Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
damit wrote:
Some scientists contend
that many species of dinosaur had a metabolism more like a warm-blooded mammal's than a cold-blooded reptile's.
(A) that many species of dinosaur had a metabolism more like
(B) that the metabolism of many dinosaur species were more like
(C) that the metabolisms of many species of dinosaurs were more like those of
(D) there were many species of dinosaurs that had metabolisms more like those of
(E) there were many dinosaur species that had a metabolism more like that of
My major question here is can we or can we not eliminate that. Does anyone have a rule for when "that" can be eliminated?
thanks
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended core meaning is that many species of dinosaurs had a metabolism that was more like the metabolism of a warm-blooded mammal than the metabolism of a cold-blooded reptile.
Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Meaning + Comparison + Idioms + Awkwardness/Redundancy• “contend + that” and "contend + with" are the correct, idiomatic construction.
• Comparison must always be made between similar things.
A: Correct. This answer choice correctly refers to the plural noun phrase "many species of dinosaur" with the verb "had", which can refer to both plural and singular nouns. Further, Option A correctly compares "a metabolism" with "a warm-blooded mammal's (metabolism)" and "a cold-blooded reptile's (metabolism)", conveying the intended meaning - that many species of dinosaurs had a metabolism that was more like the metabolism
of a warm-blooded mammal than the metabolism
of a cold-blooded reptile. Additionally, Option A correctly uses the idiomatic construction "contend + that". Besides, Option A is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
B: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the singular noun "metabolism" with the plural verb "were". Further, Option B uses the passive construction "the metabolism of many dinosaur species were", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
C: This answer choice incorrectly compares "the metabolisms of many species of dinosaurs" to "
those of a warm-blooded mammal's (metabolism)" and "a cold-blooded reptile's (metabolism)"; the use of "those" alongside the possessive nouns "mammal's" and "reptile's" illogically suggests that the metabolisms of many species of dinosaurs were more like the metabolism
of the metabolism of a warm-blooded mammal than the metabolism
of the metabolism of a cold-blooded reptile; the intended meaning is that many species of dinosaurs had a metabolism that was more like the metabolism
of a warm-blooded mammal than the metabolism
of a cold-blooded reptile; remember, a comparison must always be made between similar things. Additionally, Option C uses the passive construction "the metabolisms of many species of dinosaurs were", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
D: This answer choice incorrectly compares "metabolisms" to "
those of a warm-blooded mammal's (metabolism)" and "a cold-blooded reptile's (metabolism)"; the use of "those" alongside the possessive nouns "mammal's" and "reptile's" illogically suggests that the metabolisms of many species of dinosaurs were more like the metabolism
of the metabolism of a warm-blooded mammal than the metabolism
of the metabolism of a cold-blooded reptile; the intended meaning is that many species of dinosaurs had a metabolism that was more like the metabolism
of a warm-blooded mammal than the metabolism
of a cold-blooded reptile; remember, a comparison must always be made between similar things. Further, Option D uses the unidiomatic construction "contend + clause"; please remember, “contend + that” and "contend + with" are the correct, idiomatic construction. Additionally, Option D uses the passive construction "there were many species of dinosaurs", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
E: This answer choice incorrectly compares "a metabolism" to "
that of a warm-blooded mammal's (metabolism)" and "a cold-blooded reptile's (metabolism)"; the use of "that" alongside the possessive nouns "mammal's" and "reptile's" illogically suggests that the metabolisms of many species of dinosaurs were more like the metabolism
of the metabolism of a warm-blooded mammal than the metabolism
of the metabolism of a cold-blooded reptile; the intended meaning is that many species of dinosaurs had a metabolism that was more like the metabolism
of a warm-blooded mammal than the metabolism
of a cold-blooded reptile; remember, a comparison must always be made between similar things. Further, Option E uses the unidiomatic construction "contend + clause"; please remember, “contend + that” and "contend + with" are the correct, idiomatic construction. Additionally, Option E uses the passive construction "there were many dinosaur species", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
Hence, A is the best answer choice.All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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