Noticing that the underlined portion is a modifier that begins with which and modifies approaches is key for getting this question right.lucas211 wrote:In attempting to solve the problems caused by a lowering of the price of oil, oil companies operating in the North Sea have taken a variety of approaches, which includes their reducing employment, using new technology to pump oil more efficiently from smaller fields, and finding innovative ways to cut the cost of building and operating
platforms.
(A) which includes their reducing employment, using new technology to pump oil more efficiently
(B) which includes reducing employment, using new technology to be more efficient in pumping oil
(C) which include reducing employment, using new technology to pump oil more efficiently
(D) which include the reduction of employment, their using new technology to pump oil more efficient
(E) including a reduction of employment, their use of new technology to be more efficient at pumping oil
which is a pronoun and refers to approaches.
(A) approaches is plural. So which includes, which refers to approaches, is incorrect, because includes is the singular form.
(B) This answer choice can be eliminated, because it also uses the singular form includes. Also, the meaning is distorted in this version in that the purpose of using new technology is not exactly to be more efficient in pumping oil but rather to actually pump oil more efficiently.
(C) This answer choice correctly uses the plural form include, and is structured effectively.
(D) While this answer choice uses the plural from include, it has issues. the reduction of employment unnecessarily uses the article the, seeming to specify that a particular reduction of employment is being discussed. Also, their seems to refer to approaches, conveying that the approaches themselves are using new technology.
(E) This version, by using including rather than which include, conveys that the companies rather than the approaches, are including the items in the list that follows including. Also, what the pronoun their refers to is ambiguous.
So the correct answer is C.
