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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
WhyabloodyMBA wrote:
A letter by Mark Twain, written in the same year as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were published, reveals that Twain provided financial assistance to one of the first Black students at Yale Law School.
(A) A letter by Mark Twain, written in the same year as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were published,
(B) A letter by Mark Twain, written in the same year of publication as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
(C) A letter by Mark Twain, written in the same year that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published,
(D) Mark Twain wrote a letter in the same year as he published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that
(E) Mark Twain wrote a letter in the same year of publication as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that Mark Twain wrote a certain letter in the year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published.
Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Meaning + Awkwardness/RedundancyA: This answer choice incorrectly refer to the singular noun "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" with the plural verb "were published". Further, Option A alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "the same year as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were published"; the construction of this phrase leads to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that Mark Twain wrote a certain letter in the year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published.
B: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "in the same year of publication"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that Mark Twain wrote
and published a certain letter in the year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published; the intended meaning is that Mark Twain
wrote a certain letter in the year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published.
C: Correct. This answer choice correctly refers to the singular noun "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" with the singular verb "was published". Further, Option C uses the phrase "in the same year that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published", conveying the intended meaning - that Mark Twain
wrote a certain letter in the year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published. Additionally, Option C is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
D: This answer choice uses the needlessly indirect construction "Mark Twain wrote a letter...that", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "in the same year of publication"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that Mark Twain wrote
and published a certain letter in the year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published; the intended meaning is that Mark Twain
wrote a certain letter in the year The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published. Further, Option E uses the needlessly indirect construction "Mark Twain wrote a letter...that", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
Hence, C is the best answer choice.All the best!
Experts' Global Team