Bunuel wrote:
Some museums regard themselves as keepers rather than owners of art, responsible for conserving it in the present and letting it go where circumstances are auspicious to do it in the future.
A. letting it go where circumstances are auspicious to do it in the future
B. letting them go where circumstances are auspicious to do so in the future
C. letting them go when circumstances are auspicious to do it in the future
D. letting it go when circumstances are auspicious to do so in the future
E. letting it go when circumstances are auspicious to do it in the future
OEThe original sentence uses the unidiomatic phrase "to do it" to refer to the action of "letting the art go." The proper idiom is "to do so." Additionally, the word "where," which can be used to describe only physical locations, is incorrectly used to describe a time ("in the future"); the word "when" should be used instead.
(A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.
(B) This choice correctly uses the idiomatic phrase "to do so" to refer to the action of "letting the art go." However, it incorrectly uses the plural pronoun "them" to refer to the singular noun "art." Moreover, the word "where," which can be used to describe only physical locations, is incorrectly used to describe a time ("in the future"); the word "when" should be used instead.
(C) This choice correctly employs the word "when" to describe a time "in the future." However, it incorrectly uses the plural pronoun "them" to refer to the singular noun "art." Moreover, the phrase "to do it" is unidiomatic; "to do so" is required instead.
(D) CORRECT. This choice correctly uses the idiomatic phrase "to do so" to refer to the action of "letting the art go." Additionally, the word "when" is properly used to describe a time "in the future."
(E) This choice correctly uses the word "when" to describe a time "in the future." However, the phrase "to do it" is unidiomatic; "to do so" is required instead.