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ACT: English Question #6 |
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The following paragraphs may or may not be in the most logical order. The numbers following each underlined segment refer to the question about that segment.
Ask people if they have ever heard, of vaudeville, and (1) most of them will have no idea what the word even means. However, around 100 years ago, vaudeville was the most popular form of entertainment in the United States. Between the years 1875 and 1932, it was vaudeville bringing laughter and joy throughout the country to millions of people. (2)
The fact that vaudeville had something for everyone led to its wonderful (3) appeal. The variety of the acts was (4) impressive. Each show featured jugglers, horseback riders, musicians, and puppeteers to entertain the crowd. The audience would laugh at the clowns and comedians, joining the singers in song, and in amazement of the magic tricks and acrobats. (5) Since acts like magic, mime, and dancing required little to no verbal communication or speaking, (6) many of the new immigrants to this country did not need to speak English to join in the fun. In addition, tickets to vaudeville shows were relatively inexpensive. Making (7) it possible for people with limited means to purchase them. Another reason for vaudeville's popularity was the family-oriented nature of the acts. (8) Vulgarity was not allowed, so when parents took their children, we could (9) enjoy the show without worrying about exposing them to improper language or behavior.
(10) The word vaudeville comes from the French phrase voix de ville, or "voices of the town." In France, people would gather in the valleys to amuse each other with song and dance. Gradually, vaudeville spread to America, into the saloons of the Wild West. There, performers delighted the audience with acts like singing and rope spinning. As the acts became more creative and diverse, they attracted a wider audience. When vaudeville reached its peak in the 1920's, there were over 600 theatres showcasing 60,000 acts.
Question:
Choose the choice that forms the most effective sentence. If the original is best, choose "NO CHANGE."
Choices:
Correct Answer: (D)
A. Speaking is a form of verbal communication, so the phrase is redundant as written. Eliminate.
B. The sentence begins with the subordinating conjunction since, which means that the first half of the sentence (up to the word speaking) is a dependent clause. When a dependent clause introduces an independent clause, a comma must separate the two clauses. It would be incorrect to either remove the comma after speaking or add it after communication. Eliminate.
C. Substituting speech for speaking does not correct the error of redundancy. Eliminate.
D. The word speaking is just another way of saying "verbal communication." Therefore, the sentence is improved by removing speaking altogether, which corrects the problem of redundancy.
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