DIRECTIONS: In the passage below, certain phrases are underlined and numbered <x>. The question will present alternatives for the underlined part. In most cases, you are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole. If you think the original version is the best, choose "NO CHANGE". Read the passage and answer question <5>. Rio de Janeiro -Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is a fantastic place to visit. It's alarming <1> that Rio is called the `Wonderful City.` Beaches, mountains, and forests await its visitors, who can tour for days and still not experience everything the city has to offer.
When I visit, I always have a great time with my boyfriend. <2> At the end of a busy day exploring nature, gloomy <3> travelers can unwind at one of the beachfront hotspots for coconut water and live samba music.
Rio's most famed attractions are Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue. However, <4> these destinations welcome over 2.8 million international tourists each year. Sugarloaf Mountain is located in the city's south zone right near to the vast Atlantic Ocean. <5> Its peak is at 1300 feet, and accessible by two cable cars that take less than five minutes to arrive. Visitors enjoy 360-degree panoramic views of Rio, and can shop or dine at several locations on the mountain. (1) Christ the Redeemer stands on the Corcovado Mountain, recently named one of the new seven wonders of the world. (2) With arms outstretched, the concrete Christ was built between 1922 and 1931, to resemble embracing the people of Rio. (3) Millions of tourists recreate the attraction by taking photos on its pedestal with their own arms outstretched. (4) The statue's pedestal is over 26 feet high, while the statue itself is nearly 100 feet high. <6> There are so many amazing sites to see! <7> Fort Copacabana is a military base and history museum that sits at the south end of Copacabana beach and divides the neighborhood from Ipanema. Visitors explored <8> galleries filled with original military memorabilia from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. There are also exhibits featuring indigenous artwork from some of Brazil's 2000 native tribes. These relics are important for Brazilian history, and tourists are nevertheless blown away <9> at their historical significance. Another great place to visit, and for learning about Brazilian history <10> is the Botanical Gardens, built in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal. Children especially enjoy this 346-acre park, which is home to 6500 species of plants and trees and 140 species of birds. Kid-friendly areas are designated for picnics and games, and monkeys that roam the grounds often entertain children by swinging from tree to tree or rummaging for leftover food in the park's trash bins. <11> After a busy day of sightseeing Rio's natural settings, because <12> tourists sit at beachfront drink stands and enjoy coconut water sipped from the fruit. Local musicians wander the sands playing Brazilian samba music each night. The sounds of tamborims, surdos, and agogos delight visitors, who, dance <13> all night long to the sounds <14> under the Copacabana moonlight.
- NO CHANGE
- near the Atlantic Ocean
- close to the vast Atlantic Ocean
- at the heart of the Atlantic Ocean
Answer(s): B
Explanation:
Justification for selecting option B (“close to the vast Atlantic Ocean”)
Semantic precision – The phrase “right near to” is redundant; “near” already conveys proximity. Adding “the vast” emphasizes the ocean’s size without altering the factual relationship, whereas “at the heart of” (D) incorrectly suggests the mountain is situated within the ocean, which is geographically impossible. Collocational appropriateness – In standard written English, “close to” is the idiomatic prepositional phrase used to describe physical proximity, especially when the noun phrase that follows is a large, non-count entity such as “the vast Atlantic Ocean.” “Close to the vast Atlantic Ocean” therefore aligns with native-speaker usage and maintains a neutral, descriptive tone. Stylistic consistency – The surrounding sentences employ a straightforward, factual style (“Its peak is at 1300 feet…”, “Visitors enjoy 360-degree panoramic views…”). Option B preserves this tone; option C (“close to the vast Atlantic Ocean”) repeats the same wording but adds an unnecessary article before “vast,” making it slightly more wordy without adding meaning. Option D introduces an implausible spatial relation, breaking the logical coherence of the passage. Grammatical correctness – Option B follows proper adjective order (determiner + adjective + noun) and does not create a dangling modifier. Options A (NO CHANGE) would leave the original “right near to,” which is stylistically clunky, while option C, though grammatically acceptable, is redundant and less concise than B.
Why the other options are inferior
A – NO CHANGE – Retains the awkward “right near to,” which is stylistically redundant and does not meet the standard of concise, idiomatic English expected in formal writing. C – close to the vast Atlantic Ocean – Grammatically correct but unnecessarily verbose; the extra “the”
before “vast” adds no semantic value and disrupts the economical phrasing of the passage. D – at the heart of the Atlantic Ocean – Factually inaccurate (the mountain is on land, not in the ocean) and creates a nonsensical spatial description, thereby violating both logical coherence and standard English usage.
Conclusion – Option B provides the most precise, idiomatic, and stylistically consistent replacement, preserving the passage’s factual clarity while adhering to conventions of formal written English.
Reference:
Cambridge Dictionary – “near” definition and usage examples: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/near Merriam-Webster – “close to” collocation guide: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close%20to