Pronoun Test 82

[passage-header][/passage-header]  A Quick Fix in a Throwaway Culture
  Planned obsolescence, a practice [1] at which products are designed to have a limited period of [2] usefulness, has been a cornerstone of manufacturing strategy for the past 80 years. This approach increases sales, but it also stands in [3] austere contrast to a time when goods were produced to be durable. Planned obsolescence wastes materials as well as energy in making and shipping new products. It also reinforces the belief that it is easier to replace goods than to mend them, as repair shops are rare and [4] repair methods are often specialized. In 2009,  an enterprising movement, the Repair Cafe, challenged this widely accepted belief.
   (a) More like a [5] fair than an actual cafe, the first Repair Cafe took place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. (b) It was the brainchild of former journalist Martine Postma, [6] wanting to take a practical stand in a throwaway culture. (c) Her goals were [7] straightforward, however: reduce waste, maintain and perpetuate knowledge and skills, and strengthen community. (d) Participants bring all manner of damaged articles - clothing, appliances, furniture, and more - to be repaired by a staff of volunteer specialists including tailors, electricians, and carpenters. (e) Since the inaugural Repair Cafe, others have been hosted in theater foyers, community centers, hotels, and auditoriums. (f) While [8] they await for service, patrons can enjoy coffee and snacks and mingle with their neighbors in need. [9] 

[passage-header]'You Are Where You Say'[/passage-header]   Research on regional variations in English-language use has not only yielded answers to such [1] life-altering questions as how people in different parts of the United States refer to carbonated beverages ("soda"? "pop"? "coke"?) [2] it also illustrates how technology can change the very nature of research. While traditional, human-intensive data collection [3] has all but disappeared in language studies, the explosion of social media has opened new avenues for investigation.
      (a) Perhaps the epitome of traditional methodology is the Dictionary of American Regional English, colloquially known as DARE. (b) Its fifth and final alphabetical volume---ending with "zydeco"---released in 2012, the dictionary represents decades of arduous work. (c) Over a six-year period from 1965 to 1970, university graduate students conducted interviews in more than a thousand communities across the nation. (d) Their goal was to determine what names people used for such everyday objects and concepts as a submarine sandwich (a "hero" in New York City but a "dagwood" in many parts of Minnesota, Iowa, and Colorado) and a heavy rainstorm (variously a "gully washer," "pour-down," or "stump mover"). (e) The work that dictionary founder Frederic G. Cassidy had expected to be finished by 1976 was not, in fact, completed in his lifetime. (f) The wait did not dampen enthusiasm among [4] scholars. Scholars consider the work a signal achievement in linguistics. [5]
    Not all research into regional English varieties [6] requires such time, effort, and resources, however. Today's researchers have found that the veritable army of trained volunteers traveling the country conducting face-to-face interviews can sometimes be [7] replaced by another army the vast array of individuals volunteering details about their lives---and, inadvertently, their language---through social media. Brice Russ of Ohio State University, for example, has employed software to sort through postings on one social media [8] cite in search of particular words and phrases of interest as well as the location from which users are posting. From these data, he was able, among other things, to confirm regional variations in peoples terms for soft drinks. As the map shows, "soda" is commonly heard in the middle and western portions of the United States; "pop" is frequently used in many southern states; and "coke" is predominant in the northeastern and southwest regions but used elsewhere as well. [9] As interesting as Russ's findings are, though, [10] they're true value lies in their reminder that the Internet is not merely a sophisticated tool for collecting data but is also [11] itself a rich source of data.

[passage-header]'Creating Worlds: A Career in Game Design'[/passage-header]   If you love video games and have thought about how the games you play might be changed or improved, or if you've imagined creating a video game of your own, you might want to consider a career as a video game designer. There [1] were a number of steps you can take to determine whether game design is the right field for you and, if it is, to prepare yourself for such a career.
    Before making the choice, you should have some sense of what a video game designer does. Every video game, whether for a console, computer, or mobile device, starts with a concept that originates in the mind of a designer. The designer envisions the game's fundamental [2] elements: the settings, characters, and plots that make each game unique, and is thus a primary creative force behind a video game.
   Conceptualizing a game is only the beginning of a video game designer's [3] job, however, no matter how good a concept is, it will never be translated into a video game unless it is communicated effectively to all the other members of the video game development team. [4] A designer must generate extensive documentation and [5] explain his or her ideas clearly in order to ensure that the programmers, artists, and others on the team all share the same vision. [6]6 Likewise, anyone considering a career as a video game designer must be [7] skilled writers and speakers. In addition, because video game development is a collaborative effort and because the development of any one game may take months or even years, a designer must be an effective team player as well as detail oriented.
     (a) A basic understanding of computer programming is essential. (b) In fact, many designers [8] initially begin their pursuits as programmers. (c) Consider taking some general computer science courses as well as courses in artificial intelligence and graphics in order to increase your understanding of the technical challenges involved in developing a video game. (d) Courses in psychology and human behavior may help you develop [9] emphatic collaboration skills, while courses in the humanities, such as in literature and film, should give you the background necessary to develop effective narrative structures. (e) A designer also needs careful educational preparation. (f) Finally, because a designer should understand the business aspects of the video game industry, such as budgeting and marketing, you may want to consider taking some business courses. (g) Although demanding and deadline driven, [10] video game design can be a lucrative and rewarding field for people who love gaming and have prepared themselves with the necessary skills and knowledge. [11]