A) Kept, because it strongly relates to the passage’s primary topic.
B) Kept, because it sets up the following sentence.
C) Deleted, because it doesn’t relate to the passage’s primary topic.
D) Deleted, because it repeats information already provided in this
paragraph.The correct answer is C. The fact that the pyramids are made of limestone blocks
has nothing to do with the topic of the passage, the ancient selfie stick. If a
sentence blurs the focus of a passage, it should be cut.
2 The author considered adding the following sentence at the *: “The
sticks are believed to have been used by Roman tourists in the first
century CE.” Should the author make this addition here?
A) Yes, because it provides a relevant piece of information that
deepens readers’ understanding of ancient selfie sticks.
B) Yes, because it provides an interesting counterpoint to the
passage’s primary argument.
C) No, because it provides distracting information unrelated to the
passage.
D) No, because it conflicts with the following sentence.The correct answer is A. The proposed sentence offers relevant information
about the selfie stick and deepens readers’ understanding of the topic, and thus
would make a valuable addition.
Basically, sentences should be added or kept if they feel relevant to the topic
of the passage and provide new information or perspective. A sentence should be
deleted if it digresses randomly from the topic of the passage or if it just repeats
information the passage already provides.
Randomness and redundancy: the Serpent’s most prized pitfalls.
—Samantha
What Goes Where?
Some questions will ask you to rearrange the structure of the passage in order to
give it a more logical, natural flow. Often, a sentence will be out of place, and
you’ll be asked to choose its correct position in the paragraph. For example: