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Question

Difficulty: HardAdjectives, Adverbs, and Modifiers

Modifying phrases and adverbs must logically attach to the intended subject while using standard word collocations. Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

  1. Exhausted by the long trek through the dense forest, the environmental scientists reluctantly set up camp before sunset.Answer
  2. B
    Exhausted by the long trek through the dense forest, camp was reluctantly set up by the environmental scientists before sunset.
  3. C
    Exhausted by the long trek through the dense forest, the environmental scientists retired to their respectable tents after setting up camp.
  4. D
    Exhausted by the long trek through the dense forest, the environmental scientists highly erected the temporary shelter before sunset.

Answer

Exhausted by the long trek through the dense forest, the environmental scientists reluctantly set up camp before sunset.
The sentence featuring the environmental scientists as the main subject correctly resolves the introductory modifier 'Exhausted by the long trek through the dense forest' by attaching it directly to the people who took the trek. Additionally, the adverb 'reluctantly' is placed naturally before the verb phrase.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the introductory modifying phrase
The participial phrase 'Exhausted by the long trek through the dense forest' describes a state of physical fatigue.
An introductory participial clause must immediately precede and logically modify the noun that performs or experiences the action.
2
Evaluate subject-modifier agreement across options
The subject 'the environmental scientists' can logically be exhausted by a trek, whereas 'camp' cannot.
Attaching a human state to an inanimate object like 'camp' creates a dangling modifier.
3
Check modifier selection and vocabulary collocations
The adverb 'reluctantly' correctly modifies the verb phrase 'set up', and no paronym or collocation errors are present.
Adverbs and adjectives must suit the lexical context without confusing paronyms (such as 'respectable' vs 'respective') or creating unnatural verb-adverb pairings.

Key Concept

Modifier Placement and Lexical Choice
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Adjectives, Adverbs, and Modifiers

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