Writing q.

Test Preparation
1

<p>1) Storing bread delays [drying] and the growth of mold [but increase] the rate [at which] the bread loses flavor.
*At first I thought "drying" was incorrect because it needs to be noun just like "growth...".. So i thought it was "dryness" but then I thought "but increase" was wrong. Because shouldn't it be-- "Storing bread DELAYS -- and -- but INCREASES the rate..."?</p>

<p>21) Most pollutants cannot be seen, although large amounts [of them] [concentrated in] cities [are visible] [as] smog.
*I thought "them" was wrong... because I thought "them" refers to people.</p>

2

<p>3) Among the most flavorful cuisines in the US, [cuisines in New Orleans also have become] one of the most popular.
OR [the cuisine of New Orleans is also]</p>

<p>Why is the latter correct and the previous incorrect?</p>

3

<p>One of the definition of drying is that of a noun. The subject of the sentence is “Storing bread”, and it is singular. Subject-verb agreement requires increases.</p>

<p>As used “them” is a pronoun. Your restriction to people is a misunderstanding. The definition of them is:</p>

<p>“Used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to two or more people or things previously mentioned or easily identified.”</p>

4

<p>Thank you! THat makes sense~
So… it would have to be “increases” based on the fact that the main subject “Storing bread” is singular?</p>

<p>Also could you take a look at q3?
Many thanks~</p>

5

<p>Yes. Gerunds are always singular.</p>

<p>Q3)
the first option suffers from a noun-number disagreement: “cuisines” can’t be “one”. The second option solves that problem.</p>