考试类型: Writing > Improving Sentences

Part of the following sentence is underlined; beneath the sentence are five ways of phrasing the underlined material. Select the option that produces the best sentence. If you think the original phrasing produces a better sentence than any of the alternatives, select choice A.

There are many famous quotations previously credited to “Anonymous,” researchers have discovered that they were in fact written by female authors.

A. There are many famous quotations previously credited to “Anonymous,” researchers have discovered that they were in fact written by female authors.

B. Many famous quotations that were in fact written by female authors were previously credited to “Anonymous” and researchers discovered this.

C. Researchers have discovered many famous quotations that were previously credited to “Anonymous,” they were in fact written by female authors.

D. Researchers have discovered that many famous quotations previously credited to “Anonymous” were in fact written by female authors.

E. The discovery of many famous quotations previously credited to “Anonymous” but in fact written by female authors were made by researchers.

正确答案:D

解析:

Choice (D) is correct. It avoids the comma splice error of the original by combining the two independent clauses that were improperly joined by only a comma (“There are many famous quotations previously credited to ‘Anonymous’” and “researchers have discovered that they were in fact written by female authors”) into one sentence consisting of a main clause (“Researchers have discovered”) and a dependent clause (“that many famous quotations previously credited to ‘Anonymous’ were in fact written by female authors”).