Confusing Grammar Q

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>In context, which is the best way to combine sentences 8 and 9 (reproduced below)?</p>

<p>Spain's explorers went to sea, and one reason for it was black pepper. They wanted to get it by bypassing the trade route controlled by the Arabs and Italians.
- Sentence 8 is the start of the paragraph. Just in case it affects the answer, here's sentence 10.
- But instead of black pepper, they found the chili pepper and discovered that it had many advantages over black pepper.</p>

<p>(C) For black pepper, Spain's explorers went to sea, one reason for which was to bypass the trade route controlled by the Arabs and Italians.
(D) Because the Arabs and Italians controlled the trade route of black pepper, Spain's explorers went to sea as a bypass.
(E) One reason that Spain's explorers went to sea was to get black pepper by bypassing the trade route controlled by the Arabs and Italians.</p>

<p>Please explain...</p>

2

<p>I would guess its “D” because it is the best at showing the cause and effect relationship of them going to sea and finding the chili pepper instead of the black pepper.</p>

3

<p>Nope, that’s not correct. That’s what I thought the answer should have been…</p>

4

<p>Is it choice E?</p>

5

<p>Yes, the answer is E. However, I don’t see why the answer isn’t D. D seems more concise. Care to explain?</p>

6

<p>(D) sounds bad to me. I would have gone with (E).</p>

<p>(D) Because the Arabs and Italians controlled the trade route of black pepper, Spain’s explorers went to sea as a bypass.</p>

<p>This isn’t really a clear ‘because’ clause. The 2nd part isn’t exactly explaining the first.</p>

7

<p>I’ll take a stab at it. I think that answer D leads you to believe that the ONLY reason for going to sea was black pepper. You loose the original context that this was “ONE REASON” that they went to sea. E is therefore the best choice, because do not loose this distinction. Does that make sense?</p>

8

<p>I’m guessing that the entire essay is on Spanish explorers at sea. Choice E narrows down the topic (to one reason they went to sea) and connects better with sentence 10.</p>

9

<p>ELY, what do you mean by ‘loosing’ the original context?</p>

10

<p>Original sentence is “Spain’s explorers went to sea, and one reason for it was black pepper.”
This infers that there were other reasons, but ONE REASON was black pepper. </p>

<p>Choice D removes this distinction (that there were other reasons for going to sea as well) and leads you to believe that the ONLY reason they went to sea was to bypass the trade route. D, therefore, subtly changes the original context so, E is the best way to combine the sentences while retaining original context/meaning. Is this clearer?</p>

11

<p>I would say E.</p>

<p>D brings in not necessarily true information, and C sounds awkward</p>

12

<p>Clearly E, once you consider the following sentence</p>

13

<p>It’s obviously E… You can use your ear on this one, it’s not that hard.</p>

14

<p>Because the Arabs and Italians controlled the trade route of black pepper, Spain’s explorers went to sea as a bypass.
they can’t go to sea as a bypass… i say its E</p>