<p>The first public botanical garden in the United States, the Elgin Botanic Garden in New York City was established to provide plant materials [for studying by medical students.]</p>
<p>A. for studying by medical students
B. for medical students to study
C. to medical students for their study
D. for the study of medical students
E. that medical students will study</p>
<p>The correct answer is "B", but I believe that "C" is more precise because aren't the students using the plant material to study plants, not actually studying the plant material? Can someone explain to me why "B" is correct. </p>
<p>*B is definitely correct because this is an official CollegeBoard question.</p>
<p>I would reject C as an answer because "their" is ambiguous. It could refer back to the students, the plant material, or the Botanic Garden. B is also shorter, and shorter is usually better. (The plant materials were probably given to the medical schools, not directly to the medical students, as well -- which would make C technically inaccurate.)</p>
<p>My stab at the answer anyway. I would be interested in what others think!</p>
<p>Agreed.
-The "for" sounds better than the "to"
-"Their" (as said above) is ambiguous. Also to study just sounds better than "their" study because it is shorter, cleaner, and uses the infinitive part of the verb.</p>
<p>Also (a little test taking skill) is to notice there are 3 choices w/ "for" and only one w/ "to" use the damn joe bloggs theory. :P</p>