The successful entrepreneur attributes her achievements to hard work, _______, and a willingness to take risks.
4
readingWhich choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A
she persevered
B
being persistent
C
persistence
D
to persist
Correct Answer: C
Choice C is the best answer. This question tests parallel structure in a series.
- Context clues: The series uses nouns/noun phrases: "hard work," "a willingness to take risks."
- Meaning: Items in a series must maintain the same grammatical form.
- Verify: "hard work, persistence, and a willingness" are all noun phrases.
💡 Strategy: Keep all items in a list grammatically parallel.
Choice A is incorrect because it's a clause, not a noun phrase. Choice B is incorrect because it's a gerund phrase with different structure. Choice D is incorrect because it's an infinitive.