Choose the best completion for each sentence.
1The inquiry explicitly describes the claim as unverified; the former treasurer ............... funds to an offshore account.
Wrong!
The inquiry's description of the claim as unverified requires the evidentially distanced "is alleged to have transferred".
2Because the disputed sentence appears in the published version but not in the original draft, it ............... during the brief editing stage.
Wrong!
The insertion preceded the present published version, so "is thought to have been inserted" uses the required perfect passive infinitive.
3The files examined so far contain no such instruction, but most of the archive remains unavailable, so there ............... no systematic attempt to suppress the findings.
Wrong!
Because most of the archive is unavailable, "would appear to have been" appropriately marks the conclusion as provisional.
4With two equally rigorous studies reaching opposite conclusions, ............... the treatment benefits the wider population.
Wrong!
The directly conflicting studies make "it would be premature to conclude that" the appropriately cautious impersonal formulation.
5Before any causal claim can responsibly be made, the figures ............... by an independent team; internal consistency alone is insufficient.
Wrong!
The stated precondition for making a responsible claim requires "must be verified", not an unsupported presumption about prior verification.
6The court gave no reasons and did not rule on the merits, so its refusal ............... as an endorsement of the lower ruling.
Wrong!
Because the court did not address the merits, "cannot safely be taken" blocks an unjustified inference without claiming physical impossibility.
7The total exceeds the sum of its stated components by exactly two million pounds, so there ............... a miscalculation in the original estimate.
Wrong!
The numerical inconsistency itself supports the tentative inference "appears to have been", whereas no external report of an error is cited.
8Although the code makes disclosure voluntary, it ............... that every contributor declare any relevant financial interest before the review begins.
Wrong!
Voluntary disclosure is compatible with advice, so the impersonal mandative structure is "is strongly recommended".
9According to two former officials, the agency ............... alternatives before cancelling the programme, although no minutes or other records have been found.
Wrong!
The unofficial testimony supports the distanced report "is understood to have considered", while the absence of records prevents confirmation.
10Little ............... to reconcile the two datasets since the discrepancy first came to light; both teams continue to work from incompatible definitions.
Wrong!
The period beginning with "since" continues into the present, as confirmed by "continue", so "has been done" is required.
11Given the incomplete inspection record and the absence of witnesses, it ............... whether the equipment was damaged in transit or before dispatch.
Wrong!
The incomplete record and missing witnesses make "cannot yet be established" the justified impersonal conclusion.
12Had the raw data been retained, it ............... to test the alternative explanation; their loss is now the sole obstacle to that analysis.
Wrong!
The counterfactual past condition has a present consequence, and the sole-obstacle clause supports "would now be possible".
Exercise complete
0 out of 12
correct answers
Answers
- The inquiry explicitly describes the claim as unverified; the former treasurer is alleged to have transferred funds to an offshore account.
- Because the disputed sentence appears in the published version but not in the original draft, it is thought to have been inserted during the brief editing stage.
- The files examined so far contain no such instruction, but most of the archive remains unavailable, so there would appear to have been no systematic attempt to suppress the findings.
- With two equally rigorous studies reaching opposite conclusions, it would be premature to conclude that the treatment benefits the wider population.
- Before any causal claim can responsibly be made, the figures must be verified by an independent team; internal consistency alone is insufficient.
- The court gave no reasons and did not rule on the merits, so its refusal cannot safely be taken as an endorsement of the lower ruling.
- The total exceeds the sum of its stated components by exactly two million pounds, so there appears to have been a miscalculation in the original estimate.
- Although the code makes disclosure voluntary, it is strongly recommended that every contributor declare any relevant financial interest before the review begins.
- According to two former officials, the agency is understood to have considered alternatives before cancelling the programme, although no minutes or other records have been found.
- Little has been done to reconcile the two datasets since the discrepancy first came to light; both teams continue to work from incompatible definitions.
- Given the incomplete inspection record and the absence of witnesses, it cannot yet be established whether the equipment was damaged in transit or before dispatch.
- Had the raw data been retained, it would now be possible to test the alternative explanation; their loss is now the sole obstacle to that analysis.