TEN FOR TEN 1. Theater audiences in the 1980 s saw more musical comedies than the 1970 s or 1990 s. than than did than the plays of than with the audiences in than did audiences in 2. Television's programming difficulties, already made acute by rising costs, threatens to become even more severe as a result of lobbying by special interest groups. already made acute by rising costs, threatens already made acute by rising costs, threaten already made acuter by rising costs, threaten having been made acute by rising costs, threatens after having been made acute by rising costs, threatens 3. The eerie songs of humpback whales, often lower in pitch and longer than birds, are intriguing to scientists partly because whales have no functional vocal cords. The eerie songs of humpback whales, often lower in pitch and longer than birds, The eerie songs of humpback whales, which are often lower in pitch and last longer than birds, since Humpback whales eerie songs, often pitched lower and longer than that of birds, The eerie songs of humpback whales, often lower in pitch and lasting longer than those of birds, Often being lower in pitch and lasting longer than birds, the eerie songs of humpback whales PLEASE READ THE ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS FOR PROBLEMS 1 THROUGH 3 NOW 4. Today the primary role of advertising may be to appeal and persuade rather than what it once did, educating and informing. what it once did, educating and informing what it once did, which was educating and informing what it once was, education and information educating and informing, what it once did what it once was, to educate and inform
2 5. If we compare the number of alligators with the Gila monster over time, we see that the alligator is in decline. If we compare the number of alligators with the Gila monster over time, we see that the alligator is Comparing the number of alligators and the Gila monster, we see that alligators are In comparison with Gila monsters, the number of alligators are To compare the alligator with Gila monsters is to show that it is A comparison over time of the numbers of alligators and Gila monsters shows that alligators are 6. Unlike American architects who preceded him, Frank Lloyd Wright did not draw on classical or European architecture for inspiration. Unlike American architects who preceded him, Frank Lloyd Wright Unlike the inspiration of American architects who preceded him, Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, unlike American architects who preceded him, Different from the American architects who preceded him, Frank Lloyd Wright's designs Frank Lloyd Wright's inspirations, different from American architects who preceded him, 7. 19 th -Century painter Martin Rockwell s powerful style and his choices of subject, such as the advances in forensic pathology and the agony of competition, was as disturbing in his own time as it is compelling in ours. was as disturbing in his own time as it is have been as disturbing to his own time as were as disturbing in his own time as they are has been as disturbing to his own time as they are had been as disturbing to his own time as it was 8. Balding is much more common among White males than males of other races. than that is so of compared to in comparison with than among
3 9. Like Rousseau, Tolstoy rebelled against the unnatural complexity of human relations in modern society. Like Rousseau, Tolstoy rebelled Like Rousseau, Tolstoy s rebellion was As Rousseau, Tolstoy rebelled As did Rousseau, Tolstoy s rebellion was Tolstoy s rebellion, as Rousseau s, was 10. Unlike Schoenberg s 12-tone system that dominated the music of the postwar period, Bernstein founded no school and left behind only a handful of disciples. Schoenberg s 12-tone system that dominated Schoenberg and his 12-tone system that dominated Schoenberg, whose 12-tone system dominated the 12-tone system of Schoenberg that has dominated Schoenberg and that 12-tone system, dominating
TEN FOR TEN ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS 1. E. We re comparing audiences of one era to those of another; however, the one word this sentence can t do without is in, which is used to compare what happened in the 1980 s with what happened in 1970 s and 1990 s. When in doubt, keep it simple; here, we can compare audiences to audiences, right? 2. B. Here, checking subject-verb agreement can simplify your job. Begin by bracketing any phrase or clause that s set off by commas ( already made acute by rising costs ). When we do so here, we notice that difficulties, the plural subject, matches the plural verb threaten only in and. If you chose, acuter than what? When we use a comparative ( better, more interesting ), we need to continue with than [something]. 3. D. I really enjoy choice here: Can you imagine a song that is longer than a bird? If so, please sing it right now. Note that the correct choice uses a demonstrative pronoun, those, to refer back to songs and so compare possessives. If you chose, can you use the demonstrative pronoun that to refer to a plural noun? [No.] If you chose, have we discussed how the word being is almost always the Kiss of Death for an answer choice? PLEASE RETURN AND FINISH PROBLEMS 4 THROUGH 10 4. E. Any proper comparison requires parallel structure. Here, we need to compare with may be to appeal and persuade. If the beginning of the sentence read, role of advertising may be that of appealing and persuading rather than, we would need the second half of the sentence to read that of educating and informing. Parallel, right? Also, note that did in and cannot have a parallel in the first half and so cannot be right. Read did in: Today the primary role of advertising does appealing and persuading rather than it once did, educating and informing. Not so good, eh? 5. E. Let s look at why this problem s wrong answers don t work: compares the number of alligators with the Gila monster (rather than the number of alligators with the number of Gila monsters); and suffer from the same defect; eliminates the numerical comparison and so is confusing (if were correct, moreover, Gila monster would be singular in order to be parallel with alligator ). 6. A. So often you ll see faulty comparisons between people and their creations (Incorrect: The Packers game plan was far more dynamic than their competitors.
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS 2 Correct: The Packers game plan was far more dynamic than those of their competitors. ) Here, we need to make sure that we either compare Wright to other architects or his designs to those of other architects. 7. C. Is there any reason not to start this problem by quickly crossing out the portion of the sentence that s set off by commas ( such as the advances in forensic pathology and the agony of competition )? So, please cross out those words right now. Really. Now. OK, now we notice a compound subject, which means that the sentence s verb must be plural. That eliminates and, which are singular. Choice, which uses the present perfect have been, would suggest that Rockwell s period (the 19 th century) has not ended. Choice presents our own time in the past tense ( as it was ). Finally, in, note the parallel structure between in his own time and in ours. 8. E. Whenever either of the words more or less show up in a sentence, don t you need than to complete the comparison? So, here we can quickly eliminate,, and. Now, can we compare balding with males, or do we need to compare balding among certain males to that among other males? 9. A. As we discussed in problem 6, we can compare those who create and we can compare their creations; what we cannot do is mix the comparison ( Eddie Vedder s singing is more urgent than Kanye West. ). So, we either need to compare Rousseau with Tolstoy or Rousseau s rebellion with Tolstoy s rebellion. Next, like is used to compare nouns and as is used to compare adjectives and adverbs. So, because here we are comparing the people or rebellion, we need like, not as. 10. C. Again, as we saw in problems 6 and 9, we can either compare people or what those people possess. The second half of the sentence ( Bernstein ) tells us that we re comparing people (and only people, which eliminates and ).