In the Great Lakes, the blooms of phytoplankton are escalating rapidly...
Meaning Analysis
- In the Great Lakes, the blooms of phytoplankton are escalating rapidly because of the negligence of the authorities;
- therefore the waterbodies would soon be such dangerous levels of toxins
- that supplying potable water to surrounding states will be impossible.
This sentence says that blooms of phytoplankton are increasing in the Great Lakes very fast. The reason for this rapid increase is the negligence of the authorities. The second part of the sentence says that soon levels of toxins will reach such dangerous levels that supply of drinking water to surrounding states will be impossible.
Notice that the sentence incorrectly states that “waterbodies would be such dangerous levels of toxins”. This is illogical since waterbodies themselves cannot be levels of toxins. The logical interpretation is that waterbodies can reach the stated levels of toxins.
Error Analysis
1) As pointed out in the meaning analysis, this sentence incorrectly states that waterbodies are themselves dangerous levels of toxins.
2) The use of “would” is incorrect in this sentence. Since the sentence is written in the simple present tense, “will” should be used to make a prediction about the future.
Answer Choices
the waterbodies would soon be
Incorrect: This choice has the errors pointed out in the error analysis.
B
soon there may be
Incorrect:
This choice changes the meaning by now saying that there “may be” increase in levels of toxins, conveying the possibility of this action, but as per the original sentence, this action will definitely take place.
C
it will soon have
Incorrect:
Singular pronoun “it” does not agree in number with its plural antecedent “the Great Lakes”.
D
they may soon be having
Incorrect:
This choice repeats the meaning error of Choice B. Also, use of future continuous tense is incorrect to present a point in time fact about the future.
the waterbodies will soon have
Correct:
This choice corrects the errors of choice A without introducing any new errors.