OpenSAT

Question #N761

A scientist is writing a report for a scientific journal. In the report, the scientist describes an experiment that was conducted to test the effectiveness of a new type of fertilizer. The scientist wants to make sure that the report is clear and concise. Which of the following sentences from the scientist’s report should be revised to improve the clarity and conciseness of the report?

Which of the following sentences should be revised to improve clarity and conciseness?

A. The experiment was conducted in order to determine whether the new fertilizer would be effective in increasing the yield of crops.

B. The results of the experiment indicated that the new fertilizer was effective in increasing the yield of crops.

C. The experiment’s results showed that the new fertilizer was more effective than the older fertilizer.

D. The scientist concluded that the new fertilizer was an effective means of increasing the yield of crops.

Reveal Answer Go Back

Correct Answer is: A

Choice A is the best answer because it is the most wordy and complex sentence. The sentence can be made more concise by eliminating unnecessary words and phrases. For example, the phrase "in order to determine" can be replaced with the simpler word "to." The sentence could be rewritten as "The experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of the new fertilizer in increasing the yield of crops."