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Exercise: Style: Subordination 1 (autoscored)

In each of the following items, select the revision that more effectively combines the original sentences into a longer sentence that uses subordination to signal the relationships among ideas.

1 of 10

Click Submit after each question to see feedback and to record your answer. If your instructor has assigned this exercise set, you must answer every question before your answers will be submitted to the gradebook.

I walked into the shelter. Men, women, and children were slumped against the wall. Shopping carts containing families’ belongings lay on their sides.

I walked into the shelter, where men, women, and children were slumped against the wall and shopping carts with families’ belongings lay on their sides.

When I walked into the shelter, men, women, and children were slumped against the wall, their belongings in shopping carts that lay on their sides.

2 of 10

Barbra Streisand announced her first concert tour in years. Ticket sales were advertised. Fans lined up as many as forty-eight hours in advance.

When ticket sales were advertised for Barbra Streisand’s first concert tour in years, fans lined up as many as forty-eight hours in advance.

Ticket sales were advertised for Barbra Streisand’s first concert tour in years, with fans lining up as many as forty-eight hours in advance.

Barbra Streisand announced her first concert tour in years. Ticket sales were advertised. Fans lined up as many as forty-eight hours in advance.

3 of 10

We dug a seventy-foot ditch. My boss poured gravel into the ditch. I leveled the gravel with a shovel.

After my boss poured gravel into the seventy-foot ditch that we had dug, I leveled the gravel with a shovel.

Because we had dug a seventy-foot ditch, my boss poured gravel into the ditch, and I leveled the gravel with a shovel.

We dug a seventy-foot ditch. My boss poured gravel into the ditch. I leveled the gravel with a shovel.

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Working was written by Studs Terkel. It is an important book. It examines the situation of the American worker.

Working was written by Studs Terkel, and it is an important book, because it examines the situation of the American worker.

Working, an important book by Studs Terkel, examines the situation of the American worker.

Working was written by Studs Terkel. It is an important book. It examines the situation of the American worker.

5 of 10

Leaves blew down the empty streets. The buildings were spookily silent. The place was depressing and eerie.

Leaves blew down the empty streets and the buildings were spookily silent, which made the place depressing and eerie.

With leaves blowing down the empty streets and the buildings spookily silent, the place was depressing and eerie.

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My father drove home. He was angry. No one dared to make a sound. We children had been squabbling in the back seat. He had told us repeatedly to stop.

After my father had told us repeatedly to stop squabbling in the back seat, he was so angry as he drove home that no one dared to make a sound.

When my father was angry as he drove home, we had been squabbling in the back seat, and he had told us repeatedly to stop, no one dared to make a sound.

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The tree was an elm. A swing hung from a lower limb. It was my favorite place to go on lazy summer days.

The swing that hung from the lower limb of the elm was my favorite place to go on lazy summer days.

The tree, which was my favorite place to go on lazy summer days because a swing hung from a lower limb, was an elm.

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The labor was long and difficult. She forgot it soon. She could not stop touching her tiny, perfect infant.

Although she soon forgot the long and difficult labor, she could not stop touching her tiny, perfect infant.

After the long, difficult labor, which she soon forgot, she could not stop touching her tiny, perfect infant.

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His wife returned to work. He cared for the children. Both of them enjoyed their new roles.

While both he and his wife enjoyed their new roles, he cared for the children, and she returned to work.

When his wife returned to work while he cared for the children, both of them enjoyed their new roles.

10 of 10

Mildred scanned the classified advertisements in the newspaper. She noticed an ad for a local animal shelter. She found a dog there. He was a wonderful companion.

After scanning the classified advertisements in the newspaper and noticing one for a local animal shelter, Mildred found a dog who was a wonderful companion.

Mildred scanned the classified advertisements in the newspaper, which led to her finding a dog who was a wonderful companion after she noticed an ad for a local animal shelter.