Hurricanes at first begin traveling from east to west, because that di

Hurricanes at first begin traveling from east to west, because that direction is the way the prevailing winds in the tropics blow, but they then veer off toward higher latitudes, in many cases changing direction toward the east before dissipating over the colder, more northerly waters or over land.

(A) Hurricanes at first begin traveling from east to west, because that direction is the way the prevailing winds in the tropics blow, but

(B) At first, hurricanes travel from east to west, because that is the direction of the prevailing winds in the tropics, but

(C) While hurricanes travel from east to west at first, the direction of the prevailing winds blowing in the tropics, and

(D) Because hurricanes at first travel from east to west, since it is the direction of the prevailing winds in the tropics,

(E) Hurricanes, beginning by traveling from east to west, because this is the direction of the prevailing winds in the tropics,


Hurricanes



First glance

The beginning of the sentence changes in nearly every answer choice, so keep an eye out for more global issues, such as Meaning, Sentence Structure, Modifiers, or Parallelism.

Issues

(1) Meaning: at first begin

You might not notice this on your first read; try comparing answers (A) and (B). They are substantially similar in meaning and structure, but answer (B) drops the verb begin. That might be your clue to examine whether the sentence needs that word.

To begin by doing a certain thing means to do that thing first. Using both at first and begin is redundant. Eliminate answer (A).

(2) Sentence Structure

While begins a subordinate clause: While I like cheese, I don’t care for pizza. This structure requires only a comma to connect the while clause with the main clause. Choice (C) offers this structure:

“While hurricanes travel (in a certain direction), and they then veer off…”

This choice is flawed in the same way as the sentence: While I like cheese, and I don’t care for pizza. A conjunction (such as and) is not an acceptable way to join a dependent clause to an independent clause. Eliminate answer (C).

Side note: in this problem, while means although. It can also mean at the same time as.

Now that you know that Sentence Structure might be an issue, check whether any other answers also mess up that core structure. Answer (E) does so:

“Hurricanes, (modifier), (modifier), they then veer off…”

The sentence repeats the subject. This would be the equivalent of saying: Larry he likes pizza. Eliminate answer (E).

(3) Meaning

In choice (D) the word because is attached to hurricanes travel from east to west. In most of the other choices, because goes with the direction of the prevailing winds. Is the change in location of that word okay?

Choice (D) states:

“Because hurricanes travel from east to west, they then veer off…”

This meaning is illogical. The hurricanes don’t veer off because they first travel from east to west. Rather, they first travel from east to west because that’s the same direction that the prevailing winds blow. Eliminate answer (D).

The Correct Answer

Correct answer (B) fixes the redundancy in the original sentence by removing the verb begin. It conveys a logical meaning and has a legal core sentence structure: …hurricanes travel from east to west, but they then veer off…