<p>it is (imperative that)(A) the government not censor this exhibit, (no matter how)(B) offensive the images (may be)(C), but (continues to protect)(D) artists' freedom of expression. NO ERROR (E)
I need the explanation for the answer.</p>
<p>The answer is D.</p>
<p>D should be continue to protect.</p>
<p>The sentence is talking about the government, so the government should continue, not continues, to protect artists’ freedom of expression.</p>
<p>Parallel Structure: government not sensor and government continue</p>
<p>
The subject of the sentence is “It,” so the structure of the original sentence seems to be this:
It is imperative . . . but [it] continues to protect artists’ freedom of expression.
which is not logical. (The sentence is implying that “It” is what “continues to protect artists’ freedom of expression.” This makes no sense.) The sentence wants to say this:
It is imperative that the government not censor this exhibit, but continue to protect artists’ freedom of expression.
in which case “the government” would be doing the continuing, not “It.” This is the subjunctive mood: “It is imperative that the government not censor . . . but continue. . . .” And by making “continue” parallel to “censor,” you are making the verbs’ subjects the same (“the government”). If “continue” were “continues,” then it would be in the simple present tense, as in “It is imperative . . . but continues . . .” and “is” would be parallel to “continues.” In other words, you need parallel structure in this problem.</p>
<p>Here is an example of parallel structure:
I eat cake that is cold, and drink milk.
Obviously the subject of “eat” and “drink,” which are parallel, is “I.” Now if the sentence were structured like this:
I eat cake that is cold, and drinks milk.
. . . then, since “is” and “drinks” are parallel, it would be the cake that is drinking milk, which makes no sense.</p>
<p>It is imperative that the government X and Y.
In this above sentence, X and Y have to be parallel so we know that the “government” is the agent doing the actions.</p>
<p>Ha, what he said.</p>