Question

Humans have become so obsessed with portable devices and overwhelmed by content that we now have attention spans lesser than that of the goldfish.

• A. lesser than that of the goldfish
• B. less than the goldfish
• C. shorter than that of the goldfish
• D. shorter than the goldfish's attention span
• E. lesser than the goldfish's attention span

Hint:

In comparison questions, always check two things: 1) Are you comparing like items (e.g., apples to apples, not apples to oranges)? 2) Are you using the correct comparative word (e.g., shorter for duration, fewer for countable items, less for uncountable quantities)?

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question tests correct diction (the right choice of comparative word) and logical comparison.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
There are two main issues to address in the original sentence: 1. Diction: "Lesser" is used to compare importance, rank, or quality (e.g., the lesser of two evils). An "attention span" is a measure of duration (time). The correct comparative adjective for duration is shorter. 2. Logical Comparison: The sentence must compare like things. We are comparing "our attention spans" to "the attention span of a goldfish." Let's analyze the options: (A) "lesser" is the wrong word. (B) "less than the goldfish" illogically compares a duration ("attention spans") to an animal ("the goldfish"). (C) "shorter than that of the goldfish" uses the correct adjective "shorter." However, the antecedent for the singular pronoun "that" is the plural noun "attention spans." This creates a pronoun-antecedent number disagreement. The correct pronoun would be "those." (D) shorter than the goldfish's attention span uses the correct adjective "shorter" and creates a perfectly clear and logical comparison between "our attention spans" and "the goldfish's attention span." It avoids any pronoun issues. (E) "lesser" is the wrong word.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Option (D) is the best choice because it uses the correct comparative adjective ("shorter") and constructs a clear, logical, and grammatically flawless comparison.