271. C.

“snowbird” or
The comma before the conjunction or doesn’t join two independent clauses, so it needs
to go. Eliminate Choices (A) and (D). A comma after a coordinating conjunction such
as or is almost always wrong, so Choice (B) is out. The correctly punctuated answer is
Choice (C).
272. A. NO CHANGE
The underlined pronoun renames someone, a singular indefinite pronoun. Someone is a
person, so you wouldn’t refer to the pronoun as its. Indefinite pronouns aren’t second
person, so your isn’t appropriate, even though most of the essay uses second person.
Eliminate Choices (C) and (D). Choice (B) is a contraction rather than a possessive
pronoun — you wouldn’t say “they are time” — so it’s out. The remaining answer
must be correct. In standard written English, referring to singular indefinite pronouns
as “his or her” is the best option. Choice (A) is best.
273. A. NO CHANGE
In this sentence, however is an aside rather than a conjunctive adverb, which means it’s
part of the first independent clause that precedes the coordinating conjunction so. The
words following so also form an independent clause, which means you need a comma
before so to properly join them to the first independent clause. Therefore, Choice (A) is
correct; it properly sets however apart with a pair of commas, the second of which
properly pairs with so to join the independent clauses.
Because the first independent clause ends with however, the semicolon and colon in
Choices (B) and (C) can’t be right. Commas after coordinating conjunctions are rarely
correct, so Choice (D) is out.
274. B. yours
The underlined singular pronoun it has no clear reference. It appears to refer
to cars, but cars is plural, so Choices (A), (C), and (D) are wrong. The best answer is
Choice (B), which may refer to cars and specifically those that are yours.
275. D. wasteful
There is no reason to add a bunch of meaningless words and clauses when the single
word wasteful conveys the intended meaning. The most precise answer is Choice (D).
276. A. NO CHANGE
Choice (A) provides the reader with the most specific images of the kinds of grime that
ruin paint. You have no idea what it refers to. Merely stating that a variety of
substances exists doesn’t provide the reader with concrete images, so Choices (C) and
(D) are out. Choice (B) indicates where the grime comes from, but it doesn’t provide
the specific substances that Choice (A) does.
277. D. period, for
The question asks for the least desirable alternative, so eliminate answers that convey a
similar meaning to the underlined part. But means in contrast, which means that the
answers that also convey contrast, such as however, though, and nonetheless, are
 incorrect. The answer that’s different is Choice (D); for as a conjunction
means because.
278. C. No, because the sentence introduces a new dilemma that is unrelated to the
essay’s main idea.
The essay in general is about protecting cars, so a sentence about potential damage to
houses is irrelevant. The answer that conveys this reasoning best is Choice (C).
Although Choices (B) and (D) are true about the essay, they don’t provide clear
reasons for adding or omitting the sentence. Choice (A) is untrue; the essay is primarily
about protecting cars and not about dirt damage.
279. D. OMIT the underlined part.
You can easily eliminate Choices (B) and (C) because they have exactly the same
meaning. They can’t both be right, so they must both be wrong. Choice (A) isn’t much
different. Consider Choice (D). What if you omitted the underlined word? Do you
really need to know that a vehicle parked on the street is outside? It’s hard to imagine a
car on the street that would be inside! The underlined part is redundant, and Choice (D)
is best.
280. C. are
Being and creating are participles (verb parts) that can’t be main verbs without a
helper. So Choices (A) and (B) are sentence fragments. The sentence needs a
conjugated verb. Both Choices (C) and (D) deliver, but Choice (D) introduces a past
tense verb into a present tense essay. Choice (C) is best.
281. A. NO CHANGE
The preposition that best connects “worry” and “criminals and critters” is about: you
with worry about criminals and critters, not from, on, or by them. Choice (A) is best.
282. D. Furthermore,
Rain and snow aren’t examples of criminals and critters, so Choice (A) is out.
Criminals and critters don’t cause rain and snow, so the cause and effect relationship
suggested by Choice (B) is wrong. Rain and snow aren’t opposite to criminal and
critters, though; they’re all car damage causers. So Choice (C) isn’t the proper
transition. The best answer is Choice (D). Rain and snow are additional, or further,
elements to worry about.
283. D. you’re
When you apply the “it is” test, you see that Choice (B) works better than Choice (A):
It is smart to fill the car with oil. Be sure to check all answers, though, before you
select Choice (B) and move on. Consider Choice (D). Notice that the sentence contains
a beginning phrase with an action word (washing), which is a participle. A beginning
participle phrase describes the subject of the sentence. But it isn’t washing the
car, you are. The better answer between Choices (B) and (D) is Choice (D).
Choice (C) doesn’t exist, so always eliminate it when you see it as an answer option.
284. A. NO CHANGE
 Eliminate Choices (B), (C), and (D) because they’re in the past tense. The rest of the
paragraph is present tense.
285. B. dangerous
The way this sentence uses prove suggests that it’s a linking verb rather than an action
verb. Therefore, it should be followed by the adjective form dangerous rather than the
adverb form dangerously or the noun danger. Choice (B) is best.
286. D. are
The subject of the clause is “alcohol and drug use and abuse,” which is plural.
Therefore, you need a plural verb. Eliminate Choices (A) and (C). The rest of the verbs
in the paragraph are in the present tense, so Choice (D) is best.
287. B. exist regarding
The sentence in Choice (A) is incomplete. Regarding isn’t a conjugated verb. The
remaining choices contain conjugated verbs, but only Choice (B) presents the correct
plural form and present tense.
288. A. NO CHANGE
The punctuation is correct in Choice (A). You need the comma after drinking to
provide the partner to the comma pair that sets apart “or needing to drink to fit in” as a
nonessential phrase.
289. B. effect
As a general rule, the verb is affect, and the noun is effect. You need the noun form
here, so Choice (B) is correct. Choices (C) and (D) have alternative meanings that
aren’t appropriate for the sentence.
290. A. NO CHANGE
The best preposition for the job is Choice (A). The use has a negative
effect by impairing one’s judgment — not as, on, or for impairing.
291. D. judgment, becoming a coping device,
The sentence in Choice (A) has a problem with parallelism. The negative effects are by
impairing, becoming, or promoting. All elements of the series are noun
participles. Coping in Choice (B) is used as an adjective to describe device rather than
as a noun like the other members of the series. The answer that maintains parallel
structure is Choice (D).
292. C. engage in risky behaviors
The only choice that suggests danger is Choice (C). Risky behaviors are more
specifically dangerous than things, acts, or activities.
293. B. surrounds
Choice (A) isn’t a complete sentence because surrounding isn’t a conjugated verb. The
rest of the paragraph is in present tense, so the best answer is the present tense option
in Choice (B).
294. B. familiar
 Choice (A) is redundant. The sentence describes the exposure as common at the
beginning. Choices (C) and (D) don’t convey the intended meaning, so Choice (B) is
best.
295. C. Deleted, because the statistics presented are not directly relevant to the
statements made in the first sentences of the paragraph.
The statistics presented in the sentence support the premise that alcohol is abused by
more people than other drugs, but the main purpose of the paragraph is to show that
drug and alcohol use are more prevalent because of media exposure. Therefore, the
statement should be deleted for the reason stated in Choice (C).
296. C. colleagues’
Because colleague and research are both nouns, you need to put colleague in
possessive form. Eliminate Choices (B) and (D). Elsewhere, the passage clarifies that
Bedard-Gilligan has several colleagues, so the plural version in Choice (C) is correct.
297. D. research shows that assaults are more violent when alcohol is involved
The sentence is about a current fact, so all verbs should be in present tense. The only
answer that maintains present tense is Choice (D).
298. D. others
Choice (D) uses one word to convey the same meaning as the other answers. It’s the
most precise, concise construction.
299. A. NO CHANGE
The punctuation in Choice (A) is proper. The nonessential descriptive clause consists
of all words after the comma. The underlined part has no other nonessential elements,
so the comma placement in Choices (B), (C), and (D) is incorrect.
300. D. before paragraph 3
The information in paragraph 4 sets up the more specific, related information in
paragraph 3. Paragraph 4 links the societal influences mentioned in the first two
paragraph with the tendency to diminish sexual assault in situations where those
involved are under the influence of drugs and alcohol as described in paragraph 3.
Another big clue is that the fourth paragraph refers to Michele Bedard-Gilligan by her
first and last name in the paragraph 4 but by her last name in paragraph 3. Therefore,
the best placement for paragraph 4 is before paragraph 3.
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