Bunuel wrote:
Approximately one
of four children are now born to mothers without a spouse, compared with just one of ten born six years ago.
(A) of four children are now born to mothers without a spouse, compared with just one of ten born
(B) of four children is now born to a mother who is single, compared to just one of ten children who were born
(C) child in four are now born to single mothers, compared to just one in ten
(D) child in four is now born to single mothers, compared to just one in ten
(E) child in four is now born to a single mother, compared with just one in ten
Project SC Butler
For SC butler Questions Click Here Experts' Global Official Explanation:Comparison + Subject-verb Agreement + Meaning + Idioms + Redundancy/AwkwardnessUnderstanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the sentence is that approximately one child in four is now born to a single mother, compared with just one child in ten (born to a single mother) six years ago.
• "compared with" is used for comparing similar things and "compared to" is used for comparing different things.
A. This answer choice incorrectly uses the plural verb “are” to refer to the singular noun phrase “one of four children”. Further, Option A alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “born to mothers”; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that one in four children is born to multiple mothers; the intended meaning is that approximately one child in four is now born to a single mother. Additionally, Option A uses the needlessly wordy phrases “one of four children” and “mothers without a spouse”, leading to awkwardness.
B. Trap. This answer choice incorrectly uses the plural verb “were” to refer to the singular noun phrase “one of ten children”. Further, Option B incorrectly uses “compared to” to compare two similar things, “one of four children” and “one of ten children”; please remember, "compared with" is used for comparing similar things, and "compared to" is used for comparing different things. Additionally, Option B uses the needlessly wordy phrases “one of four children”, “a mother who is single” and “one of ten children”, leading to awkwardness.
C. This answer choice incorrectly uses the plural verb “are” to refer to the singular noun phrase “one child in four”. Further, Option C alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “born to single mothers”; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that one in four children is born to multiple mothers; the intended meaning is that approximately one child in four is now born to a single mother. Additionally, Option C incorrectly uses “compared to” to compare two similar things, “one child in four” and “one in ten”; please remember, "compared with" is used for comparing similar things, and "compared to" is used for comparing different things.
D. Trap. This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “born to single mothers”; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that one in four children is born to multiple mothers; the intended meaning is that approximately one child in four is now born to a single mother. Further, Option D incorrectly uses “compared to” to compare two similar things, “one child in four” and “one in ten”; please remember, "compared with" is used for comparing similar things, and "compared to" is used for comparing different things.
E. Correct. This answer choice correctly uses the singular verb “is” to refer to the singular noun phrase “one child in four”. Further, Option E uses the phrase “born to a single mother”, conveying the intended meaning - that approximately one child in four is now born to a single mother. Additionally, Option E correctly uses “compared with” to compare two similar things, “one child in four” and “one in ten”. Besides, Option E is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
E is the best answer choice. _________________