Far from being modern inventions, ______ blank more than 5,000 years ago. Which choice completes the text so that it

Question

Far from being modern inventions, ______ blank more than 5,000 years ago. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Accepted Answer

Choice B is the best answer. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier &ldquo;far from being modern inventions&rdquo; must be describing &ldquo;drinking straws,&rdquo; because those are the only possible inventions in this sentence. Choice A is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier &ldquo;far from being modern inventions&rdquo; can&rsquo;t be describing &ldquo;Sumerians,&rdquo; because they are a group of people, not an invention. Choice C is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier &ldquo;far from being modern inventions&rdquo; can&rsquo;t be describing &ldquo;the use of drinking straws,&rdquo; because it is not &ldquo;the use&rdquo; of drinking straws that is an invention-it is the drinking straws themselves. Choice D is incorrect. Modifiers and their subjects must go next to each other. The modifier &ldquo;far from being modern inventions&rdquo; can&rsquo;t be describing &ldquo;Ancient Mesopotamia,&rdquo; because that is a place, not an invention.

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