English Usage Test 12

Para: Mask mandates sparked debate, but evidence showed fewer infections when masks fit well and ventilation improved. Best summary? Para: Mask mandates sparked debate, but evidence showed fewer infections when masks fit well and ventilation improved. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Mandates increased infections Mandates increased infections
Proper masking and ventilation were associated with reduced transmission despite controversy
Ventilation had no role Ventilation had no role
Debate proves measures fail Debate proves measures fail

The memoir avoids melodrama, acknowledging mistakes with dry humor. Its restraint makes its hardest passages land even harder. ______ The memoir avoids melodrama, acknowledging mistakes with dry humor. Its restraint makes its hardest passages land even harder. ______

2 Mark(s)

The glossary defines several technical terms
By refusing to plead for sympathy, it earns the reader's trust
Several chapters lack photographs Several chapters lack photographs
The index omits page numbers The index omits page numbers

Para: Enzymes sped reactions without being consumed. By lowering activation energy, they enabled pathways to proceed at body temperature. Best summary? Para: Enzymes sped reactions without being consumed. By lowering activation energy, they enabled pathways to proceed at body temperature. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Enzymes are used up by reactions Enzymes are used up by reactions
Enzymes catalyze reactions by lowering energy barriers without being consumed
Reactions need freezing temperatures Reactions need freezing temperatures
Catalysis stops pathways Catalysis stops pathways

Investors applauded the company’s flashy rebrand, but customers cared about delivery times. The firm learned the hard way. ______ Investors applauded the company’s flashy rebrand, but customers cared about delivery times. The firm learned the hard way. ______

2 Mark(s)

It upgraded fonts twice It upgraded fonts twice
Logistics, not logos, determine loyalty in its category
It bought a ping-pong table It bought a ping-pong table
The CEO changed her haircut The CEO changed her haircut

Para: End-to-end encryption protects messages, but metadata remain visible. Reforms target minimizing log retention to improve privacy. Best summary? Para: End-to-end encryption protects messages, but metadata remain visible. Reforms target minimizing log retention to improve privacy. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Encryption hides everything Encryption hides everything
Encryption secures content; policy changes aim to reduce metadata exposure
Metadata are irrelevant Metadata are irrelevant
Logs are increasing Logs are increasing

When the fish market went cashless, queues shrank and theft fell. Vendors who once feared apps now recommend them to newcomers. ______ When the fish market went cashless, queues shrank and theft fell. Vendors who once feared apps now recommend them to newcomers. ______

2 Mark(s)

Rainfall remained below average this year
Early skepticism gave way to adoption once benefits were visible
Tourists preferred the museum across town
The stadium hosted a concert The stadium hosted a concert

Para: A painter limited her palette to three colors, mixing tones on canvas. The restraint produced unity without monotony. Best summary? Para: A painter limited her palette to three colors, mixing tones on canvas. The restraint produced unity without monotony. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

A wide palette created chaos A wide palette created chaos
A restricted palette yielded cohesive yet varied results
Monotony dominated Monotony dominated
Color was absent Color was absent

Para: A randomized trial outperformed before–after studies by balancing confounders. Effects were smaller but more reliable. Best summary? Para: A randomized trial outperformed before–after studies by balancing confounders. Effects were smaller but more reliable. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Before–after is always better Before–after is always better
Randomization improved causal credibility even with smaller estimated effects
Confounders don’t matter Confounders don’t matter
Reliability fell Reliability fell

The city's riverfront, once a chain of derelict warehouses, now hosts markets and bike paths. Residents say the area finally feels like it belongs to them. ______ The city's riverfront, once a chain of derelict warehouses, now hosts markets and bike paths. Residents say the area finally feels like it belongs to them. ______

2 Mark(s)

Developers plan a luxury marina far from the river
The revival signals a shift from industrial neglect to public life
A distant suburb opened a new mall A distant suburb opened a new mall
The town changed its official flower The town changed its official flower

Para: Residual plots revealed heteroskedasticity. Using robust errors changed significance for some predictors, tempering claims. Best summary? Para: Residual plots revealed heteroskedasticity. Using robust errors changed significance for some predictors, tempering claims. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Diagnostics are unnecessary Diagnostics are unnecessary
Accounting for heteroskedasticity with robust errors led to more cautious inferences
Heteroskedasticity increases significance
Predictors became causal Predictors became causal

Para: People overrate information that confirms beliefs. Training to seek disconfirming evidence improved decisions modestly. Best summary? Para: People overrate information that confirms beliefs. Training to seek disconfirming evidence improved decisions modestly. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Confirmation bias is unbeatable Confirmation bias is unbeatable
Confirmation bias skews judgment; targeted training yields modest improvements
Training removed all bias Training removed all bias
Beliefs were unchanged Beliefs were unchanged

Cooling the sensor cut noise; faint signals emerged where randomness once reigned. Follow-up observations confirmed the pattern. ______ Cooling the sensor cut noise; faint signals emerged where randomness once reigned. Follow-up observations confirmed the pattern. ______

2 Mark(s)

The cafeteria added more desserts The cafeteria added more desserts
Engineering choices unlocked discoveries the theory had predicted
The team canceled all future studies The team canceled all future studies
A new logo was designed A new logo was designed

Para: The film used long takes and sparse music to build tension, relying on gestures over dialogue. Viewers reported an immersive experience. Best summary? Para: The film used long takes and sparse music to build tension, relying on gestures over dialogue. Viewers reported an immersive experience. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Fast cuts created chaos Fast cuts created chaos
Minimalist techniques produced immersive tension through visuals and sound restraint
Dialogue dominated Dialogue dominated
Music overwhelmed scenes Music overwhelmed scenes

Para: Pre-registration limited flexibility in analysis. Despite smaller effects than expected, findings were more credible to peers. Best summary? Para: Pre-registration limited flexibility in analysis. Despite smaller effects than expected, findings were more credible to peers. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Pre-registration inflates effects Pre-registration inflates effects
Constraining researcher flexibility yielded smaller but more trusted results
Peers ignored the study Peers ignored the study
Flexibility guarantees credibility Flexibility guarantees credibility

The pilot program raised reading scores, but only where tutoring was consistent. Sites with staff turnover saw little change. ______ The pilot program raised reading scores, but only where tutoring was consistent. Sites with staff turnover saw little change. ______

2 Mark(s)

The cafeteria served spicy food The cafeteria served spicy food
Implementation quality proved as crucial as the program design
The budget office moved buildings The budget office moved buildings
The uniforms changed color The uniforms changed color

The startup once chased every feature request, cluttering its product. After painful churn, it cut scope, picked a niche, and rebuilt trust. ______ The startup once chased every feature request, cluttering its product. After painful churn, it cut scope, picked a niche, and rebuilt trust. ______

2 Mark(s)

It raised prices on unrelated hardware It raised prices on unrelated hardware
Focus, not breadth, became the engine of renewal
It hired a band for the office party It hired a band for the office party
Employees stopped using laptops Employees stopped using laptops

Classrooms bristled with devices, yet essays grew thinner. Teachers realized novelty wasn't a substitute for thought. ______ Classrooms bristled with devices, yet essays grew thinner. Teachers realized novelty wasn't a substitute for thought. ______

2 Mark(s)

Battery life improved after an update Battery life improved after an update
They began designing tasks that demanded reasoning, not clicking
Printers were replaced with 3D printers Printers were replaced with 3D printers
Students painted the walls blue Students painted the walls blue

Para: Monsoon winds reversed early, bringing heavy rain to windward slopes and drying leeward valleys. Farmers adjusted sowing dates. Best summary? Para: Monsoon winds reversed early, bringing heavy rain to windward slopes and drying leeward valleys. Farmers adjusted sowing dates. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Monsoon timing had no effect Monsoon timing had no effect
An early monsoon altered rainfall patterns, prompting farmers to adapt schedules
Valleys flooded everywhere Valleys flooded everywhere
Sowing dates were fixed Sowing dates were fixed

Para: A bakery switched to sourdough and longer fermentation. Flavor improved and some customers with sensitivities tolerated bread better. Best summary? Para: A bakery switched to sourdough and longer fermentation. Flavor improved and some customers with sensitivities tolerated bread better. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Short fermentation improved flavor Short fermentation improved flavor
Long ferment and sourdough enhanced flavor and tolerability for some
Customers disliked the change Customers disliked the change
Bread quality fell Bread quality fell

Congestion pricing drew fury before launch. A year later, buses ran faster and businesses adjusted delivery hours. ______ Congestion pricing drew fury before launch. A year later, buses ran faster and businesses adjusted delivery hours. ______

2 Mark(s)

The harbor's tides were unusually high The harbor's tides were unusually high
Outcomes dulled the rhetoric as routines adapted to the new incentives
The football club changed its manager The football club changed its manager
A bakery ran out of croissants A bakery ran out of croissants

Para: A data law mandated consent and minimization. Firms cut tracking and still met goals with aggregate analytics. Best summary? Para: A data law mandated consent and minimization. Firms cut tracking and still met goals with aggregate analytics. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Compliance destroyed analytics Compliance destroyed analytics
Privacy rules pushed firms toward aggregate data while maintaining utility
Consent was removed Consent was removed
Tracking increased Tracking increased

Para: A probe used a gravity assist to save fuel, then executed a small burn for orbital insertion. The maneuver extended its mission life. Best summary? Para: A probe used a gravity assist to save fuel, then executed a small burn for orbital insertion. The maneuver extended its mission life. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Gravity assists waste fuel Gravity assists waste fuel
Smart navigation combined slingshot and small burns to conserve fuel and extend the mission
The probe missed orbit The probe missed orbit
The mission ended early The mission ended early

Para: An endangered language gained speakers after radio lessons aired weekly. Community pride rose as songs and stories returned to festivals. Best summary? Para: An endangered language gained speakers after radio lessons aired weekly. Community pride rose as songs and stories returned to festivals. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Broadcasts reduced interest Broadcasts reduced interest
Media lessons and cultural revival increased speakers and pride
Festivals were canceled Festivals were canceled
Only elders used the language Only elders used the language

Para: Upwelling brought nutrients, fueling blooms that drew fish. When winds shifted, productivity fell and boats moved on. Best summary? Para: Upwelling brought nutrients, fueling blooms that drew fish. When winds shifted, productivity fell and boats moved on. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Fish ignore nutrients Fish ignore nutrients
Wind-driven upwelling drives boom–bust productivity cycles for fisheries
Blooms reduce fish Blooms reduce fish
Boats stayed despite poor catch Boats stayed despite poor catch

Para: Progressive disclosure hid advanced settings from novices. Power users could still access depth, while new users felt less overwhelmed. Best summary? Para: Progressive disclosure hid advanced settings from novices. Power users could still access depth, while new users felt less overwhelmed. Best summary?

2 Mark(s)

Hiding settings angered all users Hiding settings angered all users
Staged complexity reduced novice overload without blocking experts
All options were removed All options were removed
Novices were confused Novices were confused

English Usage Test 12 : Question 1 of 25