15. In context, which of the following is the best way to revise and combine sentences 1 and 2 (reproduced below)? Weeds rob other plants of nutrients, water and, crucially, sunlight. This means they attack other plants indirectly.
Answer: D
Weeds attack other plants indirectly, robbing them of nutrients, water and, crucially, sunlight.
This revision effectively combines the two original sentences into a single coherent statement, clarifying the relationship between how weeds attack other plants and what they rob them of.
A) Because of robbing other plants of nutrients, water and, crucially, sunlight, weeds attack other plants indirectly.
This option introduces an awkward grammatical structure and changes the focus by making "robbing" the subject of the sentence. It obscures the direct connection between the actions of the weeds and the impact on other plants.
B) Weeds rob other plants of nutrients, water and, crucially, sunlight; and they attack other plants indirectly.
While this option maintains the original meaning, it does not effectively combine the sentences. The use of "and" creates a compound sentence that feels disjointed rather than a single flowing thought.
C) Weeds attack other plants indirectly, and it robs them of nutrients, water and, crucially, sunlight.
This option incorrectly uses "it" as a subject, which does not refer clearly to any noun in the sentence. It alters the meaning by suggesting that the indirect attack itself is the action of robbing, rather than clarifying that the robbing is a consequence of the attack.
D) Weeds attack other plants indirectly, robbing them of nutrients, water and, crucially, sunlight.
This is the best revision as it clearly links the indirect attack of weeds to the consequences of this action in a grammatically correct and fluid manner. It succinctly conveys how weeds impact other plants.
Conclusion
Option D is the definitive choice because it effectively merges the ideas of both original sentences into a clear and concise statement. The other options either misplace emphasis, introduce awkward phrasing, or fail to maintain the intended meaning, thus proving inadequate for the context.