Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: 2
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This is a standard error-spotting question from English grammar. The sentence is divided into four numbered parts, and you must choose the part that contains a grammatical or usage error. Once corrected, the sentence should read smoothly and naturally in standard English. Here, the focus is on correct adjective choice in an economic context.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The key concept here is the difference between economic and economical. Economic relates to the economy, trade, wealth, or financial systems. Economical means using money, time, or resources carefully, being thrifty. When we talk about inequalities between nations in terms of wealth and development, we should use economic inequalities, not economical inequalities. The rest of the sentence is grammatically correct, so the error lies in the adjective choice in part 2.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine part 1, Each nation aspires to do well. The subject is each nation (singular), and the verb aspires is correctly in the singular form. No error here.Step 2: Examine part 2, but there are glaring economical. The phrase glaring economical sounds odd; we normally say glaring economic inequalities or glaring economic differences.Step 3: Recall that economical describes a person or method that saves money or resources, such as an economical car. It is not used to describe inequalities or problems.Step 4: Recognise that economic is the correct adjective for matters related to the economy, such as economic growth, economic crisis, or economic inequality.Step 5: Check parts 3 and 4 and see that inequalities between them is fine, and No error is simply the fourth choice. Thus, the only incorrect part is part 2, where economical should be replaced by economic.
Verification / Alternative check:
If we correct the error, the full sentence becomes: Each nation aspires to do well, but there are glaring economic inequalities between them. This is a natural and idiomatic statement about global disparities. By contrast, the phrase economical inequalities rarely, if ever, appears in good English writing. Similarly, we say economic policy, economic development, or economic reforms, but we say an economical use of fuel or an economical car, highlighting the thrifty sense. This usage pattern confirms that economic is the correct choice here.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part 1 correctly uses aspires with the singular subject each nation, so there is no agreement error. Part 3 merely completes the noun phrase inequalities between them, which is acceptable. Part 4, No error, is incorrect as an answer because we have clearly identified an error in part 2. Therefore, the only problematic segment is part 2.
Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to suspect subject-verb agreement in part 1 and think that each nation must be followed by aspire, but in fact each takes a singular verb, so aspires is correct. Another pitfall is that economical looks like the obvious adjective for economy-related topics. To avoid this, remember the distinction: economic equals related to the economy; economical equals saving money or resources. In exam questions about inequalities or issues, economic is usually the intended adjective.
Final Answer:
The grammatical error is in part 2, where economical should be replaced by economic, so option B is correct.
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