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Question

Difficulty: EasyEliminating Wordiness

In 1941, Swiss engineer George de Mestral went for a walk in the woods with his dog. Upon returning, he noticed that burdock seeds had clung to his clothes and his dog's fur. Under a microscope, he saw that the seeds were covered in tiny hooks that attached to the small loops in the fabric. This discovery led to the invention of Velcro, which is a fastening system that is composed of two components: a hook side and a loop side.

Which of the following choices best replaces the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. a fastening system consisting of two components: a hook side and a loop side.Answer
  3. C
    which, as a fastening system consisting of two components, a hook side and a loop side.
  4. D
    a fastening system, it consists of two components: a hook side and a loop side.

Answer

a fastening system consisting of two components: a hook side and a loop side.
The correct option replaces the wordy relative clause with a concise appositive phrase ('a fastening system consisting of...'). This expresses the same meaning directly and efficiently without violating any rules of grammar.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the underlined portion for wordiness and structural efficiency.
The original phrasing 'which is a fastening system that is composed of' contains excessive relative pronouns ('which is', 'that is') and a passive verb phrase ('is composed of').
Identifying unnecessary helper verbs and relative pronouns is key to simplifying sentences on the ACT.
2
Evaluate the remaining choices for conciseness and grammatical correctness.
The correct choice replaces the wordy clause with a concise appositive phrase starting with 'a fastening system consisting of'. The other choices either preserve the wordiness or introduce grammatical errors like a comma splice or sentence fragment.
The correct answer on the ACT must be both grammatically correct and the most concise option available.

Key Concept

Eliminating Wordiness
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Topics

Eliminating Wordiness

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