What does this question test?
This question tests your ability to identify when the original sentence does not communicate complete meaning. Following this, this question tests your skill in interpreting the intended meaning and then selecting the choice that communicates that meaning.
What does this sentence mean?
This sentence does not communicate the meaning appropriately. It states that in 1914 a certain number of cars and trucks were produced. This number is 469000. Then it states a contrast as indicated by the word – but. This is where the meaning is not clear. The expression – twice the numbers of trucks – is unclear. We do not know twice “what number”. In mathematical terms, we do not have all the terms to establish the relationship.
Number of trucks in 1929 = 2 x ?
From the other information in the sentence – number of cars and trucks in 1914 and the fact that the sentence presents a contrast, the logical meaning should be that in 1929, the number of trucks were 2 x the total number of cars and trucks in 1914.
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What are the errors in the original sentence?
This sentence does not communicate the meaning clearly as explained above. Furthermore, the word – numbers – is incorrect. It should be number.
Answer Choice Analysis:
Choice B: In 1914 a total of 469,000 cars and trucks were produced in the United States, but in 1929 almost twice that number of trucks alone came off the assembly lines.No Error. This choice communicates the logical meaning as intended. Note carefully how “that” in that number now points to the exact number mentioned in the non-underlined portion of the sentence.
Choice C: In 1914 a total of 469,000 cars and trucks were produced in the United States, but in 1929 almost twice the number of trucks by themselves came off the assembly lines.Meaning error as in Choice A.
Choice D: In 1914 a total of 469,000 cars and trucks were produced in the United States, but in 1929 almost twice as many trucks themselves came off the assembly lines.Meaning error as in Choice A. This choice also has an idiom error. The correct idiomatic usage is as many ..as.
Choice E: In 1914 a total of 469,000 cars and trucks were produced in the United States, but in 1929 almost twice as many trucks by themselves came off the assembly lines.Meaning error as in Choice A. Idiom error as in choice D.
Thus, Choice B is the correct answer.
What are the key take-away messages?
- When you see comparative expressions such as twice, as many as, etc. ensure that all terms are provided in the sentence. We should be able to establish the complete relationship.
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