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Question

Difficulty: HardSubject-Modifier Agreement

Complete the text by filling in the blank with the word or phrase that conforms to the conventions of Standard English.

Answer:To investigate the composition of Saturn's rings, the Cassini spacecraft was launched in 1997. Having traveled for nearly seven years to reach the gas giant, 【the spacecraft】 began transmitting unprecedented data back to Earth in 2004.

Answer

the spacecraft (or 'Cassini' / 'it')
The introductory modifier 'Having traveled for nearly seven years to reach the gas giant' describes the entity that physically journeyed to Saturn. The Cassini spacecraft (referred to as 'the spacecraft', 'Cassini', or 'it') is the only noun that logically fits this description. Placing it immediately after the comma satisfies the rule of subject-modifier agreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory modifying phrase.
The modifying phrase is 'Having traveled for nearly seven years to reach the gas giant'.
Understanding what the modifier describes is the first step to resolving subject-modifier agreement.
2
Determine the logical subject of this modifier.
The entity that traveled for nearly seven years to reach Saturn is the Cassini spacecraft.
The modifier must directly describe the subject that performs the action of traveling.
3
Fill the blank with a noun or pronoun representing this logical subject.
The sentence is completed with 'the spacecraft', 'Cassini', or 'it'.
This ensures that the subject matches the introductory modifier, preventing a dangling modifier.

Key Concept

Subject-Modifier Agreement
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Topics

Subject-Modifier Agreement

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