • find that Emily

  • No change

  • find that Emily,

  • find, that Emily

We were amazed to find that Emily was such a talented painter.

There is no need for punctuation in this phrase. The correct usage should be "We were amazed to find that Emily."

190.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

What color are the Cahaba River lilies?

  • White

  • Yellow

  • Lavender

  • Pink

The lilies begin to bloom in May, with each delicate white blossom lasting a single day.

The second sentence of the second paragraph states that the Cahaba River lilies have white blossoms that last only a single day.

191.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

According to the passage, some prehistoric penguins were:

  • Roughly the size of an adult human

  • The size of a large dog

  • Four-legged

  • Capable of flying

Some prehistoric species reached enormous sizes, becoming as tall or heavy as an adult human. 

The third sentence of the third paragraph states that some former species of penguin reached the size of an adult human. These species are now extinct, but are known to have lived in Antarctica and further south.

192.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

The Old Man of the Lake is:

  • A tree stump that has bobbed in Crater Lake for years

  • An ancient redwood growing on the banks of Crater Lake

  • An elderly park ranger who watches over Crater Lake

  • A boat which has floated in the lake for years

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of Crater Lake is also one of the strangest: the Old Man of the Lake, a tree stump that has bobbed around the lake for more than one hundred years.

In the first sentence of the second paragraph, the author of this passage describes the Old Man of the Lake. The author describes this phenomenon as a tree stump that has bobbed around the lake for more than one hundred years.

193.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

After being washed, the shirt lost some of his bright color.

  • lost some of its

  • No change

  • lost some of it's

  • lost some of their

After being washed, the shirt lost some of its bright color.

Use of the possessive pronoun "his" makes the sentence sound like the shirt is male. For a gender-neutral noun like "shirt", the correct possessive pronoun "its" is correct.

194.

Identify which of these numbers is evenly divisible by 8.

  • 52,000

  • 26,700

  • 55,420

  • 57,910

Correct answer: 52,000

A number is divisible by 8 if the last three digits form a number that is divisible by 8, or are "000."

From the answer choices, it is obvious that 52,000 is divisible by 8.

195.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

Never has I seen such an amazing collection of artwork.

  • Never have I seen

  • No change

  • Never does I seen

  • Never do I seen

Never have I seen such an amazing collection of artwork.

The subject and verb are inverted in this sentence. Try reversing the order to see if it is correct. In the phrase "I has never seen," the subject and verb are not in agreement. The correct usage is "Never have I seen."

196.

Read the passage then answer the following question.

According to the passage, hepatitis C targets which organ?

  • The liver

  • The heart

  • The lungs

  • The pancreas

In the first paragraph, the author makes multiple references to liver damage (and transplants) caused by hepatitis C.

From the passage: ...mostly from illnesses such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. The study estimates that around 3.2 million Americans are chronically infected with hepatitis C and reveals that it is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States.

197.

Read the passage, and then answer the following question.

Where along the river can the largest concentration of the Cahaba River lily be found?

  • Hargrove Shoals

  • Muscle Shoals

  • Quidbey Shoals

  • Shallow Shoals

Although it grows in Georgia and South Carolina as well, there is one location along the Cahaba River, Hargrove Shoals, which is home to the largest concentration of the lily in the world.

In the second sentence of the first paragraph, the author of the passage clearly states that the largest concentration of Cahaba lilies are found in Hargrove Shoals.

198.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

I failed to see the sign, and stopped short in the intersection.

  • No change

  • stopped shortly

  • stopped more short

  • stopped shorter

I failed to see the sign, and stopped short in the intersection.

Although "short" looks like an adjective because it lacks -ly, it actually functions as an adverb in this instance. Thus, the correct usage would be "stopped short."

199.

Choose the option that represents the best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence below.

Rachels garden is filled with wildflowers and a large variety of roses.

  • Rachel's

  • No change

  • Rachel is

  • Rachels'

Rachel's garden is filled with wildflowers and a large variety of roses.

This is a simple case of the possessive. Because the sentence is discussing Rachel's garden, an apostrophe should be added, and the correct usage is "Rachel's."

200.

Simplify the following expression:

tp/(m³n) × n³p²/t

  • n²p³/m³

  • n³p³/m³

  • n²p²/m³

  • n²p³/m

Correct answer: n²p³/m³

We apply the product and quotient rules of exponents.

tp/(m³n) × n³p²/t = tp n³p²/(m³nt) = n³p³t/(m³nt) = n²p³/m³.