Tutor profile: Elizabeth S.

Write a paragraph about a time you overcame a challenge. How did it make you feel? Please write using full sentences in the box below.

I've always wanted to play the piano. I would watch in awe as my aunt's fingers flew across the pianos keys when I'd stay the night at her house. However, I never really thought that I could do that kind of thing myself. I signed up for my first piano lessons class during my senior year of college, and I was delighted by the progress I made each day as I sat down at a grand piano in one of the piano rooms in the music department. I felt proud that I had managed to progress in this craft that I originally thought was beyond my capabilities. The challenge hadn't been in how fast I could move my fingers or how well I could read sheet music; it was the limitations I had set for myself that held me back. When I learned how to push those limits, I was able to achieve more than I could have ever imagined.

Circle the answer to which part (in parentheses) of the section below contains a grammar error: My (sister's) husband came over last night to (talk, watch some television,) and (playing) games. A) sister's B) talk, watch some television, C) playing

We can eliminate "sister's" since it is using the correct possessive form to show that one sister has a husband. "Talk, watch some television," is not the answer because this part uses correct punctuation and parallel structure. That leaves "playing." "Playing" is the correct answer because it does not follow the same parallel structure as answer B.

"Sally was devastated when she learned that her dog ran away while she was gone." Which of the words below is most similar in meaning to "devastated" as it used in the sentence above? A) Upset B) Angry C) Relieved D) Cautious

The answer is "upset" (A) because it is the most similar in meaning to how "devastated" is used in the given sentence. We can eliminate "cautious" and "relieved" using the process of elimination (Sally probably isn't happy that her dog ran away unless she's a callous person). We then have to choose between "upset" and "angery," and the key is being able to differentiate the nuances between the two.