ueh55406 wrote:
Some problem with OA, even though I agree, E, as a choice, makes more sense than any other.
(E) Because Madagascar was one of the last habitable areas of the earth to undergo human settlement, it is
it is supposed to refer to a noun, so human settlement /earth / or Madagascar? which one are we talking about here?
Hi
ueh55406, pronoun
it is indeed
ambiguous here.
In case of pronoun ambiguity, application of following rule often comes in handy:
Pronoun-subject in one clause can be presumed to refer to noun-subject of another clause.The two clauses here are:
i) Because Madagascar was one of the last habitable areas of the earth to undergo human settlement -
Madagascar is the
noun-subjectii) it is an ideal site for researching rare flora and fauna -
it is the
pronoun-subjectSo,
it refers to
Madagascar. So, despite the ambiguity, this will be considered a
valid construct.
Having said that, it's worth noting that pronoun ambiguity should
not be the
only reason to eliminate an answer choice.
p.s. Our book
EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana discusses
Pronoun ambiguity, its application and examples in significant detail. If you or someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section.