sagarsabnis wrote:
Because Halley’s comet changes orbit slightly during the seventy-six-year interval between passing close to Earth, it may veer onto a collision course with a planet sometime in the distant future.
(A) between passing
(B) of passing
(C) between its passes
(D) of its passes
(E) as it passes
What the original sentence is : Comet can collide with a planet because it changes orbit between its passes close to Earth.
Intended meaning of original sentence : Comet can collide with a planet.
Why ?=> Because comet changes its orbit in which it moves.
When comet does so ?=> When comet is orbiting close to earth, at that time between its passes comet does so.
Because Halley’s comet changes orbit slightly during the seventy-six-year interval
between passing close to Earth, it may veer onto a collision course with a planet sometime in the distant future.
(A) between passing =>
we need something to refer back to comet in order to tell who passes(B) of passing =>
passing of what ?(C) between its passes =>
CORRECT. (discussed above)(D) of its passes => comet changes orbit during the
interval of its passesPasses is a superficial thing.
Interval can not belong to passes. Hence it is incorrect to say 'interval of passes'.
Between its passes conveys the intended meaning.
(E) as it passes => This is tricky. Here,
during interval
as it passes => both underlined parts convey simultaneous ongoing actions because
'as' is used to mean 'while' it passes. This changes the intended meaning or original sentence.
Hence C is the correct answer.