The _________ the modern bicycle was a wooden machine known as the "dandy horse," which lacked pedals.
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writingWhich choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A
predecessor to
B
earlier predecessor to
C
predecessor which came before
D
first prototype which later became
Correct Answer: A
Choice A is the best answer. "Predecessor" means a thing that has been followed or replaced by another.
Choice B is incorrect because "earlier" is redundant with "predecessor." Choice C is incorrect because "which came before" is the definition of a predecessor. Choice D is incorrect because "first prototype which later became" is unnecessarily wordy.