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.

Even though the state has spent ten years and seven million dollars planning a reservoir along the Ubi River, the project will have to be abandoned as a result of the river becoming so heavily polluted.

  1. will have to be abandoned as a result of the river becoming so heavily polluted

  2. is to be abandoned on account of the heavy pollution which the river received

  3. had to be abandoned because the river had received such heavy pollution

  4. has to be abandoned because of the river and its heavy pollution

  5. must be abandoned because the river has become so heavily polluted
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The project must be abandoned because the river has become polluted. Option E is most direct and uses the present perfect 'has become' to indicate a continuing condition that affects the current decision. The original 'will have to be abandoned as a result of the river becoming' is unnecessarily wordy and uses a less precise construction.

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