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Question

Difficulty: EasyPronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

Although the venom of certain predatory species of cone snails is highly toxic and potentially lethal to humans, ______ also contains a complex mixture of proteins and peptides that can be synthesized to develop potent non-addictive painkillers. Marine biologists are actively studying these compounds to create new pharmaceutical treatments that target specific pain receptors.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A
    they
  2. B
    these
  3. itAnswer
  4. D
    those

Answer

it
The pronoun 'it' is correct because it is a singular subject pronoun that agrees in number with the singular antecedent 'venom'. The prepositional phrase 'of certain predatory species of cone snails' contains plural nouns, but 'venom' is the true head noun and subject, requiring a singular pronoun.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent that the pronoun in the blank must refer to.
The antecedent is the singular noun 'venom'.
The sentence discusses how 'the venom ... is highly toxic' but 'also contains compounds...' The pronoun must refer back to 'venom' rather than the plural nouns in the intervening phrase 'of certain predatory species of cone snails'.
2
Determine the required number (singular or plural) for the pronoun.
A singular pronoun is required.
Since the antecedent 'venom' is singular, the pronoun referring to it must also be singular to ensure pronoun-antecedent agreement. Additionally, the verb 'contains' is singular, which requires a singular subject pronoun.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the singular subject pronoun.
The pronoun 'it' is the only singular option.
The other choices ('they', 'these', and 'those') are all plural and fail to agree with the singular antecedent.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement in Number
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Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

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