Multiple choice

Directions: The following question presents a sentence, part of which or all 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.

New techniques in thermal-scanning photography, a process that records radiation form surface areas, makes it possible to study the effects of calefaction, or warming, of a river in greater detail than ever before.

  1. makes it possible to study the effects of calefaction, or warning, of a river in greater detail than ever before

  2. make it possible to study, in greater detail, the effects of calefaction, or warming, of a river than ever before

  3. have made it possible to study in greater detail than ever before the effects of calefaction, or warming, of a river

  4. make possible the study of the effects of calefaction, or warming, of a river in greater detail than it ever was before

  5. has made it more possible than ever before to study in greater detail the effects of calefaction, or warming, of a river
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'New techniques' is plural, so it requires the plural verb 'have made,' not the singular 'makes' or 'make.' Option C correctly uses 'have made it possible to study in greater detail than ever before the effects of calefaction...' Option A has a typo ('warning' instead of 'warming'), B incorrectly uses 'make,' and D uses awkward word order. Option E incorrectly uses 'has made' with the plural subject.

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