Reconstruction of Sentence Questions and Answers

Answer: B

Correct answer: QPRS

The sentence reads:

A noise started above their heads. That was to show everyone that there was something wrong. But people did not take it seriously. It was a dangerous thing to do. For, with the roof about to give way, every second counted.

Q explains the noise, so that has an antecedent. P records the reaction with but, R judges that reaction, and S gives the reason with for.

Answer: C

Correct answer: SRQP

The sentence reads:

They are the only team to play in the state of New York, as both other 'New York' teams, the Jets and Giants, play in New Jersey.

S opens the main clause and R completes it, since to play needs its place. Q then supplies the subject of the as clause and P its verb.

Answer: A

Correct answer: RPQS

The sentence reads:

Mr. xyz spent most of his career with the Bills and was once the league's all-time leading rusher.

R gives the subject and verb, P completes the first predicate, and Q begins the second with and was. S supplies the second half of the hyphenated all-time, which cannot be separated from it.

Answer: C

Correct answer: SPQR

The sentence reads:

They are the only NFL team to win four back-to-back conference championships, which they accomplished between 1990 and 1993.

S is the main clause and P completes the infinitive after it. Q begins a relative clause referring to the championships, and R gives the period.

Answer: D

Correct answer: QPSR

The sentence reads:

But some people, young and old alike, remain calm when death suddenly presents itself, and this calmness may on occasion be life-saving.

Q supplies the verb for the subject already given and opens the when clause; P completes it. S then begins the second clause with and, and R is an adverbial that must sit between may and the closing be life-saving.

Answer: B

Correct answer: QSPR

The sentence reads:

In 1854, Anthony devoted herself to the rights of women and advocated complete equality between men and women.

Q gives the date, subject and verb, and S completes devoted herself to. P adds the second verb after the and that ends S, and R completes equality between.

Answer: A

Correct answer: QSPR

The sentence reads:

She soon developed political inclinations and took a strong stance against slavery.

Q and S must stay together because political in Q modifies inclinations in S. S then carries and took, P supplies its object, and R completes stance against.

Answer: C

Correct answer: RPQS

The sentence reads:

Politeness is not a quality possessed by only one nation or race. It is a quality to be found among all peoples and nations in every corner of the earth. One may observe that a man of one nation will remove his hat or fold his hands by way of greetings when he meets someone he knows. A man of another country will not do so. Obviously, each person follows the custom of his particular country.

R answers the opening sentence directly, so it comes first. P and Q are then a matched pair - one nation does this, another does not - and S draws the conclusion from that pair, which the closing sentence about not mocking others' habits follows on from.

Answer: A

Correct answer: QSPR

The sentence reads:

While talking to a group, one should feel self-confident and courageous. One should also learn how to think calmly and clearly. It is not as difficult as most men imagine. Nor is it a gift bestowed by providence on only a few. It is like the ability to play golf.

Q continues the advice with also. S and P are then a pair joined by nor, which cannot precede the negative it extends, and R gives the comparison that the closing sentence about developing the capacity depends on.

Answer: D

Correct answer: RPSQ

The sentence reads:

Meteors, also called shooting stars, occur in the Earth's mesosphere at an altitude of about 40-60 miles.

R is the subject with its apposition and P the verb phrase. S then opens the measurement and Q supplies the figure, which cannot be separated from at an altitude of.