NEDP Reading and Writing 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which sentence contains a correctly placed comma?

I enjoy hiking, camping, and fishing. (Correct answer)
I enjoy, hiking camping and fishing.
I enjoy hiking camping, and fishing.
I, enjoy hiking camping and fishing.

Correct answer: I enjoy hiking, camping, and fishing.

Items in a series should be separated by commas. The serial comma before 'and' is correct usage.

When listing three or more items in a series, use a comma after each item except the last: hiking, camping, and fishing. The comma before 'and' (the Oxford or serial comma) clarifies meaning and is standard in formal writing.

Question 2: What is the main purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph?

To state the main idea of the paragraph (Correct answer)
To provide supporting details
To summarize the entire essay
To introduce a counterargument

Correct answer: To state the main idea of the paragraph

A topic sentence states the central idea of the paragraph and tells readers what to expect.

The topic sentence announces the main idea or focus of the paragraph. All other sentences in the paragraph support, explain, or develop this central claim. It is typically the first sentence and acts as a roadmap for the reader.

Question 3: Which word is a synonym for 'eloquent'?

Articulate (Correct answer)
Confused
Quiet
Rude

Correct answer: Articulate

'Eloquent' means fluent and persuasive in speech or writing; 'articulate' shares this meaning.

Eloquent means fluent, expressive, and persuasive in language. Articulate (adj.) means able to express thoughts clearly and effectively, making it the best synonym. Confused, quiet, and rude all have different or opposite meanings.

Question 4: Read this sentence: 'The report was written by the team.' This is an example of which voice?

Passive voice (Correct answer)
Active voice
Imperative voice
Subjunctive voice

Correct answer: Passive voice

In passive voice, the subject (the report) receives the action rather than performing it.

In passive voice, the subject receives the action. 'The report was written by the team' — the report (subject) had something done to it. Active voice would be: 'The team wrote the report.' Active voice is generally preferred in clear writing because it is more direct.

Question 5: What does the prefix 'mis-' mean in the word 'misunderstand'?

Wrongly or incorrectly (Correct answer)
Again
Before
Not enough

Correct answer: Wrongly or incorrectly

The prefix 'mis-' means wrongly or badly, as in misunderstand (to understand incorrectly).

The prefix 'mis-' comes from Old English and means 'wrongly,' 'badly,' or 'incorrectly.' Misunderstand = to understand incorrectly. Other examples: misplace, misbehave, miscalculate. Knowing common prefixes helps decode unfamiliar vocabulary.

Question 6: Which sentence best demonstrates cause and effect?

Because she studied every night, she passed the exam. (Correct answer)
She studied every night. She passed the exam.
She passed the exam and she had studied.
She studied; the exam was on Friday.

Correct answer: Because she studied every night, she passed the exam.

The word 'because' explicitly links the cause (studying) to the effect (passing), making the relationship clear.

Cause-and-effect sentences explicitly show how one event leads to another. Using 'because' makes the causal relationship explicit: studying every night (cause) → passing the exam (effect). The other options place the events together without clearly stating that one caused the other.

NEDP Reading and Writing 2

Which sentence contains a correctly placed comma?