OFFICIAL EXPLANATION• HIGHLIGHTSproliferation is a rapid increase or fast growth
-- "proliferation" is a singular noun that takes a singular verb
-- in the noun phrase
proliferation of third parties, "proliferation" is the subject—not parties. These nouns are similarly singular:
The expansion of the building is going well.A group of tourists is on my last nerve. (Vernacular. The tourists are annoying, but the group of tourists IS annoying.)
MEANINGIn the U.S. very close Presidential races between the two major parties have become more common. Third parties never win. But they "steal" voters from the two major parties; third parties have a lot of bargaining power because if they steal enough votes from one major party, its candidate loses.
This story is true: In the 1999 (2000) U.S. presidential election Al Gore won the national popular vote.
But states' votes in the electoral college determine the winner. In Florida, Al Gore lost to George Bush by . . .
537 votes. The state of Florida, and thus the presidential win, went to Bush.
THE PROMPTQuote:
At a time when narrowly won presidential elections seem more the rule than the exception, the proliferation of small third parties would have a bargaining power that few of them have ever enjoyed before.
THE OPTIONSQuote:
A) At a time when narrowly won presidential elections seem more the rule than the exception, the proliferation of small third parties would have a bargaining power that few of them have ever enjoyed before.
• absurd meaning:
proliferation does not have bargaining power. Proliferation is rapid growth
• "them" is plural. "proliferation" is
singular• no reason exists to use "would have." Wrong verb tense. We use "would" to speculate in hypothetical or conditional situations.
Typically, we use "would have" in the sense of regret: if you had called me earlier than you did, I would have come immediately! (But you did not call me earlier and I did not come immediately, though I wish I could have done so.)
Eliminate A
Quote:
B) At a time when narrowly won presidential elections seem more the rule than the exception, the number of small third parties have a bargaining power that few of them have ever enjoyed before.
• absurd meaning: the
number of third parties did not have bargaining power
•
THE number of is always singular (NOTE:
A number of is always plural)
-- the number of [singular]. . . have [plural] -- subject verb disagreement
Eliminate B
Quote:
C) At a time when narrowly won presidential elections seem more the rule than the exception, the existence of small third parties has/i] a bargaining power that few of them have ever enjoyed before.
• absurd meaning: the
existence [of small third parties] does not have bargaining power
Eliminate C)
Quote:
D) At a time when narrowly won presidential elections seem more the rule than the exception, [i]the proliferation of small third parties has a bargaining power that few of them have ever enjoyed before.
• absurd meaning:
proliferation (rapid growth) does not have bargaining power.
•
proliferation is singular. The pronoun "them" (plural) should be "its" (singular)
Eliminate D
Quote:
At a time when narrowly won presidential elections seem more the rule than the exception, small third parties have a bargaining power that few of them have ever enjoyed before.
[/quote]
• bingo. The parties have the bargaining power. Parties are plural, so "them" is appropriate.
The answer is ECOMMENTSphilippi , welcome to SC Butler.
These answers range from very good to outstanding.
Lucky aspirants to follow.
As mentioned, I really enjoy the sidebars, distinctive voices and tones, and different methods of teaching.
Very well done. Kudos to all.
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