Got stuck by 'select'

Question

First let's see this mutiple-choice question,
The Texas Legilature selected Vassar Miller ---- in 1982, and again in 1988.
A, was the state's poet laureate
B, as the state's poet laureate
c, the state's port laureate
D, become the state's poet laureate.

I tracked back to my previous " omit as? " thread to see if 'select' is included in the following verbs which can be used with or without "as" that Mod CJ just taught me coupla days ago:

acknowledge, adopt, appoint, consider, crown, deem, designate, elect, esteem, imagine, mark, nominate, ordain, proclaim, rate, reckon, report, want

Obviously, they put out the word 'select'.

Now I got very very confused. 'Cause I don;t know which one to pick, B or C?

So I checked out the answer key, it turned out to be C.

or

So could you please help me explain the usage of 'select'? Many thanks.

Paco2004 · Accepted Answer

Hi

select someone as/(to be) the person (who does something)
1) F.D. Roosevelt selected D.D. Eisenhower as the general who oversaw the Allied armies.
2) F.D. Roosevelt selected D.D. Eisenhower to be the general who oversaw the Allied armies.

paco

Jeff_999 · Answer

Hi, paco,

Thanks for your replying,

but why the correct answer is not B but C?

Paco2004 · Answer

Hi Jeff

The answer is C?? Nope, I bed it is B.

paco

Jeff_999 · Answer

It's C buddy.

Jeff_999 · Answer

So...................  <<<help !

CalifJim · Answer

I would have said B. "as ... "

We'll have to wait for someone else to explain it -- unless the answer key is wrong.

LucyD · Answer

I would agree that B is correct in the question as it is given, but C would be correct, if you are telling the people who Vassar Millar is, eg.

The Texas Legilature selected Vassar Miller, the state's poet laureate in 1982, and again in 1988 ...... (to be Head of English Studies at the University of Texas)

As you can see, it depends on the context of the sentence. Without 'as', the original sentence does sound rather strange......

Clarification required from the person who set the question I think.

Jeff_999 · Answer

I tried to google it. But it puzzles me even more. Now I really don't know which one is correct.

Someone says it's C,
Like this one -- "The answer has to be C. this is one of those nitpicky questions. We usually say "They elected him president in 1988" rather than "They elected him {as/to be/for} president in 1988". This sentence is just the same. The TL selected VM the state's poet laureate in 1982". Whether this would ever be a real sentence or not is debatable. The focus should be on Vassar Miller, not the Texas Legislature, so we 'd better put this in the passive voice: "Vassar Miller was selected as the state's poet laureate in 1982". (cited from one forum)

some other refutes it's B. The reason he gave us is kinda like this:
Select can not be followed by two objects (i.e. selec t+Object 1 is incorrect), people may confused it with elect which CAN be followed by two Os.

So, which one I'm gonna choose?

Jeff_999 · Answer

And,

Dear LucyD,
is "select + Object 2" incorrect?

Actually, the muti-choice question is cited from one TOEFL test in 2002, Augest.

Jeff_999 · Answer

As for your explanation

if you are telling the people who Vassar Millar is, eg.

The Texas Legilature selected Vassar Miller, the state's poet laureate in 1982, and again in 1988

it seems you're trying to say " The Texas Legilature selected Vassar Miller, (who is) the state's poet laureate in 1982, and again in 1988". It does sound strange, and kinda not work in multiple choice questions...

Got stuck by 'select'

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