Question 7

To juggle and by the age of six could juggle three balls perfectly.

This revision effectively combines the two original sentences into a coherent and fluid statement, maintaining the focus on the subject's self-taught ability and his accomplishment at a young age.

A) to juggle and by the age of six could juggle three balls perfectly.

This option successfully merges the two ideas by using a conjunction, which maintains the logical flow and clarity of the original sentences. It emphasizes the action of juggling while clearly stating the age at which the ability was achieved.

B) to juggle: he juggles three balls perfectly by the age of six.

While this option attempts to combine the sentences, the use of a colon is incorrect in this context. It disrupts the flow and gives the impression of a non-sequitur rather than a smooth integration of ideas.

C) to juggle three balls perfectly; they did it by the age of six.

This choice introduces the pronoun "they," which is confusing and does not specify who is performing the action. The sentence structure also becomes less direct and less impactful, detracting from the clarity of the original statements.

D) juggling, and they juggled three balls perfectly by the age of six.

This option introduces ambiguity with the pronoun "they," which does not align with the singular subject of the previous sentences. Additionally, the use of "juggling" as the initial phrase makes the sentence less direct and clear, failing to effectively convey the intended meaning.

Conclusion

Option A is the most effective choice because it clearly and cohesively combines the original sentences without introducing confusion or grammatical errors. The other options either disrupt the logical flow, introduce ambiguity, or misplace punctuation, thus failing to convey the intended meaning as effectively as Option A.