27. Which of the following is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 12 (reproduced below)? Cavendish bananas might appear to be strong, with its thick skins and ability to be shipped long distances without rotting or even bruising.
Answer: C
Cavendish bananas might appear to be strong, with their thick skins and ability to be shipped long distances without rotting or even bruising.
The best version of the underlined portion is "their," as it correctly refers to the plural subject "Cavendish bananas," indicating possession of the thick skins.
A) (as it is now)
This option retains the original wording "its," which is incorrect because "its" is a singular possessive pronoun. Since "Cavendish bananas" is a plural noun, "its" does not appropriately match the subject.
B) its'
This choice is also incorrect because "its'" is not a valid form in English grammar. The correct possessive form is "its," which still would not fit since it does not agree with the plural noun "Cavendish bananas."
C) their
"their" is the correct choice because it is the plural possessive pronoun that matches the subject "Cavendish bananas." It appropriately indicates that the thick skins belong to the bananas, making it the most suitable option.
D) there
This option does not apply in this context, as "there" is an adverb indicating a place and does not convey possession. Thus, it fails to relate to the intended meaning of the sentence.
Conclusion
The correct answer "their" effectively aligns with the plural noun "Cavendish bananas," indicating ownership of the thick skins. In contrast, all other options either misuse possessive forms or do not fit grammatically, making them unsuitable for the context of the sentence.