Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

His meteoric rise to fame was attributed to his clandestine nexus with the underworld, and because of it, everyone kept him at an arm's length.

  1. and because of it, everyone kept him at an arm's length.

  2. and because of it everyone kept him at arm's length.

  3. and because of this clandestine nexus, everyone kept him at an arm's length.

  4. and because of these, everyone kept him at an arm's length.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): In the sentence, the antecedent of 'it' is unclear; whether it refers to the 'rise' (or) to his 'clandestine nexus'.

Explanation for (2): The option fails to clarify the antecedent of 'it'; whether it refers to the 'rise' (or) to his 'clandestine nexus'.

Justification for (3): In the sentence, the antecedent of 'it' is unclear; whether it refers to the 'rise' (or) to his 'clandestine nexus'. This is clarified only in option (3).
Explanation for (4): The option muddles up the antecedent of the underlined part. 'Rise' and 'clandestine nexus' are not in the same flow and cannot be joined with the simple conjunction 'and'. Explanation for (5): The option fails to clarify the antecedent of 'this'; whether it refers to the 'rise' (or) to his 'clandestine nexus'.

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