(A) trying to metabolize, or render harmless, the chemical that is irritating it
(B) trying that it metabolize, or render harmless, the . chemical irritant
(C) attempt to try to metabolize, or render harmless, such a chemical irritant
(D) attempt to try and metabolize, or render harmless, the chemical irritating it
(E) attempt to metabolize, or render harmless, the chemical irritant
Although an "-ing" verb such as trying can sometimes be used as a noun, the phrase the organism's trying to metabolize in A is unidiomatic because trying is used as the object of organism's. In B, trying that it metabolize is ungrammatical. The noun attempt could follow organism's; also, it would parallel the noun enzymes, and parallelism is needed here because the sentence uses the linking verb are to equate enzymes and attempt. In C and D, however, attempt to try is redundant. Choice E, which says attempt to metabolize, is best. The phrase the chemical irritant is also the most concise and precise conclusion for the sentence because it clearly refers to the dioxin mentioned earlier. Source:Veduchina
7. Dr. Hakuta's research among Hispanic children in the United States indicates that the more the children use both Spanish and English, their intellectual advantage is greater in skills underlying reading ability and nonverbal logic. Source:Veduchina
(A) their intellectual advantage is greater in skills underlying reading ability and nonverbal logic
(B) their intellectual advantage is the greater in skills underlaying reading ability and nonverbal logic
(C) the greater their intellectual advantage in skills underlying reading ability and nonverbal logic
(D) in skills that underlay reading ability and nonverbal logic, their intellectual advantage is the greater
(E) in skills underlying reading ability and nonverbal logic, the greater intellectual advantage is theirs
The best choice is C. The phrase the more the children should be completed by a parallel phrase that begins with a comparative adjective and a noun phrase, as in the greater their... advantage. Only C correctly completes the structure with a parallel phrase. Choices A. B, D, and E present structures that are unwieldy and awkward in addition to being nonparallel, and that state the relationship between language use and skills development less clearly than C does. Also, underlaying in B and underlay in D are incorrect; the meaning of this sentence requires the present participle of "underlie," underlying, as a modifier of skills. Source:Veduchina.
8. Lacking information about energy use, people tend to overestimate the amount of energy used by equipment. such as lights, that are visible and must be turned on and off and underestimate that used by unobtrusive equipment, such as water heaters. Source:Veduchina
(A) equipment, such as lights, that are visible and must be turned on and off and underestimate that
(B) equipment, such as lights, that are visible and must be turned on and off and underestimate it when
(C) equipment, such as lights, that is visible and must be turned on and off and underestimate it when
(D) visible equipment, such as lights, that must be turned on and off and underestimate that
(E) visible equipment, such as lights, that must be turned on and off and underestimate it when
Choices A and B incorrectly use the plural verb are with the singular noun equipment. In B, C, and E, when used by does not parallel amount... used by and nonsensically suggests that the people are used by the equipment. D, the best choice, correctly parallels the amount... used by with that used by, in which that is the pronoun substitute for amount. Moreover, D solves the agreement problem of A and B by omitting the to be verb used with visible and placing visible before equipment', the phrase visible equipment is also parallel with unobtrusive equipment.
