Based on genetic evidence, archaeologists have generally agreed that reindeer domestication began in the eleventh century
CE. However, since uncovering fragments of a 2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in northern Siberia, ______ may have
begun much earlier.
researcher Robert Losey has argued that domestication
researcher Robert Losey’s argument is that domestication
domestication, researcher Robert Losey has argued,
the argument researcher Robert Losey has made is that domestication
Choice A is the best answer. The convention being tested is subject-modiﬁer placement. This choice makes the noun phrase
“researcher Robert Losey” the subject of the sentence and places it immediately after the modifying phrase “since…Siberia.”
In doing so, this choice clearly establishes that researcher Robert Losey—and not another noun in the sentence—is who
uncovered fragments of a 2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in northern Siberia.
Choice B is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “researcher Robert Losey’s
argument” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that the “argument” is what uncovered fragments of a
2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in northern Siberia. Choice C is incorrect because it results in a dangling modiﬁer.
The placement of the noun “domestication” immediately after the modifying phrase illogically suggests that “domestication”
is what uncovered fragments of a 2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in northern Siberia. Choice D is incorrect because
it results in a dangling modiﬁer. The placement of the noun phrase “the argument” immediately after the modifying phrase
illogically suggests that the “argument” is what uncovered fragments of a 2,000-year-old reindeer training harness in
northern Siberia.