Question

1. the opening notes of the band will coincide with the first fireworks bursting in the sky, and the two events happening together should create an exciting moment. as used in this sentence, “coincide” most nearly means— a. come before. b. be in agreement with c. happen simultaneously d. clash. 2. we work in different parts of the pet clinic because our duties don’t overlap. as used in this sentence, “overlap” most nearly means— a. overwhelm us b. cover the same area of responsibility c. extend over and cover part of. d. interest us 3. since he was always enthusiastic, confident, and helpful, his co-workers agreed that his personality was a plus. as used in this sentence, “plus” most nearly means— a. on the positive side of a scale b. having negative qualities

Explanation:

1. In the first sentence, "coincide" is used to describe two events (the opening notes of the band and the first fireworks bursting) happening at the same time. "Happen simultaneously" (Option C) is the most appropriate meaning.
2. For the second sentence, "overlap" in the context of duties in a pet clinic means that the duties do not cover the same area of responsibility. Option B ("cover the same area of responsibility") is incorrect as the sentence says "don't overlap". Option C ("extend over and cover part of") is more about physical or spatial overlap. The key is that in a work - duty context, when duties don't overlap, it means they don't have the same scope. But if we consider the general meaning of "overlap" as having a common part, in the context of work duties, it's about having the same area of responsibility. However, if we consider the more literal meaning, "overlap" can mean to cover the same area. But in a work - duty context, when it's said that duties don't overlap, it implies that they don't have the same scope. But if we consider the word's basic meaning, "overlap" means to cover the same area. For example, if two pieces of paper overlap, they cover the same area. In the context of duties, if duties overlap, they cover the same area of responsibility.
3. In the third sentence, "plus" is used to describe a positive aspect of a person's personality. "On the positive side of a scale" (Option A) is the correct meaning as it implies that his personality is a positive trait.

Answer:

1. C. happen simultaneously
2. B. cover the same area of responsibility
3. A. on the positive side of a scale