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Difficulty: Very hardPronoun Clarity and Reference

During the early Renaissance, glassmakers on the island of Murano developed *cristallo*, a revolutionary clear glass that rivaled rock crystal in purity. They guarded their secret recipes closely, enforcing strict laws to keep competing European artisans from learning their techniques. By keeping [them] secluded on the island under threat of execution, the Venetian Republic successfully maintained a monopoly on luxury glass production for centuries.

Which choice provides the most clear and precise phrasing for the underlined portion?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. B
    these
  3. the glassmakersAnswer
  4. D
    it

Answer

the glassmakers
The correct answer replaces the ambiguous pronoun with the specific noun phrase 'the glassmakers'. In the context of the passage, the pronoun in brackets has multiple possible plural antecedents, including 'glassmakers' and 'competing European artisans'. Specifying 'the glassmakers' resolves this ambiguity and maintains the logical meaning of the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the underlined pronoun and its potential antecedents.
The pronoun is the plural pronoun in brackets, and the preceding sentences contain multiple plural nouns, including 'glassmakers' and 'artisans'.
This determines if the pronoun has a clear, unambiguous antecedent.
2
Evaluate if the pronoun clearly points to a single logical antecedent.
The pronoun is ambiguous because it could refer to the glassmakers or the competing artisans.
If the reference is ambiguous, it must be replaced with a specific noun to ensure clarity.
3
Select the option that replaces the pronoun with a clear and logically correct noun phrase.
Replacing the pronoun with 'the glassmakers' resolves the ambiguity and matches the historical context of the Venetian Republic secluding its own artisans.
A specific noun phrase eliminates pronoun ambiguity.

Key Concept

Pronoun Clarity and Reference
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Pronoun Clarity and Reference

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