362. In a plan to stop the erosion of East Coast beaches, the Army Corps of Engineers proposed building parallel to shore a breakwater of rocks that would rise six feet above the waterline and act as a buffer, so that it absorbs the energy of crashing waves and protecting the beaches.
(A) act as a buffer, so that it absorbs
(B) act like a buffer so as to absorb
(C) act as a buffer, absorbing
(D) acting as a buffer, absorbing
(E) acting like a buffer, absorb
Solution:
OG Solution: Parallelism + Idiom
The last part of the sentence describes the breakwater and should consist of two grammatically parallel phrases, absorbing…and protecting, in order to show two equal functions. Act is followed by like to mean to behave or comport oneself and describes the action of a person: He acted like a fool. Here, act as describes the function of a thing; the breakwater…acts as a buffer. As an inanimate object, a breakwater cannot “behave” itself; it must be performing some function.
(A) So that it absorbs should be absorbing to parallel protecting
(B) Act as is the proper idiom to describe things; so as to absorb is awkward and should be changed to absorbing to be parallel to protecting
(C) Correct. The idiom act as is used correctly in this sentence; absorbing is properly parallel to protecting.
(D) Modifying clause is that would rise…and (would understood) act; acting cannot be used instead of act
(E) Modifying clause is that would rise...and (would understood) act; acting cannot be used instead of act; absorb is not parallel to protecting
The correct answer is C.
Sentence Correction - 1000 Questions with Solution:
(A) act as a buffer, so that it absorbs
(B) act like a buffer so as to absorb
(C) act as a buffer, absorbing
(D) acting as a buffer, absorbing
(E) acting like a buffer, absorb
Solution:
OG Solution: Parallelism + Idiom
The last part of the sentence describes the breakwater and should consist of two grammatically parallel phrases, absorbing…and protecting, in order to show two equal functions. Act is followed by like to mean to behave or comport oneself and describes the action of a person: He acted like a fool. Here, act as describes the function of a thing; the breakwater…acts as a buffer. As an inanimate object, a breakwater cannot “behave” itself; it must be performing some function.
(A) So that it absorbs should be absorbing to parallel protecting
(B) Act as is the proper idiom to describe things; so as to absorb is awkward and should be changed to absorbing to be parallel to protecting
(C) Correct. The idiom act as is used correctly in this sentence; absorbing is properly parallel to protecting.
(D) Modifying clause is that would rise…and (would understood) act; acting cannot be used instead of act
(E) Modifying clause is that would rise...and (would understood) act; acting cannot be used instead of act; absorb is not parallel to protecting
The correct answer is C.
Sentence Correction - 1000 Questions with Solution: