The rules of English grammar and writing are important to some poets. Proper grammar can help get the meaning of writing across to a wide audience. That is why many people were shocked with the inventive poetry of E.E. Cummings. He took risks and did all he could not to write in a single comprehensible English sentence. He E.E. Cummings lived an interesting and productive life. He is most widely known as “the poet who didn’t capitalize his name,” and his life, like his poetic style, was unique.

Edward Estlin Cummings was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1894. He grew up with lenient, liberal parents. They supported his writing at an early age. Unlike many poets, he liked his parents and enjoyed his childhood. He attend public schools in Cambridge fore attending Harvard University, like his father. At Harvard, Cummings received a M.A. for English and Classical studies and graduated magna cum laude. He also helped found the Harvard Poetry Society.

Which of the following words is closest to the meaning of "lenient" as it is used in this passage?

Harrison had math test last Wednesday. He studied really well and thought that he did really good. When he walked into school today, Harrison’s teacher looked at him strangely. Harrison started to sweat, because he assumed the teacher’s expression meant he did poorly on the test. Harrison began to wonder wear he went wrong. The teacher walks around the room and handed out the graded assessments. Then the teacher, who had been walking around the room, paused in front of Harrison’s desk, and Harrison thought that he must of performed worst on the test than the rest of the class had. Then, to Harrison’s surprise, the teacher smiled, exclaiming that Harrison had scored one hundred percent.

What is the best way to correct the bolded and underlined section of the passage?

Sarah and Naba played soccer together as children. They remember one game during which their team had less players than the other team. Sarah thought that her team should forfeit, as they could not possibly win in light of such a disadvantage. However, Naba convinced Sarah that if they made an effort, they could succeed. The girls fought well during the match and beat the other team. (no error)

Choose the answer choice corresponding to an error in usage within the passage.

(1) I’m completely convinced that the little hole in the wall with the green awning is the best coffee shop in the city. (2) Right on the corner of 89th Street and 2nd Avenue next to the bus stop. (3) I grew up just a couple of blocks away, and this place has been around since before I was born. (4) I’m sure you’ve never heard of it, but it is definitely the best. (5) Their coffee is delicious and always the perfect temperature—not too hot, and not too cold. (6) They get their coffee beans from a local coffee roaster about ten blocks north. (7) Believe me when I tell you that the pastries are out of this world. (8) You’ve got to try their chocolate croissants. (9) One would be remiss not to mention that all aforementioned pastries are made daily in-house. (10) The chef, a woman named Julie, supposedly trained in Paris and learned from some of the best French pastry chefs. (11) I’d have expected that a chef like that would wind up in some fancy bakery instead of an unassuming little neighborhood spot like this. (12) Julie lives in the apartment right above the shop. (13) She’s hired a few local kids to work at the counter, but she bakes every weekday. (14) It’s rare that tourists make it this far north in the city, so most of the customers are locals who live nearby. (15) A few other coffee shops and bakeries have come and gone over the years, but none of them are anywhere near as good as this one. (16) I’ll take you tomorrow morning, and you can see for yourself.

In sentence (9), what is the meaning of "aforementioned"?

Its \[10\] not always easy to find fresh ingredients. But it is important to break \[11\] the cycle of eating junk food through a way that is creative. \[12\] If you don't have easy access to fruits and vegetables in your hometown, try to join a program to learn how to grow your own produce! Replacing potato chips with potatoes is a good investment for your future health.

Choose the option that is the most grammatically correct.

(1) Yoga is an ancient practice. (2) It is a practice that originated in India. (3) Although many modern yoga practitioners think that yoga is mostly about stretching and exercise, its origins are much more closely related to meditation and spirituality. (4) One major text that forms a large portion of what we now know about yoga is The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. (5) Hatha is the name of one style of yoga. (6) In The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, eight different components or “limbs” of yoga are introduced. (7) Only one of these “limbs” pertains to a physical yoga practice. (8) The other seven are related to moral virtuous behavior, breathing, and inward focus. (9) Yoga was first introduced to the west in the 19th century and gained major mainstream popularity in the 20th century. (10) In the United States and around the world, a wide variety of yoga styles have taken hold. (11) A few current popular yoga styles include vinyasa, ashtanga, bikram, and many others. (12) Many of these styles are quite different from the earlier forms of yoga. (13) In fact, many of the poses in contemporary yoga were actually influenced by calisthenics done by the British army. (14) Krishnamacharya, the yogi-in-residence in Mysore, India for much of the twentieth century, combined the earlier mystic elements of yoga with movements borrowed from gymnastics and military conditioning routines. (15) Often called “The Father of Modern Yoga,” Krishnamacharya personally instructed some of the most influential teachers who then went on to establish their own styles of teaching.

In sentence (7) "pertains" most nearly means ________________.

(1) The film shows us the cultural phenomenon of rumspringa, a time in which Amish teens can metaphorically “run around” and explore the ways of the outside world without being punished for betraying their communities and families’ strict rules. (2) We see several young Amish partaking in unusual behavior, including drinking and smoking. As disturbing as some of the film are, the tumultuous period of rumspringa is educative because it results in education and is an enlightening experience. It gives the Amish a time to explore the “English” world and gain an understanding of what they will have to forego if they choose to join the Amish Church. (3) Amish teenagers get a chance to experience the clothes, music and lifestyles of the “English” and can judge for themselves how well suited they feel in those contexts.

Which of the following words would best replace the word “unusual” in sentence 2?