Science roundup highlights T. rex footprints, solar “superflares,” and reading’s reported brain benefits

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

C2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the complete sentence and notice the subject, verb form, time reference and word order before answering.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence that uses a concessive subordinate clause appropriately.

   1. Although the events were intense, their frequency remained unspecified.
   2. Although the events were intense, but their frequency remained unspecified.
   3. Although the events were intense, therefore their frequency remained unspecified.
   4. Although the events were intense, and their frequency remained unspecified.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Although the events were intense, their frequency remained unspecified.

   Although introduces a contrast between intensity and missing contextual details.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure.

   1. One story looks backward, another considers phenomena, and the third addresses reading.
   2. One story looks backward, another considering phenomena, and the third addresses reading.
   3. One story looking backward, another considers phenomena, and the third addresses reading.
   4. One story looks backward, another considers phenomena, and the third addressing reading.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   One story looks backward, another considers phenomena, and the third addresses reading.

   The coordinated clauses use matching verb forms and syntactic patterns.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence that correctly uses a reduced relative clause.

   1. The traces preserved in the fossil record remain informative.
   2. The traces preserving in the fossil record remain informative.
   3. The traces were preserved in the fossil record remain informative.
   4. The traces preserve in the fossil record remain informative.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The traces preserved in the fossil record remain informative.

   “Preserved in the record” correctly reduces “that were preserved.”

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the grammatically correct inversion after a negative adverbial.

   1. Not only does the roundup span disciplines, but it also signals evidential limits.
   2. Not only the roundup spans disciplines, but it also signals evidential limits.
   3. Not only does the roundup spans disciplines, but it also signals evidential limits.
   4. Not only spanning disciplines the roundup also signals evidential limits.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Not only does the roundup span disciplines, but it also signals evidential limits.

   “Not only” at the beginning requires auxiliary-subject inversion.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with accurate subjunctive use.

   1. The editor insisted that the report distinguish correlation from causation.
   2. The editor insisted that the report distinguishes correlation from causation.
   3. The editor insisted that the report distinguished correlation from causation.
   4. The editor insisted the report distinguishing correlation from causation.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The editor insisted that the report distinguish correlation from causation.

   The mandative construction appropriately uses the base form “distinguish.”

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with correct participial modification.

   1. Covering three disciplines, the roundup illustrates science journalism’s breadth.
   2. Covering three disciplines, science journalism’s breadth illustrates the roundup.
   3. Covered three disciplines, the roundup illustrates science journalism’s breadth.
   4. To covering three disciplines, the roundup illustrates science journalism’s breadth.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Covering three disciplines, the roundup illustrates science journalism’s breadth.

   The opening participial phrase logically modifies “the roundup.”

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence that correctly maintains reported-speech backshift.

   1. NPR reported that the findings were suggestive but inconclusive.
   2. NPR reported that the findings are suggestive but inconclusive.
   3. NPR reported that the findings be suggestive but inconclusive.
   4. NPR reported the findings being suggestive but inconclusive.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   NPR reported that the findings were suggestive but inconclusive.

   Past reporting appropriately shifts “are” to “were” in the embedded clause.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the sentence with the most precise nominal complement.

   1. The summary leaves unresolved whether reading directly causes the benefits.
   2. The summary leaves unresolved that reading directly causes the benefits.
   3. The summary leaves unresolved reading directly causes the benefits.
   4. The summary leaves unresolved what reading directly causes the benefits.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The summary leaves unresolved whether reading directly causes the benefits.

   “Whether” correctly introduces the unresolved alternative under discussion.

What to review next

After checking an answer, explain the rule in your own words and write a new sentence using the same pattern. Revisit any rules you could not explain.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.