AbdurRakib wrote:
By devising an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employing uncommonly precise measurements, in 1797–1798 Henry Cavendish’s apparatus enabled him to arrive at an astonishingly accurate figure for the weight of the earth.
(A) By devising an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employing uncommonly precise measurements, in 1797–1798 Henry Cavendish’s apparatus enabled him
(B) In 1797–1798, by devising an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employing uncommonly precise measurements, Henry Cavendish’s apparatus enabled him
(C) Henry Cavendish devised an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employed uncommonly precise measurements, and in 1797–1798 was able
(D) Having devised an instrument from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employment of uncommonly precise measurements, Henry Cavendish in 1797–1798 was able
(E) By devising an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employing uncommonly precise measurements, Henry Cavendish was able in 1797–1798
The sentence tells us that
in 1797 – 1798, Henry Cavendish was able to arrive at an accurate value of the weight of Earth. He was able to do this by doing two things – by devising an instrument made from a rod, wire and lead balls and by employing precise measurements. These two things should be in parallel.
(A) By devising an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employing uncommonly precise measurements, in 1797–1798 Henry Cavendish’s apparatus enabled him
(B) In 1797–1798, by devising an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employing uncommonly precise measurements, Henry Cavendish’s apparatus enabled himLook at the structure of the sentence in option (A) – it starts with an adverbial prepositional modifier. This should be followed by the subject who did the devising and the verb which tells us what was accomplished ‘by devising…’
The modifier ‘By devising … measurements’ should be followed by Henry Cavendish because he was the one who devised the instrument.
Next, we should have the verb ‘was able.’ The prepositional modifier tells us ‘how’ he was able to arrive at the accurate figure - by devising an instrument...
If we follow the prepositional modifier by ‘Henry Cavendish’s apparatus enabled him,’ we are implying that the apparatus devised the instrument. But we know that only Henry Cavendish could have devised the instrument.
Hence both options (A) and (B) are eliminated.
(C) Henry Cavendish devised an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employed uncommonly precise measurements, and in 1797–1798 was ableOption (C) de-links the devising of the instrument and arriving at the figure for weight. The sentence tells us that he was able to arrive at an accurate value by using this instrument that he devised and employing precise measurements but option (C) puts the three verbs in three verb phrases making them three separate actions.
Henry devised… and employed … and was able to …
Hence, option (C) does not give accurate meaning.
(D) Having devised an instrument from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employment of uncommonly precise measurements, Henry Cavendish in 1797–1798 was ableThe devising of the instrument should be parallel to employing of precise measurements as we discussed at the beginning. Option (D) errs on this. It uses ‘having devised (perfect participle)… and employment (noun) of …’
The two are not parallel. Hence option (D) is eliminated too.
(E) By devising an instrument made from a rod, wire, and lead balls, and employing uncommonly precise measurements, Henry Cavendish was able in 1797–1798Option (E) uses the parallel structure ‘By devising … and employing…’ for the modifier and follows it with the required subject and verb ‘Henry Cavendish was able .. ‘
Answer (E)
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