515. Most energy analysts now agree that the costs of building and maintaining nuclear reactors are too high for nuclear power to likely prove cheaper than coal or oil in the long run.
(A) too high for nuclear power to likely
(B) high enough for nuclear power to be unlikely to
(C) high enough that it is unlikely nuclear power will
(D) so high that nuclear power is unlikely to
(E) so high as to be unlikely that nuclear power will
Solution:
Awkwardness/Wordiness
A: to likely prove is awkward. It must be likely to prove.
B: to be unlikely to is awkward.
C: that is missing after unlikelyà unlikely that nuclear power will
E: "costs... are so high as to be unlikely...", which makes it sound like the costs are unlikely. But that's incorrect; what's unlikely is that nuclear power will be cheaper than coal or oil. The construction is confusing and overly wordy.
D is concise and clear, making sure that each adjective is correctly placed; costs are "so high," and nuclear power is "unlikely to prove cheaper." D is the best choice.
Sentence Correction - 1000 Questions with Solution:
(A) too high for nuclear power to likely
(B) high enough for nuclear power to be unlikely to
(C) high enough that it is unlikely nuclear power will
(D) so high that nuclear power is unlikely to
(E) so high as to be unlikely that nuclear power will
Solution:
Awkwardness/Wordiness
A: to likely prove is awkward. It must be likely to prove.
B: to be unlikely to is awkward.
C: that is missing after unlikelyà unlikely that nuclear power will
E: "costs... are so high as to be unlikely...", which makes it sound like the costs are unlikely. But that's incorrect; what's unlikely is that nuclear power will be cheaper than coal or oil. The construction is confusing and overly wordy.
D is concise and clear, making sure that each adjective is correctly placed; costs are "so high," and nuclear power is "unlikely to prove cheaper." D is the best choice.
Sentence Correction - 1000 Questions with Solution: