| 1.
C is the
best answer. Correction: a single tusk.
tusk is a singular count noun and it does not have a determiner (a,
the, my, some, John's, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
We need a determiner for every singular count noun. This is one of the
most common mistakes--we need to look at every underlined noun and figure
out whether it is a count or non-count noun. If it is a count noun, is
singular and does not have a determiner, then it is wrong. You have
a big clue here because of the word single which means that tusk is
singular and countable. Did you choose having tusks? This is
correct because it is reduced from that have tusks.
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| 2.
B is the best answer.
Correction: implies.
This is a
word form question. This is one of the top five problem areas! implication
is a noun; we need a verb, implies. If you were confused by While
their, you should remember that while = although.
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| 3.
B is the best answer.
Many people forget this rule. We need a possessive subordinating
conjunction, whose here. Here's a simple test: can we say sperm
whale's
name? If we can use the 's form here (the
possessive form), then we should use whose and not which.
Finally, we need to say that the name comes from something, not comes
something since come cannot be used with another noun after it,
i.e., come is intransitive and cannot take an object.
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| 4.
D is the best answer.
First of all, we need a determiner for the singular count noun cavity. We need
a determiner for every countable noun. This is one of the most common
mistakes--we need to look at every underlined noun and figure out whether
it is a count or non-count noun. If it is a count noun, is singular and
does not have a determiner, then it is wrong. That means we should
choose C or D. Remember, TOEFL doesn't test the difference between a
and the, so we don't have to worry about whether a or the
is better. Finally, D is better because we should use an adjective clause
here, that contains. We should use for containing to explain
a purpose, for example Copper is one of the best metals for cooking.
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| 5.
A is the best answer.
This is basically another word form question and a meaning question
together. All of the answers fit into certain grammar patterns, but only A
has the correct meaning. This question is difficult also because cosmetic
can be both a noun and an adjective. For example, in B, cosmetic is
a noun and in C cosmetic is an adjective. We want to say that the
solid is used in cosmetics, as in A. B says that the solid is the cosmetic
(noun). C says that the solid is cosmetic (adjective). Finally, we should
remember that chief means main and chiefly means mainly.
If this question was hard for you, don't worry--most TOEFL questions
depend on grammar and not on meaning!
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| 6.
D is the best answer.
Correction: as.
This is a
preposition question. This is one of the top five problem areas! We need
to say that the liquid is used as a
lubricant. used for can be used when we want to tell the
purpose; for example, We should not use a computer for a simple task.
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| 7. B is the best answer.
We
need a main subject and a main verb here. This sentence actually has two sentences--Canaries
used to be used in mines to detect odorless, colorless, and poisonous gas
is the first sentence and when the canary died, it meant that poisonous
gas was present is the second sentence, so we need to choose B. If we
choose D, we don't know what it refers to--? We have no
referent for the pronoun: the poisonous gas meant what
was present??
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| 8.
D is the best answer.
We
have a reduced adjective clause here--that were once thought to be
indicative of larynxes is reduced to once thought to be
indicative of larynxes. We should remember that when we reduce an
adjective clause, we keep the adverb. This question is hard because the
grammar and vocabulary is pretty advanced.
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| 9.
B is the best answer. Correction:
bulbous heads.
head is a
singular count noun. We need a determiner for every singular count noun or
we need to make the singular count noun a plural noun. This is one of the
most common mistakes--we need to look at every underlined noun and figure
out whether it is a count or non-count noun. If it is a count noun, is
singular and does not have a determiner, then it is wrong. In this
case, we need to change head to heads. We have some other
clues here as well--whales, are, and members all tell
you that we are talking about many whales and we should also use the
plural form of head.
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| 10.
A
is the best answer.
Correction:
known as. We need to say known as.
In general, known as should be used to show that we can use a
different name for something, for example, Matsuda, the giant Japanese
automaker is known as Mazda in the United States. We should use known
for when we want to talk about the reputation that something has, for
example, The state of Bahia in Brazil is known for its delicious fish
stews and beautiful music.
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| 11.
C is the best answer.
We can use an adjective clause here: a cavity that holds sperm oil.
Each of the other answers contains a mistake. In A, to holding is
incorrect; we should say to hold. In B, held is wrong; we
should use present tense and we also need to use that. Finally, D
is wrong because we should not say a sperm oil since oil in a
non-count noun and should not be used with a.
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| 12.
D is the best answer.
First of all, we need a main verb since the main subject is progress
and there is no verb in the sentence. That leaves us with A and D. A is
wrong for two reasons. First, the easiest thing to explain, is that we
should use the present perfect, has been, for progress here
because we can infer from this sentence that this progress is something
that has been occurring for a long time and is still occurring in the
present.
The second reason A is wrong is the placement of the adverb largely.
Rules for adverbs are difficult in English! In this case, we need the
adverb of frequency between the auxiliary verb has and the past
participle been. One way to help we can remember this is to
remember a simple sentence with an adverb of frequency, for example, My
mother has always told me to work hard. If we can remember this
sentence, we can remember the rule for adverbs of frequency.
You need an article for every countable noun.
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| 13.
B is the best answer. Correction:
common areas.
area is a
singular count noun and it does not have a determiner (a, the, my,
some, John's, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
We need a determiner for every singular count noun or we need to
make it plural. This is one of the most common mistakes--we need to look
at every underlined noun and figure out whether it is a count or non-count
noun. If it is a count noun, is singular and does not have a
determiner, then it is wrong.
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| 14.
A is the best answer.
Correction: The price.
Price is
a singular count noun and it does not have a determiner (a, the, my,
some, John's, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
We need a determiner for every singular count noun or we need to
make it plural. This is one of the most common mistakes--we need to look
at every underlined noun and figure out whether it is a count or non-count
noun. If it is a count noun, is singular and does not have a
determiner, then it is wrong.
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| 15.
C is the best answer.
This is another top five problem area! Here we have a reduced adjective
clause: hooves that are more developed reduces to hooves more
developed. Also, we can't say more developing because it would
mean hooves that are more developing. We should use more with the
adjective developed to show the degree. If we wanted to use a
comparative with developing, we would have to use a sentence like
this: Many businesses in Asia and Latin America are developing more
quickly than those in Europe and North America.
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| 16.
B is the best answer.
In this sentence, we need a subordinate subject for the verb starts.
Also, we have a reduced adjective clause: the water that is contained
inside reduces to the water contained inside.
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| 17.
A is the best answer.
Correction: its nickname.
nickname
is a singular count noun and it does not have a determiner (a, the, my,
some, John's, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
We need a determiner for every singular count noun or we need to
make it plural. This is one of the most common mistakes--we need to look
at every underlined noun and figure out whether it is a count or non-count
noun. If it is a count noun, is singular and does not have a
determiner, then it is wrong.
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| 18.
B is the best answer.
earn takes two objects--a direct object and an indirect object. In
this sentence, the main subject is loyalty, the direct object is the
nickname, and the indirect object is them.
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| 19.
C is the best answer.
Essentially, this is a reduced adjective clause: the homing pigeon,
which was once abundant, is now extinct reduces to the homing
pigeon, once abundant, is now extinct which, in turn, can be changed
to once abundant, the homing pigeon is now extinct. Remember, when
we reduce an adjective clause, we keep the adverb.
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| 20.
A is the best answer.
Correction: Composing.
Essentially,
this is a reduced adjective clause: hydrogen, which composes over 99%
of the studied universe, is by far the most abundant element in the known
universe reduces to hydrogen, composing over 99% of the studied
universe, is by far the most abundant element in the known universe
which, in turn, can be changed to Composing over 99% of the studied
universe, hydrogen is by far the most abundant element in the known
universe.
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