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Difficulty: EasyPronoun Clarity and Reference

Read the passage below and answer the question that follows.

While observing the two chimpanzees in the enclosure, the biologist noticed that the younger one was mimicking the feeding habits of the older one. The research team had spent weeks documenting these social interactions in detail. However, after a few minutes, he began to search for a new nesting site near the perimeter wall. This sudden change in activity was immediately noted in the logbook.

Which option best replaces the bolded word to ensure that the sentence is clear and grammatically correct?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. the younger chimpanzeeAnswer
  3. C
    him
  4. D
    this guy

Answer

the younger chimpanzee
The correct option replaces the ambiguous pronoun with the specific noun phrase 'the younger chimpanzee', which clearly identifies the subject of the action and eliminates any confusion about who began searching for a nesting site.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the pronoun being tested and its potential antecedents in the passage.
The pronoun is 'he', and the preceding context contains multiple singular male nouns: the biologist, the younger chimpanzee (referred to as 'the younger one'), and the older chimpanzee ('the older one').
Identifying potential antecedents helps determine if the pronoun's reference is clear or ambiguous.
2
Evaluate the options to find the one that removes ambiguity while maintaining correct grammar and tone.
Replacing 'he' with the specific noun 'the younger chimpanzee' clearly identifies the subject, whereas the other options either maintain the ambiguity, introduce a grammar error, or violate the academic tone.
Replacing an ambiguous pronoun with a specific noun is the correct way to resolve reference errors on the ACT.

Key Concept

Resolving ambiguous pronoun references by replacing them with specific nouns.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Pronoun Clarity and Reference

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