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Difficulty: HardPronoun Clarity and Reference

The following passage contains an underlined portion in brackets. Which option best replaces the underlined portion to ensure the sentence is grammatically correct and clear?

During the late nineteenth century, paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh engaged in a fierce rivalry with Edward Drinker Cope to discover dinosaur fossils in the American West. Marsh frequently sent his field assistants to search the badlands of Wyoming, while Cope hired local guides to scout the same territory. When [he] discovered a nearly complete Triceratops skeleton, the press published a sensationalized account of the breakthrough, fueling the public's fascination with the "Bone Wars."

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. MarshAnswer
  3. C
    him and his team
  4. D
    this

Answer

Marsh
The correct option replaces the ambiguous pronoun with the specific noun 'Marsh'. Since the passage mentions two singular male figures performing similar actions, the pronoun 'he' is ambiguous. Replacing it with a specific name clarifies who discovered the skeleton.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the underlined pronoun and its potential antecedents in the passage.
The pronoun is 'he', which is singular and masculine. The preceding sentences introduce two singular masculine proper nouns: 'Othniel Charles Marsh' and 'Edward Drinker Cope'.
Establishing the pool of potential antecedents is necessary to check if the pronoun refers to a single, clear entity.
2
Evaluate the clarity of the pronoun 'he' in context.
Because both Marsh and Cope are active singular male subjects described as searching the same area, using 'he' leaves it unclear which scientist discovered the skeleton.
Recognizing the ambiguity helps identify the grammatical and rhetorical weakness that needs correction.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that resolves the ambiguity grammatically.
Replacing 'he' with the specific name 'Marsh' resolves all ambiguity. The option 'him and his team' introduces a pronoun case error, and 'this' is a vague reference.
This step ensures the selected option is both clear and grammatically correct.

Key Concept

Pronoun Clarity and Reference
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Topics

Pronoun Clarity and Reference

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