The recent surge in the number of airplane flights has clogged the nation's air-traffic control system, to lead to 55 percent more delays at airports, and prompts fears among some officials that safety is being compromised.
(A) to lead to 55 percent more delays at airports, and prompts
(B) leading to 55 percent more delay at airports and prompting
(C) to lead to a 55 percent increase in delay at airports and prompt
(D) to lead to an increase of 55 percent in delays at airports, and prompted
(E) leading to a 55 percent increase in delays at airports and prompting
OA E
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The recent surge in the number of airplane flights has
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This question is testing PARALLELISM and MEANING.
When we see "... , and prompts..." we know that we're looking for a parallel list: X, Y, and Z. Just note: we don't have to make every verb in the sentence parallel! You might be looking for:
... the surge has clogged air traffic control... , lead to delays..., and prompted fears...
That would be structurally parallel. But... these aren't 3 separate actions. The 2nd two are the result of the 1st one.
The more clear meaning would be to make the first verb the main verb, and have the other 2 modifying:
... the surge has clogged air traffic control... , leading to delays..., and prompting fears...
(A) to lead to 55 percent more delays at airports, and prompts
- "to lead... and prompts" is not parallel
- "to lead" implies intention - that this happened in *order* to lead to these delays, etc.
(B) leading to 55 percent more delay at airports and prompting
- "leading and prompting" is parallel, but...
- "more delay" is not idiomatic
(C) to lead to a 55 percent increase in delay at airports and prompt
- same issue with "to lead" as in A
- "increase in delay" not idiomatic
(D) to lead to an increase of 55 percent in delays at airports, and prompted
- same issue with "to lead" as in A
(E) leading to a 55 percent increase in delays at airports and prompting
- "leading and prompting" is parallel
- "increase in delays" is correct
The answer is E.
When we see "... , and prompts..." we know that we're looking for a parallel list: X, Y, and Z. Just note: we don't have to make every verb in the sentence parallel! You might be looking for:
... the surge has clogged air traffic control... , lead to delays..., and prompted fears...
That would be structurally parallel. But... these aren't 3 separate actions. The 2nd two are the result of the 1st one.
The more clear meaning would be to make the first verb the main verb, and have the other 2 modifying:
... the surge has clogged air traffic control... , leading to delays..., and prompting fears...
(A) to lead to 55 percent more delays at airports, and prompts
- "to lead... and prompts" is not parallel
- "to lead" implies intention - that this happened in *order* to lead to these delays, etc.
(B) leading to 55 percent more delay at airports and prompting
- "leading and prompting" is parallel, but...
- "more delay" is not idiomatic
(C) to lead to a 55 percent increase in delay at airports and prompt
- same issue with "to lead" as in A
- "increase in delay" not idiomatic
(D) to lead to an increase of 55 percent in delays at airports, and prompted
- same issue with "to lead" as in A
(E) leading to a 55 percent increase in delays at airports and prompting
- "leading and prompting" is parallel
- "increase in delays" is correct
The answer is E.
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
