Problem
Four consecutive odd integers have a sum of 48. Find the average of those integers.
|
So What?
A solid conclusion is an important quality of a high-scoring essay.
Petersons.com
|
Add SAT* Tip of the Day to your personalized My Yahoo! page:
About My Yahoo! and RSS »
|
|
|
SAT: Paragraph Improvement Question #5 |
|
(1) For centuries, musicians have played "acoustical" guitars, or ones that produce sounds through the vibrations of their strings. (2) They are made of light wood, have curved sides and a flat or arched top and back. (3) Guitar strings are made of bronze, nylon, or steel. (4) Most guitars have 6 strings, but some have 4 or 12. (5) The strings are fastened to the bridge, a small piece of wood on top of the instrument, extend along the finger board and are tied to tuning keys at the head. (6) Narrow metal strips called "frets" are located on the finger board below the strings. (7) To play the guitar, a musician must press the strings against the frets with the fingers of one hand. (8) They strum or pluck the strings with the other hand or with a plectrum, also known as a "pick".
(9) In the 1930's, guitar companies begin to commercially produce the electric guitar. (10) An electric guitar is essentially that same as an acoustical. (11) Except it also has an electromagnetic device that picks up the vibrations of the strings and translates them into electrical impulses. (12) An amplifier is used to modify the impulses, and loudspeakers change impulses back into sound. (13) An electric guitar produces a greater range of sounds than an acoustical guitar, although some people find the acoustical to be far more pleasant to listen to.
Question:
In context, which of the following revisions is necessary in sentence 9?
In the 1930's, guitar companies begin to commercially produce the electric guitar.
Choices:
This question asks you to make the one necessary correction in sentence 3. Choice (E) is the correct answer because the past tense of the verb "to begin" is the correct one to use in this context. The rest of the passage is in the present tense, but since the author tells us the electric guitar was produced "in the 1930's," we know this is in the past, therefore the verb needs to agree. None of the other choices rectify this problem, and all of the other choices actually create new problems.
|
|
|
