Question
Bring Back Home Ec
(1) Home economics was once a popular subject in high schools across America. (2) Home economics is also called “home ec.” (3) These classes taught “homemaking” skills such as sewing, cleaning, cooking, and hygiene. (4) Over the years, home ec has been removed from many school curricula, but there are some valid reasons to revive it. (5) The newly revamped version of home ec, now known as family and consumer sciences (FCS), teach valuable life skills to all students and should be brought back as a required subject in high schools.
(6) Decades ago, home ec classes were geared primarily toward girls, under the antiquated and incorrect assumption that women were the only ones who would need to know the “domestic arts.” (7) In fact, in 1959, only 1.3% of home ec students were boys. (8) While some of the skills taught in these courses may have been valuable, they were presented through an old-fashioned framework and reinforced sexist ideals.
(9) Today’s FCS classes are more modern and no longer built around the idea that certain tasks or skills are gendered. (10) Common topics include nutrition, financial literacy, and family systems. (11) These are crucial a essential concepts about which everyone should learn. (12) Young adults of all genders benefit from learning thin like how taxes work, where their food comes from, and how to replace a button. (13) These are issues that inevitably come up in adult life, and no student should grow up unprepared.
(14) Some may assume that teenagers are taught life skills at home, but this is not always the case. (15) Schools have a responsibility to teach students the skills and knowledge they need to grow into sufficient adults, beyond j academics. (16) Equally important, classes outside of traditional coursework, such as those centered around health and technology, are often requirements for graduation. (17) It follows that FCS coursework should be required as well.
10.
Which choice is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 5?
A.NO CHANGE
B.teaches
C.to teach
D.are teaching
11.
The writer is considering deleting sentence 7.
Should the sentence be kept or deleted?
A.Kept, because it reinforces the information presented in the previous sentence.
B.Kept, because it supports the argument that home ec classes are helpful for everyone.
C.Deleted, because the paragraph includes no other statistics for comparison.
D.Deleted, because it distracts from the paragraph’s focus on girls’ attendance in home ec classes.
12.
Which choice most concisely expresses the information in the underlined portion of sentence 11?
A.NO CHANGE
B.concepts about which everyone should learn.
C.essential concepts about which everyone should learn and study.
D.essential concepts about which everyone should learn.
13.
Which choice is the most precise version of the underlined portion of sentence 15?
A.NO CHANGE
B.general
C.multitalented
D.well-rounded
14.
Which version of the underlined portion of sentence 16 provides the most effective transition from the information in sentence 15?
A.NO CHANGE
B.For this reason,
C.In other words,
D.Besides that,
(1) Home economics was once a popular subject in high schools across America. (2) Home economics is also called “home ec.” (3) These classes taught “homemaking” skills such as sewing, cleaning, cooking, and hygiene. (4) Over the years, home ec has been removed from many school curricula, but there are some valid reasons to revive it. (5) The newly revamped version of home ec, now known as family and consumer sciences (FCS), teach valuable life skills to all students and should be brought back as a required subject in high schools.
(6) Decades ago, home ec classes were geared primarily toward girls, under the antiquated and incorrect assumption that women were the only ones who would need to know the “domestic arts.” (7) In fact, in 1959, only 1.3% of home ec students were boys. (8) While some of the skills taught in these courses may have been valuable, they were presented through an old-fashioned framework and reinforced sexist ideals.
(9) Today’s FCS classes are more modern and no longer built around the idea that certain tasks or skills are gendered. (10) Common topics include nutrition, financial literacy, and family systems. (11) These are crucial a essential concepts about which everyone should learn. (12) Young adults of all genders benefit from learning thin like how taxes work, where their food comes from, and how to replace a button. (13) These are issues that inevitably come up in adult life, and no student should grow up unprepared.
(14) Some may assume that teenagers are taught life skills at home, but this is not always the case. (15) Schools have a responsibility to teach students the skills and knowledge they need to grow into sufficient adults, beyond j academics. (16) Equally important, classes outside of traditional coursework, such as those centered around health and technology, are often requirements for graduation. (17) It follows that FCS coursework should be required as well.
10.
Which choice is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 5?
A.NO CHANGE
B.teaches
C.to teach
D.are teaching
11.
The writer is considering deleting sentence 7.
Should the sentence be kept or deleted?
A.Kept, because it reinforces the information presented in the previous sentence.
B.Kept, because it supports the argument that home ec classes are helpful for everyone.
C.Deleted, because the paragraph includes no other statistics for comparison.
D.Deleted, because it distracts from the paragraph’s focus on girls’ attendance in home ec classes.
12.
Which choice most concisely expresses the information in the underlined portion of sentence 11?
A.NO CHANGE
B.concepts about which everyone should learn.
C.essential concepts about which everyone should learn and study.
D.essential concepts about which everyone should learn.
13.
Which choice is the most precise version of the underlined portion of sentence 15?
A.NO CHANGE
B.general
C.multitalented
D.well-rounded
14.
Which version of the underlined portion of sentence 16 provides the most effective transition from the information in sentence 15?
A.NO CHANGE
B.For this reason,
C.In other words,
D.Besides that,
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Here are the best choices for each of the questions based on clarity, conciseness, and effective communication:
**10.** Which choice is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 5?
**C. to teach**
This option correctly aligns with the phrasing of the sentence as an infinitive purpose.
**11.** The writer is considering deleting sentence 7. Should the sentence be kept or deleted?
**A. Kept, because it reinforces the information presented in the previous sentence.**
The sentence provides specific statistical evidence that supports the point about the historical focus of home ec classes on girls.
**12.** Which choice most concisely expresses the information in the underlined portion of sentence 11?
**D. essential concepts about which everyone should learn.**
This option is direct and retains the important idea without unnecessary wording.
**13.** Which choice is the most precise version of the underlined portion of sentence 15?
**D. well-rounded**
This option effectively conveys the idea of being sufficiently prepared in various aspects of life.
**14.** Which version of the underlined portion of sentence 16 provides the most effective transition from the information in sentence 15?
**B. For this reason,**
This choice clearly indicates a logical progression from the previous sentence, emphasizing the necessity of FCS coursework.
**10.** Which choice is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 5?
**C. to teach**
This option correctly aligns with the phrasing of the sentence as an infinitive purpose.
**11.** The writer is considering deleting sentence 7. Should the sentence be kept or deleted?
**A. Kept, because it reinforces the information presented in the previous sentence.**
The sentence provides specific statistical evidence that supports the point about the historical focus of home ec classes on girls.
**12.** Which choice most concisely expresses the information in the underlined portion of sentence 11?
**D. essential concepts about which everyone should learn.**
This option is direct and retains the important idea without unnecessary wording.
**13.** Which choice is the most precise version of the underlined portion of sentence 15?
**D. well-rounded**
This option effectively conveys the idea of being sufficiently prepared in various aspects of life.
**14.** Which version of the underlined portion of sentence 16 provides the most effective transition from the information in sentence 15?
**B. For this reason,**
This choice clearly indicates a logical progression from the previous sentence, emphasizing the necessity of FCS coursework.