Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumVerb Tense and Consistency

Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

In 1910, polar researcher Alfred Wegener observed that the coastlines of South America and Africa fitted together like puzzle pieces. Intrigued by this alignment, he began gathering fossil evidence from both continents, which strengthens his radical hypothesis of continental drift before he formally presented his theory in 1912.

Which of the following alternatives to the underlined portion would be most grammatically acceptable in the context of the passage?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. strengthenedAnswer
  3. C
    will strengthen
  4. D
    strengthen

Answer

The correct option is 'strengthened', which maintains past-tense consistency throughout the historical narrative.
The passage establishes a historical narrative frame in the past tense ('observed', 'began', 'presented'). The past-tense form 'strengthened' maintains consistent tense throughout the sentence and paragraph.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the time frame established by the surrounding context in the paragraph.
The narrative describes events occurring in 1910 and 1912 using past-tense verbs like 'observed', 'fitted', 'began', and 'presented'.
Verb tenses within a narrative must remain consistent unless there is a clear chronological shift.
2
Evaluate the underlined verb in relation to its clause.
The underlined action describes how the gathering of fossil evidence supported Wegener's hypothesis during his past research process.
Because this gathering of evidence happened in the past alongside his other research actions, a simple past tense verb is required.
3
Select the choice that maintains consistent simple past tense.
'strengthened' matches 'observed', 'began', and 'presented'.
Using simple past tense prevents unnecessary tense shifts.

Key Concept

Verb Tense Consistency in Historical Narratives
Rate this question

Topics

Verb Tense and Consistency

More questions from this topic