Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
laxieqv wrote:
A study of food resources in the North Pacific between 1989 and 1996 revealed that creatures of the seabed were suffering from dwindling food supplies, possibly resulting from increasing sea surface temperatures during the same period.
(A) that creatures of the seabed were suffering from dwindling food supplies, possibly resulting from increasing
(B) that creatures of the seabed were suffering because food supplies were dwindling, possibly as a result of an increase in
(C) that creatures of the seabed were suffering because of food supplies, which were dwindling possibly as a result of increasing
(D) creatures of the seabed that were suffering from food supplies that were dwindling, possibly resulting from an increase in
(E) creatures of the seabed that were suffering because food supplies were dwindling, which possibly resulted from increasing
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended core meaning of this sentence is that the study revealed that creatures of the seabed were suffering because food supplies were dwindling, and they were dwindling possibly as a result of an increase in surface temperatures.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Idioms + Awkwardness/Redundancy• When the word “result” is used as a noun, the correct, idiomatic usage is “result + of”, and when “result” is used as a verb, the idiomatic construction is “result + from”.
A: Trap. This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "suffering from dwindling food supplies"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that the sea creatures were suffering
because of the food supplies; the intended meaning is that the sea creatures were suffering
because the food supplies
were dwindling. Further, Option A incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction "result (noun) from"; please remember, when the word “result” is used as a noun, the correct, idiomatic usage is “result + of”, and when “result” is used as a verb, the idiomatic construction is “result + from”.
B: Correct. This answer choice uses the phrase "revealed that creatures of the seabed were suffering because food supplies were dwindling", conveying the intended meaning - that the study revealed
the fact that creatures of the seabed were suffering
because food supplies
were dwindling. Further, Option B correctly uses the idiomatic construction "result (noun) + of". Additionally, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
C: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "suffering from dwindling food supplies"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that the sea creatures were suffering
because of the food supplies; the intended meaning is that the sea creatures were suffering
because the food supplies
were dwindling. Further, Option C uses the needlessly wordy and indirect phrase "which were dwindling possibly as a result of increasing", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
D: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "revealed creatures of the seabed"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the study revealed
the existence of creatures of the seabed that were suffering because food supplies were dwindling; the intended meaning is that the study revealed
the fact that creatures of the seabed were suffering because food supplies were dwindling. Moreover, Option D further alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "suffering from dwindling food supplies"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that the sea creatures were suffering
because of the food supplies; the intended meaning is that the sea creatures were suffering
because the food supplies
were dwindling.
E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "revealed creatures of the seabed"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the study revealed
the existence of creatures of the seabed that were suffering because food supplies were dwindling; the intended meaning is that the study revealed
the fact that creatures of the seabed were suffering because food supplies were dwindling. Further, Option E uses the needlessly indirect and wordy phrase "which possibly resulted from increasing", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
Hence, B is the best answer choice.All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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