Sound can travel through water for enormous distances, prevented from dissipating its acoustic energy as a result of boundaries in the ocean created by water layers of different temperatures and densities.
A. prevented from dissipating its acoustic energy as a
result of
B. prevented from having its acoustic energy dissipated by
C. its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by
D. its acoustic energy prevented from being dissipated as a result of
E preventing its acoustic energy from dissipating by
Generally, COMMA + VERBed refers to the immediately preceding noun.
Thus, in A and B,
prevented seems to modify
distances.
Since it is not the distances but the ACOUSTIC ENERGY that is
prevented from dissipating, eliminate A and B.
Generally, COMMA + VERBing refers to the SUBJECT of the preceding clause.
Thus, in E,
preventing seems to modify SOUND, implying that the sound is preventing its own energy from dissipating.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate E.
In D,
as a result of boundaries implies that the boundaries themselves are RESULTING in something.
Not possible; only an ACTION or an EVENT can result in something.
Eliminate D.
The correct answer is
C.
Katy_ wrote:Could anyone please explain to me why "dissipating by" is accepted here? I can't get the usage of "dissipate" here
OA:
its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by boundaries in the ocean
Here,
dissipating is a GERUND: a verb serving as a NOUN.
More specifically,
dissipating serves as the object of the preposition
from.
From what action is the energy prevented?
The energy is prevented from DISSIPATING.
By boundaries serves to express that BOUNDARIES IN THE OCEAN prevent the energy from dissipating.
What prevents the energy from dissipating?
The energy is prevented from dissipating BY BOUNDARIES IN THE OCEAN.
The entire phrase
its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by boundaries in the ocean is an
absolute phrase.
For a description of this grammatical construction, check my posts here:
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