Before the Big Bang, there was no matter in the universe. It was a dense, hot, soupy mixture. Scientists call this stuff quark-gluon plasma, or quark soup in layman’s terms.
_______
, this plasma cooled and gave rise to the first atoms, mostly helium and hydrogen.
_______
, the first stars and galaxies formed.
________
, scientists still do not have conclusive evidence of how the first stars and galaxies in the universe came into being.

Which transition word is not correctly used in the passage?
Advertising is a creative art that serves several purposes. The main purpose of advertisements is to persuade people to buy a particular product or service. IN ADDITION , an ad informs the reader about the product or service. FOR EXAMPLE, an advertisement for a car describes the key features of the car, and it may also include a tagline or an attractive picture to sway potential buyers. MOREOVER the invention of television and digital media, such as the Internet, most ads appeared in newspapers, magazines, and the radio. Today, businesses have a wide variety of advertising channels to promote their products and services.

Which two statements are true about the introduction paragraph of a five-paragraph informative essay?

- It gives supporting details for the topic of the paper.
- It gives the main topic of the paper.
- It provides background information on the topic.
- It elaborates on the first supporting detail.
- It summarizes all the information in the paper.

Read the excerpt from the article "Madurodam: A Tiny Wonder." Which topic sentence best applies to the passage?

The miniature park of Madurodam was originally built for the young George Maduro by his parents. Today the place is open for visitors who want to feel like a giant for a day. It is like a real version of the classic novel Gulliver's Travels, where Gulliver visits Lilliput, a land filled with small beings. Everything in Madurodam is about 25 times smaller than real life. Visitors get to see scaled-down versions of some of the famous Dutch landmarks and cities. It is a source of great enjoyment for visitors and tourists who are able to bend down and touch the tiny ships in the harbor or cover the lighthouse beacon with their hands.

A. Miniature parks are a source of fascination and wonder for children and adults alike.
B. The Madurodam houses tiny cities and tiny landmarks for visitors to look at.
C. The Madurodam was a labor of love built for young George Maduro by his parents.
D. The miniature city of Madurodam in the Netherlands is a great attraction for tourists.

Which two sources are primary sources of information for an essay on a famous personality?

- a transcript of a speech by the famous person
- a newspaper article about the famous person
- a book about famous personalities
- a memoir written by the famous person

Read the sentence. Select the words that best complete the two blanks.
As the road they took was long and ________, they ___________ whether the journey was worth it.

A. cumbersome, enveloped
B. perilous, contemplated
C. ascent, precipitate
D. steep, descent
E. nucleus, decided

Which two characteristics should be included in the setting of a story?

- the physical environment where the story takes place
- the sequence in which the events take place
- the reaction of the main character towards the events
- the time period during which the events occur

Which characteristic is common to memoirs?
A.
completely accurate
B.
describes the author's feelings
C.
follows a timeline of an entire life
D.
gives a balanced view of issues

Which two sentences use the word evinced correctly?

- She evinced an interest in drama, so I took her to see the play.
- Because they forgot to pay the rent, the landlord evinced them.
- The painting was evinced beautifully by the artist.
- The artist’s skill was evinced by the intricate details in his painting.
- The outlaws made a plan to evince with the money.

Which sentence is in passive voice?
A.
The sun beat down on the thirsty travelers.
B.
Carla went to the supermarket to get some supplies.
C.
Jason baked a cake for his brother.
D.
These cookies will be eaten by my neighbor’s kids.