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Difficulty: Very hardTone Consistency

In their study of cognitive bias, the researchers observed that participants frequently relied on heuristics to navigate complex decisions. Under time pressure, individuals systematically favored immediate, familiar options rather than engaging in the laborious task of processing alternative outcomes. Consequently, these subjects fell back on cognitive shortcuts that sacrificed precision for speed.

Which choice best maintains the academic and objective tone established in the passage?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    rather than messing around with
  3. C
    eschewing the initiation of active participation within
  4. D
    rather than engaging on

Answer

The correct phrasing is the original wording 'rather than engaging in' because it maintains a consistent academic register and adheres to standard English idiomatic usage.
The phrasing 'rather than engaging in' is correct because it uses the proper idiomatic preposition 'in' and matches the objective, academic tone of the surrounding sentences.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the tone of the surrounding passage.
The passage uses formal, academic vocabulary ('cognitive bias,' 'heuristics,' 'laborious task,' 'consequently') and an objective tone.
Establishing the context's tone register is necessary to ensure consistency.
2
Evaluate the underlined option and the alternatives for tone consistency.
The phrase 'rather than messing around with' is too informal, and 'eschewing the initiation of active participation within' is overly verbose and pretentious.
Both options violate the established academic tone by being either too colloquial or unnecessarily complex.
3
Check the remaining options for grammatical and idiomatic correctness.
The phrase 'rather than engaging on' uses an incorrect preposition, as the verb 'engage' requires the preposition 'in' when referring to participation in an activity.
The choice must not only maintain tone consistency but also be grammatically correct.
4
Confirm the correct selection.
The original phrasing 'rather than engaging in' is both grammatically correct and consistent with the passage's formal tone.
This choice satisfies all stylistic and grammatical requirements.

Key Concept

Tone Consistency
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Topics

Tone Consistency

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