Compared to that of alumina glass, ______ silica glass atoms are so far apart that they are unable to re-form bonds after
being separated.
silica glass is at a signiﬁcant disadvantage due to its more dispersed atomic arrangement:
silica glass has a more dispersed atomic arrangement, resulting in a signiﬁcant disadvantage:
a signiﬁcant disadvantage of silica glass is that its atomic arrangement is more dispersed:
silica glass’s atomic arrangement is more dispersed, resulting in a signiﬁcant disadvantage:
Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modiﬁer placement. This choice makes “silica glass’s
atomic arrangement” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “compared to that of
alumina glass.” In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that silica glass’s atomic arrangement—and not another noun in
the sentence—is being compared to the atomic arrangement (“that”) of alumina glass.
Choice A is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “silica glass” immediately
after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that silica glass itself (rather than its atomic arrangement) is being compared
to alumina glass’s atomic arrangement. Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the
noun phrase “silica glass” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that silica glass itself (rather than its
atomic arrangement) is being compared to alumina glass’s atomic arrangement. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a
dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “a signiﬁcant disadvantage” immediately after the modifying phrase
illogically suggests that “a signiﬁcant disadvantage” is being compared to alumina glass’s atomic arrangement.