sentence completion

Question

Considering that Phuang only started learning English a year ago,.......................
a)it was an intensive course in a local language school
b)She could easily do her doctorate in the US.
c)she is able to write good composition in it
d)she should be fairly fluent in it soon
e)I would expect her to know more than three verb tenses

Which one do you think fits best?Answer key says C.I agree with that but it seems as if it requires a kind of deduction.So it must be
D. Or why not E?
Thanks

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,
Considering that Phuang only started learning English a year ago,..
a)it was an intensive course in a local language school
No. The second part of the sentence needs to be about some achievement by Phuang.

b)She could easily do her doctorate in the US.
Possible. But unlikely, unless she is a genius.

c)she is able to write good composition in it
Yes. This seems like a suitable achievement that fits with the first part. I don't think it requires much or any deduction.

d)she should be fairly fluent in it soon
No. Does not seem likely if she only started a year ago.

e)I would expect her to know more than three verb tenses
This is not about an achievement. It would fit if part one did not include 'only'. 'Only' forces the second part to be about an achievement.

Which one do you think fits best?Answer key says C.I agree with that but it seems as if it requires a kind of deduction.So it must be
D. Or why not E?

Best wishes, Clive

CalifJim · Answer

NerovaConsidering that Phuang only started learning English a year ago,..
a)it was an intensive course in a local language school
b)She could easily do her doctorate in the US.
c)she is able to write good composition in it
d)she should be fairly fluent in it soon
e)I would expect her to know more than three verb tenses

Which one do you think fits best?Answer key says C.I agree with that but it seems as if it requires a kind of deduction.So it must be
D. Or why not E?
Thanks

The key word is only.
only started learning a year ago implies only a year, not more than one year, which implies not much time to develop much skill. That implies that the student does not have a lot of experience yet.
Another key word is considering.
A phrase that starts with considering that sets up the expectation that something contradictory or surprising will be said in the next clause.
Considering that Tom has no money, I wonder how he bought that new car. (It is surprising that someone with no money can buy a car.)
It's like but:
Tom has no money, but (even so) he bought that new car.
Hence,
Phuang has little experience, but (even so) she can write good compositions in English.
___
The features discussed above make E impossible.
You don't expect someone to know more after a small amount of experience. You expect someone to know more after a greater amount of experience.
Not -- Considering she so very little experience, I would expect her to know more than three verb tenses.

But -- Considering she has such a great deal of experience, I would expect her to know more than three verb tenses.
___
As for D, you don't expect quick success on the basis of just a little experience. You expect that more hard work will be needed after just a little experience.

Not -- Considering she has so very little experience, I expect her to be fluent soon.
But -- Considering she has so very little experience, I expect her to need much more time before she is fluent.
___
I agree. It does take some thinking about what each choice means.
CJ

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