A modifier question tests whether an opening describing phrase is attached to the right person or thing. Read the phrase up to its comma and ask who or what it describes. An opening describing phrase describes the main noun right after the comma, so name that person or thing first. Then find each choice's main noun and check that the sentence says what it does or is. A familiar name somewhere in the sentence isn't enough.
Hints
- Hint 1
The opening phrase ends at the comma after “Earth.” Ask who or what is intrigued by the possibility.
- Hint 2
After the comma, check the main noun the opening phrase attaches to. Then read to the period: do the words say what that noun does or is?
Step-by-step
Match the opening phrase to its noun
Step 1Find who feels intrigued
Intrigued by the possibility of life beyond Earth says someone feels curious about life elsewhere, so the opening needs a noun naming who feels that interest. Who can be intrigued? People can, and an opening describing phrase attaches to the main noun right after its comma. That noun must name the interested people, not the news or findings they share.
- Step 2
Look past owners and dates
Which noun does each version put after the opening comma? In astronomers' 1992 announcement, the main noun is announcement, and astronomers' only says whose announcement it is. That version and the 1992 announcement both attach Intrigued by the possibility of life beyond Earth to an announcement, which can't feel interest. In in 1992 astronomers' discovery, in 1992 tells when, so look past it to discovery, the main noun. A discovery can't feel intrigued either.
- Step 3
Check the people and their main verb
The version beginning astronomers announced makes astronomers the subject, who the sentence is about, so Intrigued by the possibility of life beyond Earth describes them. Does it also say what those people did? Yes: announced is the main verb, which says what they did. The words that two planets orbit a pulsar tell what they announced, so the sentence is complete. Choice C.