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Difficulty: HardPronoun Clarity and Reference

In 1964, radio astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson began using a highly sensitive horn antenna to measure cosmic signals. They soon detected a persistent static buzz that interfered with their data. Hoping to eliminate the interference, they painstakingly cleaned the instrument. Ultimately, [this] proved to be the cosmic microwave background radiation, the first physical evidence of the Big Bang.

Which of the following choices best clarifies the reference of the underlined word in the passage?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. the staticAnswer
  3. C
    they
  4. D
    it

Answer

the static
Replacing the underlined word with the specific noun phrase 'the static' resolves the vague pronoun reference. It clearly and precisely specifies what proved to be the cosmic microwave background radiation, correcting the error without introducing any new issues.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the underlined pronoun 'this' in context to identify its antecedent.
The pronoun 'this' refers vaguely to the static buzz or the event of cleaning the instrument rather than a specific noun, which violates standard conventions of pronoun clarity.
A pronoun must refer clearly to a single, specific noun antecedent to avoid confusion.
2
Evaluate the choices to find a replacement that provides a clear and precise noun antecedent.
The phrase 'the static' replaces the vague pronoun with a specific noun, clarifying what was determined to be the cosmic microwave background radiation.
Replacing a vague pronoun with a specific noun is the standard method for resolving pronoun clarity issues.
3
Verify that the other choices introduce grammatical or logical errors.
The choice 'they' refers to the astronomers, creating an illogical meaning. The choice 'it' remains ambiguous as it could refer to the instrument, the interference, or the data.
Eliminating distractors ensures that the chosen option is the only grammatically and logically correct answer.

Key Concept

Pronoun Clarity and Reference
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Pronoun Clarity and Reference

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