Collegeboard Writing Mistake?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>The following sentence contains either a single error or no error at all. If the sentence contains an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If the sentence contains no error, select choice E. </p>

<p>In the interior of the Arctic islands during the melting </p>

<p>season, even small streams must be crossed </p>

<p>with great care because near-zero water </p>

<p>temperatures and the typically rocky and unstable </p>

<p>nature of stream beds. No error </p>

<p>A - with great care
B - because
C - typically
D - stream
E - No error</p>

<p>I know it seems obvious that B is the correct answer, but as a possible replacement for "because", Collegeboard suggested "due to". Strictly grammatically speaking, wouldn't "due to" be also inappropriate? Usually, "due to" is used as an adjective, but clearly, it is referring to "crossed", so woudn't "because of" be a better answer, because unlike "due to", it functions as a adverb?
I am asking this for fear that Collegeboard would ask a writing question requiring us to differentiate between the correct uses of "due to" and "because of".</p>

<p>Plus, "crossed (something) due to (something else)" just sounds wrong.</p>

2

<p>I don't see anything wrong with "due to". Both "due to" and "because of" are subordinating conjunctions that give a reason - regardless of which one you use, you are giving a reason as to why small streams must be crossed with great care</p>

3

<p>I would have thought that either "due to" or "because of" would be fine.</p>

<p>And I get the SAT question of the day, too :D</p>