ACT English Quiz: Agreement

During the spring clean-up, the box of donated books from the library sale sat near the doorway, and volunteers sorted titles by genre. By noon, the box of donated books from the library sale are nearly empty, even though more readers keep arriving with bags to add.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

At the student-run café, the menu board lists smoothies, teas, and a rotating soup. The new batch of cookies, along with a tray of muffins, are displayed near the register so customers can grab something quickly between classes.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

At the museum, the committee for the new exhibit reviewed the final labels, lighting cues, and audio guide scripts. After a long discussion, the committee for the new exhibit have agreed to open the show a week early to match the school field-trip schedule.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

Everyone in the group were excited about the upcoming trip. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

The box of crayons were on the table when I left. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

At the community theater, the director asked for quiet while the cast reviewed stage directions. The chorus, along with the lead actors, rehearse in the lobby between scenes to save time before opening night.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

The group of musicians are performing tonight at the concert hall. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

During a neighborhood clean-up, the coordinator reminded volunteers to sign in before picking up supplies. The list of names near the entrance are updated every hour by a student helper, so late arrivals can still be counted accurately for the city's report.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

The news were broadcasted live on television. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

At the aquarium, a volunteer explained how coral reefs support many different species. A variety of fish in the tropical tank swims close to the glass when visitors approach, hoping for food.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

A few of the cookies is missing from the jar. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

PASSAGE I: The Invisible Art of Noise

¹ When watching a movie, audiences usually focus on the actors' dialogue or the sweeping musical score. Rarely do they consider the crunch of footsteps in snow, the rustle of a silk dress, or the squeak of a saddle. Most viewers assume these sounds were recorded on set during filming. In reality, however, microphones are designed to pick up dialogue, not background noise. Most of the detailed sounds you hear (1) has been created weeks later in a studio by a specialized craftsperson known as a Foley artist.

² Named after Jack Foley, a sound editor at Universal Studios in the 1920s, the profession requires a unique blend of creativity and athleticism. Foley artists work on specialized stages containing recessed areas called "Foley pits." These pits hold different surfaces—gravel, dirt, hardwood, and more—that mimic real-world textures. To recreate the sound of a character walking, the artist watches the screen and mimics the actor's steps, (2) wearing the shoes that match the character's footwear. If the character is walking on broken glass, the artist steps on scattered ceramic tiles. (3) Having carefully selected the proper materials, the realistic sound is created.

³ The work involves more than just footsteps. Foley artists must be inventive to (4) generate sounds that do not exist in the real world. For a science fiction film, the sound of an alien egg hatching (5) might be created by squishing a honeydew melon. (6) On the other hand, the bone-crunching impact of a fistfight is often simulated by breaking stalks of celery or snapping carrots wrapped in a towel. The goal is realistic audio, even if the source is decidedly artificial.

⁴ Precision is critical. The sound must sync perfectly with the visual action. If a sword is drawn from a sheath one second too late, the illusion is shattered. Foley artists often perform "wild tracks," recording sounds without watching the picture, (7) but for complex scenes, they must perform in real-time, matching their movements to the actor's rhythm.

⁵ Despite their importance, Foley artists often go unrecognized. Their work is successful only when it goes unnoticed. (8) If the audience realizes the sound of a horse's hooves is actually two halves of a coconut shell being banged together, the magic is lost. Like a magician's trick, the art of Foley relies on misdirection.

⁶ Today, digital libraries offer thousands of pre-recorded sound effects. Many directors still prefer the custom touch of a human artist. A canned sound effect is static and repetitive, (9) whereas a Foley performance is organic. It breathes life into the visual image, giving weight and texture to the world on screen. (10) The next time you watch an old horror movie, remember that someone might be standing in a studio, slowly twisting an old rusty hinge.(11)

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

A number of students has signed up for the course. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

For a service-learning project, students wrote letters to local officials about improving crosswalk safety. Everyone who signed the petition were asked to include their address so the city could verify residency.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

The jury is still deliberating its verdict.

In a feature article about street murals, the writer described how a team of artists planned the design and mixed paint in large buckets. Neighbors stopped to watch as the outlines took shape across the brick wall. Even though the artists worked together, the team of painters are deciding which colors to use for the border before starting the final section.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

At the start of rehearsal, the director asked the cast to gather in a semicircle and listen for changes to the final scene. Several actors had questions about blocking, and the stage manager took notes to update the script. Near the front row, the pair of spotlights above the aisle is flickering, so the crew checks the wiring.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

In the library's quiet study room, a group of seniors worked on scholarship essays while soft rain tapped the windows. The committee of reviewers are meeting later today to select finalists, and the students hope their drafts are strong.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

In chemistry class, the teacher demonstrated how to separate pigments from a marker using a strip of paper and a cup of water. Students compared the bands of color and recorded observations in their lab notebooks. After the demonstration, everyone in the lab are expected to dispose of materials properly before the bell.

Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?

Neither of the options are suitable for the project. Which choice makes the sentence most grammatically acceptable?