Quizzes

PREPOSITIONS AND PHRASALS

In the following story from The New York Times, the prepositions have been removed. Fill them in using words from this list, some of them multiple times:

after      at      by     during     for     from     in     into     of     on     to     under     with

The Minnesota Orchestra announced Thursday night that its president, Michael Henson, whose decision to seek a substantial pay cut _____ its musicians led ______ a bruising 16-month lockout when they resisted, would be leaving his post ______ the end of August.

The departure ______ Mr. Henson could pave the way ______ the return ______ its former music director, Osmo Vanska, who resigned ______ frustration when the lockout dragged _______ (phrasal). After the lockout ended this year, ______ the musicians agreeing _____ a smaller pay cut, Mr. Vanska said that he believed ______ the orchestra to heal, Mr. Henson would have to leave.

This put the orchestra’s board _____ a bind: musicians, critics and many fans were clamoring ______ Mr. Vanska’s return, but to bring him back they might have to get rid _____ the administrator who executed their strategy to try to put the ensemble _______ sounder financial footing.

“Michael has always supported the orchestra’s artistic mission, and when the board asked him to address the serious financial challenges _______ the organization, he faced this issue directly, re-organizing administrative staff and helping to deliver a musicians’ contract agreement that was difficult but necessary,” the chairman ______ the orchestra’s board, Gordon M. Sprenger, said _______ a statement. “It is never easy to be an agent ______ change, but Michael leaves the Minnesota Orchestra secure, _____ more solid financial footing and established ________ a beautifully renovated venue that will meet the needs _______ our organization, audiences and community ______ decades to come.”

The lockout made Mr. Henson something ______ a lightning rod, and even _______ it ended he continued to be viewed ______ suspicion by supporters ______ the musicians, who were eager ______ Mr. Vanska’s return. The orchestra did not mention Mr. Vanska’s future ______ Thursday night.

_____ Mr. Vanska’s leadership the orchestra had reached new artistic heights; _____ January the orchestra won the Grammy Award _____ best orchestral performance ______ its recording ____ Sibelius’s first and fourth symphonies _____ Mr. Vanska. Last month, when the orchestra played its first concert ______the lockout, there were cries ______ “Bring back Osmo!”

The labor battle ______ Minnesota was one _____ the most contentious _____ the world ______classical music. Citing high annual deficits that were forcing the orchestra to eat ____ its endowment, management initially sought to cut the base pay _____ musicians by about a third, to $78,000 a year. _______ the long lockout, the players agreed this year _____ a three-year contract that would cut base pay ______ 15 percent _____ the first year, ______ $96,824 ______ about $113,000 currently, ____ modest raises afterward. The deal required musicians to pay a greater portion _____ their health care costs.

This month The Star Tribune, citing anonymous members _____ the board, reported that the board had “voted strongly _____ favor” ____ Mr. Henson at a meeting _____ the end ______ February. Fans _____ the orchestra took _______ (phrasal) Facebook to urge the board to rehire Mr. Vanska.

Mr. Henson, who became the orchestra’s president and chief executive officer _____ 2007, said ____ a statement that working there had been a privilege.

“It has always been my aim to do what is right ____ the organization, however great the challenges, and I’m proud _____ our accomplishments,” he said. “The right thing now is _____  me to work to ensure continuity ______this transition ______ the next phase _____ the life ______ the Minnesota Orchestra, which I believe will be very bright.”

Check yourself by comparing your work with the original story. Click here.

 

 

A, AN, THE or NONE OF THE ABOVE

Here’s a quiz created from a recent business story in The New York Times. Most of the articles have been removed. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate article, or none. 

 

DETROIT — American automakers said ______ new-vehicle sales in the United States rose sharply in January, raising _____ expectations that ______ industry’s steady recovery would accelerate in 2013.

General Motors, _____ largest of ______ Detroit auto companies, said it sold ______ 194,000 cars and trucks during _____ month, _____ 15.9 percent increase over ______ same period ______ year ago. _____ company said all four of its brands — Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick — had _____ double-digit increases in January.

G.M. also rebounded from ______ tepid sales of its core pickup trucks in ______ recent months. ______ company said ______ sales of its Chevrolet Silverado pickup increased 32 percent compared to January 2012, and ______ sales of _____ GMC Sierra improved 35 percent.

“The year is off to _____ very good start for General Motors,” said Kurt McNeil, _____ head of ____ G.M.’s United States sales operations. “There’s _____ sense of optimism among our dealers that only comes when you pair _____ growing economy with ____ great new products.”

Last year, _____ overall American auto industry had its best performance in five years with _______ sales of 14.5 million vehicles — _____ 13 percent increase over 2011.

______ (a)utomakers and industry analysts are forecasting sales this year to be as high as 15.5 million vehicles. _____ optimistic projections were in part because of _____ growing need by _____ consumers to replace  _____ aging vehicles, as well as _____ improvements in _____ economy.

Ford Motor Company, ____ second-biggest of _____ Detroit automakers, said its sales in January rose 21.8 percent to 166,000 vehicles.

Ford reported that its passenger cars did particularly well, with _____ increase for the month of 34.1 percent. Sales of _____ recently redesigned Ford Fusion midsize sedan increased 64.5 percent.

Executives at _____ Ford said ____ company expects _____ consumer demand to consistently grow in 2013.

“_____ biggest driver of the year is going to be ____ replacement,” said Ken Czubay, ______ Ford’s United States sales and marketing chief.

Chrysler, ____ smallest American car company, said it sold 117,000 vehicles in January. That was _____ 16.3 percent increase over _____ same month in 2012, and extended Chrysler’s year-over-year sales gains to _____ 34 consecutive months.

Chrysler said _____ sales of ____ cars rose about 50 percent during ____ month, while _____ sales of ____ SUVs and trucks increased by 3 percent. Its new small car, ____ Dodge Dart, had its best performance since being introduced last summer, _____ company said.

Toyota, _____ largest Japanese automaker, said its sales in January grew ____ 26.6 percent to _____ 157,000 vehicles.

To check yourself, look at this version of the story on nytimes.com. It’s been updated since the quiz but uses much of the same material and phrasing.

 

 

 

THAT? WHICH?  WHO? WHAT???

Complete each sentence with the correct relative pronoun.               

 

1. Those  ________  have done well don’t seem more likely to vote for President Obama, and those with less money appear to be least likely to vote for Mitt Romney.

2. Customers have complained since last week, when Apple released a software update _________  replaced Google’s map service with its own.

3. Correct or incorrect? By 7 a.m. he had 15 pages which quoted extensively from Young.

4. The second season of “Homeland,”  ___________ begins on Showtime on Sunday, has to pry even deeper into its entwined and deeply damaged protagonists without burning out their mystery.

5. “Won’t Back Down,” an education drama __________ takes a good-versus-evil tack, stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis.

6. The precise reference is to an episode in ________  a young courtier, coming upon flowers, is moved to compose a love poem using irises as an image.

7.  Correct or incorrect? Bernstein looked like one of those counterculture journalists that Woodward despised.

8. Misogyny and indifference remain obstacles for women globally, but those are values _________ can be absorbed and transmitted by women as well as by men.

9. It crowds out realism, ______ we need more of these days.

10. We have tax rates ________, by some measures, are near the lowest in the postwar era.

11. There has always been a subset of men _______  engage in crude, coercive and exploitative behavior.

12. Europe, ______ was less aggressive, has fared worse.

13. They also left a whole lot of lessons for the people _______  will have to battle the next financial crisis.

14. The protection would allow CRP to receive donations from corporations, _________ were forbidden by campaign laws to contribute to individual candidates.

15. Janet H. Brown is responsible for organizing and orchestrating the presidential debates, the quadrennial verbal smackdowns __________  can define candidates.

 

NOW: Write three sentences of your own, one of each using:

that

which

who(m)

 

Answer key:  4, 6, 9, 12 and 14, which; 2, 5, 8, 10 and 15, that; 1, 11 and 13, who; 3 and 7 are both incorrect.