applecrisp wrote:
Though most people take it for granted now, the nationwide admission of students to colleges and universities based on academic merit is a relatively recent phenomenon, beginning only after World War II.
(A) Though most people take it for granted now, the nationwide admission of students to colleges and universities based on academic merit
The modifier is in the right place and the meaning is also correct
(B) Though it is now taken for granted by most people, the admission of nationwide students to colleges and universities based on academic merit
The intial sentence is wordy and the placement of nation wide isn't appropriate
(C) Now taken for granted by most people, colleges and universities admitting students based on their academic merit
the sentence lack a modifier at the right place and the meaning is ambigious
(D) Most take them for granted now, but the admission of nationwide students to colleges and universities based on their academic merit
the addition of the term then is inappropriate and makes the whole paragraph akward , moreover and is not required
(E) Most people now take for granted that colleges and universities admit students nationally based on academic merit, and it
Similar reasoning as D
therefore IMO A