Official Solution:The study, prepared for the county's economic development council, represents the most thorough attempt to gauge the impact of increased food and beverage taxes in the southeastern region since they were raised six years ago. A. the most thorough attempt to gauge
B. the thorough attempt to gauge
C. a most thorough attempt to gauge
D. a thorough attempt for gauging
E. the most thorough attempt for gauging
A. CORRECT. Here "thorough" is used to mean extensive/careful and like any other adjective, the superlative form is used to indicate that the "study" is the most extensive (i.e. most thorough) one among all the attempts in the last six years.
“The” is correctly used before the superlative form.
To depict an intention, the infinitive form “to gauge” is used.
Grammatical Note:
The words "most" and "thorough" are not redundant. Following is the explanation:
Any adjective has 3 forms: positive, comparative and superlative. Example:
Type 1A (regular - add er/est): Pretty, prettier, prettiest.
Type 1B (regular - add more/most): beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful.
Type 2 (irregular - no definite rule): Good, better, best.
The adjective "thorough" is of type 2. The superlative form is thus "most thorough". It is intended to convey that of all the attempts, "the study, prepared for the county's economic development council" is the MOST thorough (superlative form).
B. The use of “the” without the superlative form “most” implies that the “study” is THE (only) “thorough” attempt , whereas all other attempts in the last six years are not thorough. This implication distorts the meaning.
Note:
Compare the following example:
I. “I have made an intelligent choice.”
II. “I have made the most intelligent choice.”
III. “I have made the intelligent choice.”
Statement I implies that there are many intelligent choices - I made one of them.
Statement II implies that there are many intelligent choices - I made the one that is the most intelligent one.
Statement III implies that there is only one intelligent choice and I made that choice.
In option B, the usage is similar to that in statement III above and hence the meaning is distorted.
C. Grammatically, the article “the” is mandatory before a superlative adjective. This use of “a” before the superlative adjective “most thorough” is wrong.
D. To depict an intention, the infinitive form “to gauge” is required to be used. In this option “for gauging” is wrongly used to depict an intention.
E. To depict an intention, the infinitive form “to gauge” is required to be used. In this option “for gauging” is wrongly used to depict an intention.
Answer: A