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Question

Difficulty: MediumSelecting Concluding Sentences and Transitions

During a freezing winter trip to New York City in 1903, Alabama native Mary Anderson noticed that streetcar drivers had to open their front windows or step outside to clear ice and sleet from their windshields, endangering themselves and their passengers. This hazardous situation inspired her to design a rubber squeegee blade operated by a hand lever inside the vehicle. Anderson was granted a patent for her window-cleaning device in 1903, yet manufacturing firms rejected her invention, believing it would distract drivers. Consequently, she never profited from her creation, and the patent eventually expired. [1]

The writer wants to add a sentence at the end of the passage (at point [1]) to conclude the discussion of Mary Anderson's invention. Which choice best accomplishes this goal by summarizing the main significance of her design while remaining consistent with the passage's tone and details?

  1. A
    Her design was simple yet revolutionary, it proved that everyday problems could be solved with a bit of practical creativity.
  2. B
    In fact, trolley cars in New York City eventually transitioned to electric power, which made manual windshield clearing even more dangerous for the drivers.
  3. Although she never benefited financially, Anderson's design laid the foundation for the standard windshield wipers that would eventually become mandatory safety equipment on all motor vehicles.Answer
  4. D
    Consequently, drivers had preferred to wipe their windshields by hand because they feared that mechanical parts will fail during severe blizzards.

Answer

The correct choice is the option that explains how Anderson's design laid the foundation for standard windshield wipers on all motor vehicles, despite her lack of financial benefit.
The correct choice successfully concludes the passage by highlighting the long-term impact and significance of Anderson's windshield wiper design while maintaining grammatical accuracy and consistency with the rest of the text.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the paragraph's main theme and determine the purpose of the concluding sentence.
The passage describes Mary Anderson's invention of the windshield wiper, its initial rejection, and her lack of financial profit. The concluding sentence should tie these elements together and state the invention's ultimate significance.
Establishing the main point ensures the conclusion is relevant and comprehensive.
2
Evaluate the options for logical relevance and tone, ensuring no unsupported details are introduced.
The option mentioning the foundation of modern mandatory safety equipment summarizes the impact of her design. The options mentioning electric trolley power or automatic wipers introduce new, unsupported historical details.
A good conclusion summarizes existing ideas rather than introducing new subtopics.
3
Check the remaining options for grammatical correctness.
The option starting with 'Her design was simple' contains a comma splice. The option starting with 'Consequently, drivers had preferred' has an incorrect tense shift ('will fail'). Only the correct option is grammatically sound.
ACT English questions require the correct answer to be both rhetorically effective and grammatically correct.

Key Concept

A successful concluding sentence must summarize the passage's main points and highlight the significance of the topic without introducing new, unsupported information or grammatical errors.
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Topics

Selecting Concluding Sentences and Transitions

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