Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
lordw wrote:
The Environmental Protection Agency frequently puts mandatory controls on toxic substances that present as little risk as one in a million chances to cause cancer.
(A) as little risk as one in a million chances to cause
(B) as little risk as one chance in a million of causing
(C) as little risk as one chance in a million that it will cause
(D) a risk as little as one chance in a million for causing
(E) a risk as little as one chance in a million for it to cause
Concepts tested here: Pronouns + Idioms • “risk + of + present participle (“verb+ing” - “causing” in this sentence) is the correct, idiomatic construction.
A: This answer choice incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction “risk + infinitive verb form (“to + basic form of the verb” - “to + cause” in this sentence); remember, “risk + of + present participle (“verb+ing”) is the correct, idiomatic construction.
B: Correct. This answer choice avoids the pronoun error seen in Options C and E, as it uses no pronouns. Further, Option B correctly uses the idiomatic construction “risk +
of + present participle (“verb+ing” - “causing” in this sentence). Additionally, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
C: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun “substances” with the singular pronoun “it”. Further, Option C uses the needlessly wordy phrase “that it will cause”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
D: This answer choice incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction “risk +
for + present participle (“verb+ing” - “causing” in this sentence); remember, “risk +
of + present participle (“verb+ing” - “causing” in this sentence) is the correct, idiomatic construction.
E: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the plural noun “substances” with the singular pronoun “it”. Further, Option E incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction “risk + for + infinitive verb form (“to + basic form of the verb” - “to + cause” in this sentence); remember, “risk + of + present participle (“verb+ing”) is the correct, idiomatic construction.
Hence, B is the best answer choice.All the best!
Experts' Global Team