Question 76·Easy·Form, Structure, and Sense
A set of photographs from Dorothea Lange’s 1930s travels through the American Midwest is currently on display at the state museum. ______ photographs capture the hardships of the Dust Bowl era with striking clarity.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For pronoun and determiner questions, first identify the noun the word is linked to and decide if that noun is singular or plural. Next, decide whether the sentence needs a determiner (like "this/these") that comes before a noun or a stand-alone pronoun (like "it/they"). Eliminate any choices that do not match the noun in number or cannot grammatically fit in the slot, then reread the sentence with the remaining option to ensure it sounds natural and clearly refers back to the noun in the previous sentence.
Hints
Check the noun right after the blank
Look at the word that comes immediately after the blank. Is it singular or plural? Your answer must match that.
Decide what kind of word is missing
Is the blank asking for a subject pronoun (like "he," "she," "it") or a word that points to and modifies a noun (like "this," "these")? Think about what fits before "photographs."
Use the first sentence as context
The first sentence talks about a set of photographs that is currently on display. Which type of pointing word would you use in English to talk about those plural items that are being discussed right now?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the grammatical role of the missing word
Look at the blank in the second sentence: it comes directly before the noun "photographs" in the phrase "______ photographs capture." This means the missing word must act like a determiner (similar to "the," "some," or "these") that points to which photographs are being discussed.
Determine the number (singular vs. plural)
The noun after the blank is "photographs," which is plural. Any word filling the blank must be able to modify a plural noun. Singular demonstratives or pronouns that cannot modify plural nouns should be eliminated.
Match meaning with the context
The first sentence mentions "A set of photographs ... is currently on display at the state museum," so the second sentence is clearly referring to those same photos that are present right now. English typically uses a plural demonstrative determiner to point to items that are currently present or just mentioned and that are plural.
Choose the only option that fits both grammar and meaning
Among the choices, only "These" is a plural demonstrative determiner that can correctly modify the plural noun "photographs" and naturally refer to the set of photos currently on display. So the correct answer is B) These.