Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 50%

The following excerpt is from Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man.
I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids-and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus sideshows, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. When they approach me they see only my surroundings, themselves, or figments of their imagination-indeed, everything and anything except me.

Which of the following versions of the highlighted portion of the sentence would be the most effective revision?

Rationale

Existentialism, giving

This revision effectively maintains the flow of the sentence while clearly indicating that the act of giving is an integral part of the concept of existentialism. The use of a comma here allows for a smooth connection between the two ideas without creating unnecessary complexity.

A (existentialism, he gave) YOUR ANSWER

This choice introduces a subject ("he") that is not present in the original text, altering the focus and potentially confusing the reader. The phrase "he gave" suggests a specific action that detracts from the broader thematic connection to existentialism.

B (existentialism; by giving) YOUR ANSWER

Using a semicolon here creates a more abrupt separation between the two ideas, which can disrupt the fluidity of the sentence. The phrase "by giving" also changes the emphasis, making it sound like a conditional statement rather than a direct correlation to existentialism.

D (existentialism; his giving) YOUR ANSWER

This option similarly uses a semicolon, separating the ideas in a way that may weaken the relationship between existentialism and the act of giving. The phrase "his giving" introduces a possessive element that complicates the sentence without adding clarity.

Conclusion

The most effective revision, "existentialism, giving," succinctly connects the concept of existentialism with the act of giving without unnecessary complexity or alteration of meaning. The chosen structure preserves the essence of the original passage while enhancing readability. Each of the incorrect choices either alters the intended meaning or disrupts the sentence's flow, demonstrating the importance of careful wording in literary revisions.

Which of the following versions of the highlighted portion of the sentence would be the most effective revision?

Existentialism, giving

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