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Difficulty: HardEliminating Redundancy

Climatologists extract ice cores from deep within glaciers; these cylindrical samples of ice, which are shaped like cylinders, preserve tiny bubbles of ancient air, allowing researchers to measure greenhouse gas levels from hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Which of the following choices is the best edit to the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. ; these cylindrical samples preserveAnswer
  3. C
    ; because these cylindrical samples preserve
  4. D
    , these cylindrical samples preserve

Answer

the option that uses a semicolon and eliminates the redundant description of the shape of the ice cores
The correct option is the most effective and concise edit because it removes the redundant phrase 'which are shaped like cylinders' (since 'cylindrical' already conveys this meaning) and correctly uses a semicolon to separate the two independent clauses.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the redundancy in the underlined portion.
The words 'cylindrical' and the phrase 'which are shaped like cylinders' are synonymous. One of them must be eliminated to make the sentence concise.
ACT English rewards concise and direct writing that avoids repeating the same meaning.
2
Analyze the grammatical structure of the sentence.
The sentence consists of two independent clauses: 'Climatologists extract ice cores from deep within glaciers' and 'these cylindrical samples preserve tiny bubbles of ancient air'.
Identifying clause boundaries helps determine the correct punctuation needed to connect them.
3
Evaluate the punctuation choices linking the two independent clauses.
A semicolon is required to separate the two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction. Using a comma creates a comma splice, and adding 'because' after the semicolon creates a fragment.
Standard English conventions require independent clauses to be joined by a semicolon, a period, or a comma with a coordinating conjunction.

Key Concept

Eliminating Redundancy
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Eliminating Redundancy

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