Improving Passages question, Help!

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>the original passage(well, only two relevant sentences):</p>

<p>(13)Even disappointing results can increase scientific knowlege. (14)(A scientist who finds that a hypothesis is false can then try to develop) a new one based on the information obtained.</p>

<p>Best version of underlined portion of sentence 14:</p>

<p>(A) (as it is)
(D) (A false hypothesis can have a scientist now try to develop) a new one based on the information obtained.</p>

<p>The correct answer is (A) as opposed to (D).
Can someone plz explain in what way (A) is better than (D). Any help will be appreciated. Thanks. :)</p>

2

<p>D is not grammatically correct.</p>

<p>it brings up a false hypothesis (singular) and uses have (plural) then “a scientist now try to develop” is wordy.</p>

3

<p>I believe that it is grammatically correct, as it is “can have” as opposed to “have”.
“a scientist now try to develop” might sound wordy, but so does (A), where there is also “can then try to develop”.
Any ideas?</p>

4

<p>bump. Anyone?</p>

5

<p>it should be could have</p>

6

<p>Can you plz explain how “can have” is wrong? I don’t see why you should use the past tense in this case?</p>

7

<p>It’s unidiomatic. A false hypothesis can’t “have” anything or anybody. It could “cause” a scientist to try to develop a new hypothesis; something can’t “have” someone to do something.</p>

<p>(Also, we are switching then —> now, which makes the Choice D more “immediate” and “present tense” than the original.)</p>

<p>Simplify the sentence and it might become clearer:</p>

<p>“A crisis can have the markets fall.”</p>

<p>This is unclear, awkward, wordy English.</p>

<p>“A crisis can CAUSE the markets to fall.”</p>

<p>Better! But more like choice A:</p>

<p>A market that detects a crisis can then fall in response. (Weird sentence given the subject but grammatical.)</p>

8

<p>I see, thanks JBIG1994. :)</p>