OFFICIAL EXPLANATIONProject SC Butler: Day 181: Sentence Correction (SC2)
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• HIGHLIGHTS• Whenever you see sentences this long, look at modifiers and placement.
• Try to group the ideas. Just doodle a little. No kidding.
If you are stuck, write a few nouns or noun phrases:
computers . . . identification of planets . . . data . . . telescope records signals from planetsMuch more quickly than you would expect, your mind will start rearranging pieces and looking for clues. Just start.
• be careful with dismissing options that are in passive voice. Estimates of correct answers that are in the passive voice range from 15 to 40 percent.
• if you cannot figure out the meaning from the prompt, keep reading options. If you remember to
keep moving, your mind will piece the correct parts together
• rough meaning: Far away planets send signals that a Kepler telescope records. From the recordings contained in the data, computers learn to identify planets and in fact recently discovered one called Kepler 90i
THE PROMPTQuote:
The recently discovered planet Kepler-90i was found via machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence in which the identification of planets learned by computers is done from data by finding in the Kepler telescope instances of recorded signals from planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets.
THE OPTIONSQuote:
A) The recently discovered planet Kepler-90i was found via machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence in which the identification of planets learned by computers is done from data by finding in the Kepler telescope instances of recorded signals from planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets.
• Although the phrasing is confusing, I can pick out what is wrong:
--
the identification of planets learned by computers is not clear.
Is the identification learned by computers? Or are the planets learned by computers?
-- We don't say that someone or something "learns a planet."
-- we learn to
identify a planet—so we are probably looking for something such as
computers learn to identify planets.-- how do computers learn to identify planets? They use data.
• This phrasing is strange: computers find instances of recorded signals from the planets
IN the telescope.The telescope gathers data. That data must be recorded signals. In these data (and not "in" the telescope), computers could find signals from planets.
• This sentence is in passive voice
-- Because
computers identify planets, it is very likely that
computers should come first.
Eliminate A
Quote:
B) The recently discovered planet Kepler-90i was found via machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence in which computers learn to identify planets by finding in the Kepler telescope instances of recorded signals from planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets.
• Meaning is almost clear after I read B. But whatever the computers are finding . . .
• The computers are not "finding ____ in the telescope." Same problem as that in A.
Eliminate B
Quote:
C) The recently discovered planet Kepler-90i was found via machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence in which computers learn to identify planets by finding in data from the Kepler telescope instances of the planet’s recorded signals from beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets.
• the non-underlined phrase
known as exoplanets is an appositive that must modify the closest possible noun. (
known is an irregular past participle, a verbED.)
•
signals from beyond our solar system are not
known as exoplanets. Wrong.
Eliminate C
Quote:
D) The recently discovered planet Kepler-90i was found via machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence in which computers learn to identify planets by finding in data from the Kepler telescope instances of recorded signals from planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets.
• This sentence clears up the meaning: the computers find in the data [taken] from the Kepler telescope's instances of signals from planets [that are] beyond our solar system
• The modifier at the end is correct. The planets from which the telescope gathers data are
planets beyond our solar system.
KEEP
Quote:
E) The recently discovered planet Kepler-90i was found via machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence in which the identification of planets is learned by computers by finding in data from the Kepler telescope instances of recorded signals from planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets.
• again, just as in (A)
the identification of planets precedes
computers. • computers should take the lead. Computers are an active subject. They learn to identify planets in a particular way. Option D is better.
Eliminate E
The best answer is D• NOTESThese sentences are long. They do not contain easily-caught grammar problems.
Solve for bits and pieces..
COMMENTSThese answers range from very good to excellent.
I like the variety.
Kudos to all with correct answers and good explanations.