ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS Explanation for Correct Answer B :
Choice (B) is correct. It avoids the error of the original by consistently using verbs in past tense ("could . . . continue" and "could rely") to describe two actions in the past. Explanation for Incorrect Answer A :
Choice (A) involves incorrect tense sequence. The verb in present tense, "can rely," is not consistent with the earlier verb in past tense, "could . . . continue." Explanation for Incorrect Answer C :
Choice (C) displays wordiness. Four words ("would be able to") can be reduced to one ("could") without any loss of meaning. Explanation for Incorrect Answer D :
Choice (D) exhibits incorrect tense sequence. The verb in present tense, "can rely," is not consistent with the earlier verb in past tense, "could . . . continue." Explanation for Incorrect Answer E :
Choice (E) repeats a word that is not needed. The noun "strength" appears twice even though the pronoun "own" is a more appropriate alternative in the second case. 7
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS Explanation for Correct Answer B :
Choice (B) is correct. It avoids the error of the original by eliminating the unnecessary words "it is" and "who." Explanation for Incorrect Answer A :
Choice (A) involves wordiness. The phrase "it is" and the pronoun "who" make the sentence structure more complex but add no meaning. Explanation for Incorrect Answer C :
Choice (C) displays wordiness. The weak passive construction ("are checked . . . by the quality control specialist") requires more words than the preferable active construction ("the quality control specialist checks"). Explanation for Incorrect Answer D :
Choice (D) fails to maintain parallelism. It links an adjective, "small," with an adverb, "randomly," but the adverb cannot modify the noun phrase, "samples of dough." Explanation for Incorrect Answer E :
Choice (E) exhibits wordiness. The phrase "is the one checking" can be reduced to one word, "checks," without any loss of meaning. 8
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS Explanation for Correct Answer E :
Choice (E) is correct. It avoids the error of the original by removing unnecessary words. Explanation for Incorrect Answer A :
Choice (A) involves awkward phrasing. It would be more appropriate to say "its toll in human misery is greater." Explanation for Incorrect Answer B :
Choice (B) involves unclear pronoun reference. It is not clear whether the pronoun "it" refers to "surface mining" or "deep mining." Explanation for Incorrect Answer C :
Choice (C) involves unclear pronoun reference. It is not clear to what the pronoun "it" is meant to refer. Explanation for Incorrect Answer D :
Choice (D) leaves out important words. The possessive pronoun "its" is necessary to indicate that "the toll in human misery" is greater where surface mining is involved. 9
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS Explanation for Correct Answer A :
Choice (A) is correct. The phrase, "in some areas as much as thirty inches annually," specifies, without any excess words, the amount of water collected. Explanation for Incorrect Answer B :
Choice (B) involves improper modification. The verbal phrase "having thirty inches per year" apparently modifies the noun "areas" and thus seems to indicate the total amount of water in those areas, not the amount collected by trees. Explanation for Incorrect Answer C :
Choice (C) exhibits wordiness. Since the phrase "per year" means the same as the adverb "annually," both are not needed. Explanation for Incorrect Answer D :
Choice (D) displays wordiness. The phrase "collecting the equal of" is not needed. Explanation for Incorrect Answer E :
Choice (E) involves improper modification. The dependent clause ("which in some areas amounts to thirty inches collected annually") follows the noun "fog," not the noun it should modify, "water." 10
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS Explanation for Correct Answer C :
Choice (C) is correct. It avoids the error of the original by placing the noun phrase "wild truffles" immediately after the introductory phrase ("Prized for their rarity") that modifies it. Explanation for Incorrect Answer A :
Choice (A) involves improper modification. The introductory phrase, "Prized for their rarity," cannot logically modify the noun that immediately follows, "gourmets." Explanation for Incorrect Answer B :
Choice (B) displays improper modification. The introductory phrase, "Prized as rare," cannot logically modify the noun that immediately follows, "gourmets." Explanation for Incorrect Answer D :
Choice (D) contains an inappropriate idiom. Using the preposition "for" between the nouns "fortune" and "gourmets" suggests that the gourmets will receive large amounts of money rather than spend it. Explanation for Incorrect Answer E :
Choice (E) creates a sentence fragment. Since the only verb ("will spend") is part of a dependent clause ("who will spend . . . common mushrooms") that verb cannot state a complete thought.
