Question

1. which choice makes clearest the light, sporadic arrangement of the bubbles in the glass?

f. no change
g. pointed
h. speckled
j. covered

1. the best placement for the underlined portion would be:

a. where it is now.
b. after the word bubbles.
c. after the word during.
d. after the word cooling.
42.
f. no change
g. for having unearthed
h. that would unearth
j. unearthing

1. if the writer deleted the preceding sentence, the essay would primarily lose a:

a. bluntly critical comment that makes clear anna’s frustration with trying to find a white fulgurite in the sand dunes of new mexico.
b. mildly scolding response by anna to the narrator’s impatience with the time and attention it might take for them to find a white fulgurite.
c. light moment in the form of a good - natured joke by anna about how easy it could be to find a white fulgurite.
d. moment of excitement when anna remembers that they could easily find a white fulgurite at the local gift shop.
with tiny bubbles trapped formed by air and moisture
41
during the rapid cooling of the melted sand after the
lightning strike.
we continued exploring the dunes.
anna laughed and said we needed only
to stop at the local gift shop to unearth
42
our treasure.
43
but given

Explanation:

Question 40

To determine the best word for "light, sporadic arrangement of the bubbles", we analyze the options:

• "pointed" (G) doesn't fit the description of bubble arrangement.
• "speckled" (H) implies a scattered, spot - like pattern, which matches "light, sporadic".
• "covered" (J) suggests a more uniform or extensive covering, not sporadic.
• The original (F) is not the best fit as "speckled" better conveys the idea.

We need to find the best placement for the underlined portion "during the rapid cooling of the melted sand after the lightning strike". The original placement (A) is not ideal. Let's check the options:

• Option B: "after the word bubbles" - Placing it here would disrupt the flow as the bubbles are formed by air and moisture, and the cooling context is about the sand.
• Option C: "after the word during" - This doesn't improve the sentence structure.
• Option D: "after the word cooling" - The phrase "during the rapid cooling... after the lightning strike" is about when the bubbles form during the cooling process of the sand after the strike. Placing it after "cooling" makes the sentence structure more logical, showing that the bubble formation happens during the cooling of the sand (which occurs after the lightning strike).

We analyze the verb form for "to stop at the local gift shop to unearth". The original (F) is "to unearth", but we need to match the tense and context. The sentence is in the past - "Anna laughed and said...". The correct form should be a past - related form. "that would unearth" (H) fits the context of what they would do at the gift shop (a future - in - the - past action). "for having unearthed" (G) is a gerund form and doesn't fit the intended meaning. "unearthing" (J) is a present participle and also doesn't fit.

Answer:

H. speckled

Question 41