Question 10

The frog's grooved foot pads "self clean" by secreting a mucus-like liquid; as a result, the stickiness of the foot pad increases, and it is rendered immediately reusable.

This revision effectively combines the two original sentences by using a semicolon to link them logically, indicating a cause-and-effect relationship between the secretion of the mucus-like liquid and the increased stickiness of the foot pad.

A) Because the stickiness of the foot pad increases, and it is rendered immediately reusable, the frog's grooved foot pads "self clean" by secreting a mucus-like liquid.

This option presents the information in a way that implies the stickiness is the cause of the self-cleaning process, which is incorrect. The original context indicates that the secretion leads to increased stickiness, not the other way around.

B) The frog's grooved foot pads "self clean" by secreting a mucus-like liquid, but the stickiness of the foot pad increases, and it is rendered immediately reusable.

Using "but" introduces a contrast that is not present in the original sentences. There is no opposing idea; instead, the stickiness is a direct result of the self-cleaning action, making this option misleading.

C) The frog's grooved foot pads "self clean" by secreting a mucus-like liquid; as a result, the stickiness of the foot pad increases, and it is rendered immediately reusable.

This option correctly establishes the relationship between the secretion of the mucus-like liquid and the resulting increase in stickiness, clearly articulating the cause and effect. It maintains the original meaning while enhancing clarity.

D) The stickiness of the foot pad increases, and it is rendered immediately reusable; in fact, the frog's grooved foot pads "self clean" by secreting a mucus-like liquid.

This revision inaccurately positions the stickiness as the primary subject, which can confuse the reader. It suggests that the increased stickiness is the main point, rather than the self-cleaning mechanism that causes it.

Conclusion

Option C is the best choice as it accurately reflects the cause-and-effect relationship outlined in the original text, linking the secretion of mucus to the increased stickiness of the frog's foot pads. All other options either misrepresent the relationship or introduce unnecessary contrasts, failing to convey the intended meaning effectively.