Unable to build nests or care for their young, a female cowbird lays up to 40 eggs a year in the nests of other birds, including warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and thrushes.
A. a female cowbird lays up to 40 eggs a year in the nests of other birds, including
B. a female cowbird will use the nests of other birds to lay up to 40 eggs a year, including those of
C. female cowbirds use the nests of other birds to lay up to 40 eggs a year, including those of
D. female cowbirds lay up to 40 eggs a year in the nests of other birds, including
E. up to 40 eggs a year are laid by female cowbirds in the nests of other birds, including
OA: D
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Verbal Review 18: Unable to build nests or
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In A and B, their (plural) does not agree with a female cowbird (singular).NandishSS wrote:Unable to build nests or care for their young, a female cowbird lays up to 40 eggs a year in the nests of other birds, including warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and thrushes.
A. a female cowbird lays up to 40 eggs a year in the nests of other birds, including
B. a female cowbird will use the nests of other birds to lay up to 40 eggs a year, including those of
C. female cowbirds use the nests of other birds to lay up to 40 eggs a year, including those of
D. female cowbirds lay up to 40 eggs a year in the nests of other birds, including
E. up to 40 eggs a year are laid by female cowbirds in the nests of other birds, including
Eliminate A and B.
C: female cowbirds...lay up to 40 eggs a year, including those of warblers
Here, those seems to refer to eggs -- the nearest preceding plural noun -- yielding the following meaning:
Female cowbirds...lay up to 40 eggs a year, including the eggs of warblers.
The conveyed meaning -- that female cowbirds lay the eggs of warblers -- is nonsensical.
Eliminate C.
The referent for an introductory noun modifier must BEGIN the following clause.
E: Unable to build nests, up to 40 eggs a year are laid by female cowbirds
Here, unable to build nests is an introductory noun modifier.
Its intended referent -- female cowbirds -- does not begin the following clause.
Eliminate E.
The correct answer is D.
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