helping to extract the toxins, which makes the options in (A), (B), and (C) redundant and
unnecessary to the sentence. Choice (D) is correct.
A Choice (B) can be eliminated because the singular pronoun it would be referring to bed
bugs which is plural. Choice (C) changes the meaning of the sentence by indicating that
some bed bugs are a nuisance, whereas the original sentence is suggesting that bed bugs as
a whole are a nuisance. Choices (A) and (D) are similar in meaning; however, (D) is
wordy while (A) maintains the simple present tense, which is needed, so no change should
be made to the sentence. Choice (A) is correct.
C Notice what is changing in the choices. When dealing with pronouns, possessives use NO
apostrophes, but contractions do use apostrophes. So, they’re is the contraction for they
are. Their shows plural possession. There is used to refer to location. Eliminate (A) and
(B) because the sentence needs a possessive pronoun: It is the bed bugs’ prevalence that is
being discussed. Choice (D) is incorrect because the use of the would provide no
ownership of prevalence and would not be precise. Thus, (C) is correct.
B Notice the question! It asks whether or not the author has achieved the goal of providing
continuity between the two paragraphs. The third paragraph describes the significant
problem bed bugs were during the twentieth century because of their prevalence and lists
events in 1933 and during World War II for support. The fourth paragraph continues this
timeline of events by mentioning the efforts of the United States in the 1940s and the
reappearance of bed bugs in the 1980s. Thus, the goal for continuity between paragraphs
has been achieved for the reason stated in (B).
B The author is explaining that the resurgence of bed bugs is due to two causes: pesticide
_____ and international travel. The part of speech needed is a noun to be consistent with
the other noun used (international travel), so eliminate (A), (C), and (D). Choice (B) is
correct, as it uses the correct noun to convey the intended meaning.
D Notice what is changing in the answer choices: punctuation! Periods and semicolons can be
used only to separate complete ideas. In this sentence there is a complete idea before the
punctuation and an incomplete idea after the punctuation, so neither (A) nor (B) is correct.
Choice (C) is incorrect because and does not reflect the contrast between two ideas in the
sentence. Choice (D) is correct because it ties the two ideas together with a comma and
though, which accurately reflects the way the second statement qualifies the first.
D Notice the question! It asks for a choice that would best maintain the focus of this sentence
and paragraph. The focus of this paragraph is on the unexpected discovery that bed bugs
can transmit disease. The only option that does this is (D), as the paragraph references a
new reason and worry. Choices (A), (B), and (C) bring up irrelevant points about mice or
rats in the context of this paragraph and are not consistent with the focus of the sentence or
paragraph.
A Use the first phrase in the sixth paragraph (If these findings are true) to help. The phrase
these findings is referring back to the study that was discussed at the end of the fifth