Vocabulary 4000 - Noel's ESL eBook Library

144 Vocabulary 4000
4. In the 1950’s, integration was an anathema to most Americans; now,
however, most Americans accept it as desirable.
(A) to most Americans; now, however, most Americans accept it as
desirable.
(B) to most Americans, now, however, most Americans accept it.
(C) to most Americans; now, however, most Americans are desirable of it.
(D) to most Americans; now, however, most Americans accepted it as
desirable.
(E) to most Americans. Now, however, most Americans will accept it as
desirable.
The sentence is not incorrect as written. Hence, the answer is choice
(A).
Choice (B) creates a run-on sentence by replacing the
semicolon with a comma. Without a connecting word—and, or, but,
etc.—two independent clauses must be joined by a semicolon or
written as two separate sentences. Also, deleting “as desirable”
changes the meaning of the sentence.
Choice (C) uses a very awkward construction: are desirable of
it.
Choice (D) contains an error in tense. The sentence progresses
from the past to the present, so the verb in the second clause should
be accept, not accepted.
Choice (E) writes the two clauses as separate sentences, which
is allowable, but it also changes the tense of the second clause to the
future: will accept.
5. Geologists in California have discovered a fault near the famous San
Andreas Fault, one that they believe to be a trigger for major quakes on the
San Andreas.
(A) one that they believe to be a trigger for
(B) one they believe to be a trigger for
(C) one that they believe triggers
(D) that they believe to be a trigger for
(E) one they believe acts as a trigger for
Choice (A) is incorrect since the relative pronoun that is redundant:
the pronoun one, which refers to the newly discovered fault, is
sufficient.
Although choice (C) reads more smoothly, it still contains the
double pronouns.