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Question

Difficulty: HardEliminating Wordiness

Engineers studying ancient Roman architecture have long marveled at the durability of its concrete, which has survived for millennia. Recent chemical analyses reveal that the secret lies in 'lime clasts'—small, white mineral chunks that were once considered mere mixing defects. These tiny, white chunks of lime, which are small in size, actually allow the concrete to self-heal cracks when exposed to rainwater.

Which choice most concisely and clearly expresses the underlined portion?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. B
    these lime clasts, actually allowing
  3. these lime clasts actually allowAnswer
  4. D
    it is these lime clasts that actually allow

Answer

The correct option is the phrasing 'these lime clasts actually allow'.
The correct phrasing uses the term 'these lime clasts actually allow'. It refers back to the previously introduced 'lime clasts' concisely and uses the active verb 'allow' to form a complete, grammatically correct sentence without redundant synonyms.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the wordy and redundant elements in the underlined portion.
The underlined text contains redundant descriptors ('tiny' and 'small in size' are synonymous) and repeats descriptive information ('white chunks of lime') that the preceding sentence has already defined.
ACT style requires the elimination of redundant words and repetitive details to maximize conciseness.
2
Examine the remaining choices for grammatical correctness.
The option containing 'allowing' turns the main clause into a fragment by omitting a finite verb. The option 'it is these lime clasts that actually allow' is grammatically correct but introduces a wordy cleft construction.
Correct options must be grammatically complete and avoid unnecessary stylistic complexity.
3
Identify the option that is both grammatically correct and the most concise.
The option 'these lime clasts actually allow' uses the previously defined term concisely and retains the active verb 'allow'.
Conciseness is the primary goal once grammatical correctness and original meaning are secured.

Key Concept

Eliminating wordiness and redundancy in sentence structure.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Eliminating Wordiness

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