BCA Writing Skills 3

Question 1

Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?

Accepted Answer

She finished her homework; she then watched a movie.

Answer

A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of an appeal to ethos in persuasive writing?

Accepted Answer

As a licensed physician with 20 years of experience, I recommend this treatment.

Answer

Ethos establishes the writer's credibility and authority, as demonstrated by citing professional credentials.

Question 3

Which revision eliminates the dangling modifier in: 'Running through the park, the trees looked beautiful.'?

Accepted Answer

Running through the park, I thought the trees looked beautiful.

Answer

Adding 'I' gives the participial phrase 'running through the park' a logical subject to modify.

Question 4

What is the purpose of a counterargument paragraph in an essay?

Accepted Answer

To acknowledge and then refute an opposing view

Answer

Acknowledging and refuting opposing views strengthens an argument by demonstrating awareness of alternative perspectives.

Question 5

Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?

Accepted Answer

She likes hiking, swimming, and running on trails.

Answer

Parallel structure requires that all items in a list use the same grammatical form—here, gerunds (hiking, swimming, running).

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