Question

The city of Rouen, France saw tourism decline by 10 percent last year, though sales of biographies of Joan of Arc have consistently increased when it could have been assumed they would decline.

• A. it could have been assumed they would decline.
• B. it might have been expected that they should decline.
• C. they might have been expected to decline.
• D. their decline might have been assumed.
• E. there might have been an assumption they would decline.

Hint:

For "no change" questions, don't assume there must be an error. If the original sentence is grammatically correct and clear, it is often the correct answer. Evaluate the other options to see if they offer a definite improvement, not just a different way of saying the same thing.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question tests sentence structure, pronoun use, and conciseness. The underlined clause provides a contrast to the main clause (the increase in biography sales). We need to find the option that expresses this contrast most effectively and correctly.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The sentence establishes a contrast: tourism declined, so one would logically assume that sales of related items (biographies of Joan of Arc, a key figure in Rouen) would also decline. However, the sales increased. The underlined part expresses the logical assumption.
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{(A) it could have been assumed they would decline: This is the original phrasing. The pronoun "it" is used as an expletive (or impersonal pronoun) to set up a passive construction, which is common and grammatically correct ("It is said that...", "It was assumed that..."). The pronoun "they" clearly refers to the "sales of biographies." This option is clear and without error. } \\ \bullet & \text{(B) it might have been expected that they should decline: The word "should" implies an obligation or duty, which doesn't fit the context. The context is about an expectation or assumption of a likely outcome, not a required one. } \\ \bullet & \text{(C) they might have been expected to decline: This is grammatically correct, but the pronoun "they" at the beginning of the clause could be slightly less clear than the structure in (A), although the reference is still understandable. } \\ \bullet & \text{(D) their decline might have been assumed: This option uses a noun phrase ("their decline") instead of a clause. While concise, it's not necessarily an improvement over the original clear clause. The construction in (A) is a very common and acceptable way to express this idea. } \\ \bullet & \text{(E) there might have been an assumption they would decline: This option is wordy and less direct than the original. Using "there might have been an assumption" is a more convoluted way to say "it could have been assumed." } \\ \end{array}\]

Step 3: Final Answer:
The original sentence (A) is grammatically correct, clear, and uses a standard English construction to express the intended meaning. The other options are either grammatically flawed, less clear, or unnecessarily wordy. Therefore, the original version is the best choice.