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SC Problem Question

by mketron » Sun Aug 18, 2013 6:04 am
Hi Everyone!

What do you all think about this problem? I got it wrong and am unsure why.
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Federal authorities involved in the investigation have found the local witnesses are difficult to locate, reticent, and are suspicious of strangers.

(A) the local witnesses are difficult to locate, reticent, and are
(B) local witnesses to be difficult to locate, reticent, and are
(C) that local witnesses are difficult to locate, reticent, and
(D) local witnesses are difficult to locate and reticent, and they are
(E) that local witnesses are difficult to locate and reticent, and they are
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I picked D, but the answer is actually C. But why??
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by Java_85 » Sun Aug 18, 2013 1:04 pm
In my opinion C is the right answer. Isn't it the right answer?
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by Java_85 » Sun Aug 18, 2013 1:07 pm
I think D isn't the right answer because first there is no need to use reference "they" again at the end of sentence and also use of that sounds more right to me than not using it.
Java_85 wrote:In my opinion C is the right answer. Isn't it the right answer?
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by [email protected] » Sun Aug 18, 2013 1:59 pm
Hi mketron,

This SC is based on a couple of specific grammar rules:

1) There's a 3-item list, so you have to make sure your items are in parallel format.
2) A style rule: the correct phrase is "found THAT (specific noun)"

With these rules, you can choose the correct answer.

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by rakeshd347 » Sun Aug 18, 2013 6:39 pm
mketron wrote:Hi Everyone!

What do you all think about this problem? I got it wrong and am unsure why.
_________________

Federal authorities involved in the investigation have found the local witnesses are difficult to locate, reticent, and are suspicious of strangers.

(A) the local witnesses are difficult to locate, reticent, and are
(B) local witnesses to be difficult to locate, reticent, and are
(C) that local witnesses are difficult to locate, reticent, and
(D) local witnesses are difficult to locate and reticent, and they are
(E) that local witnesses are difficult to locate and reticent, and they are
_________________

I picked D, but the answer is actually C. But why??
Option D is wrong because we need a pause after found so we need "that" moreover in option D "they" is ambiguous as to which noun is it referring to.
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