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Question

Difficulty: MediumEliminating Wordiness

In 1977, researchers aboard the research submersible *Alvin* made a startling discovery on the ocean floor: hydrothermal vents teeming with life. Prior to the time when this discovery was made by the researchers, scientists believed that all life on Earth ultimately depended on sunlight for energy.

Which of the following is the best revision of the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. Before this discovery,Answer
  3. C
    Because, before this discovery,
  4. D
    This discovery had not yet occurred,

Answer

Before this discovery,
The correct option is the most concise and direct phrasing that maintains grammatical correctness and correctly introduces the clause.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the underlined portion for conciseness, clarity, and voice.
The original phrase is wordy and uses an inactive, passive construction ('was made by the researchers') to express a simple chronological relationship.
ACT English questions prioritize economy of language and active voice.
2
Evaluate the grammar and meaning of the remaining choices.
One option introduces a subordinating conjunction that turns the sentence into a fragment, another creates a comma splice, and the remaining option is concise and grammatically correct.
Eliminating options that introduce new grammatical errors reveals the correct answer.

Key Concept

Eliminating Wordiness
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Eliminating Wordiness

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