Readers were desperate to buy the final Harry Potter book on release day. Thousands of fans camped outside bookstores hours before they opened.
Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences at the underlined portion?
Readers were desperate to buy the final Harry Potter book; in fact, these fans were so desperate that they
In order to ensure they could buy the final Harry Potter book, thousands of fans
Readers were so desperate to buy the final Harry Potter book that they
Fans of the Harry Potter book, desperate to buy the final one, numbered in the thousands and
Correct Answer: C
Choice C is the best answer. It uses the "so... that" structure to show cause and effect (desperation caused them to camp out).
Choice A is incorrect because it is wordy ("in fact, these fans were so desperate"). Choice B is incorrect because it changes the focus to "In order to ensure," which is a slightly different logical link than the original emotional drive. Choice D is incorrect because the structure "numbered in the thousands and" is awkward and less direct.