A sentence (or a part of the sentence) is underlined. Four alternatives are given to the underlined part which will improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, select "No improvement". Sentence: "She has that rare character - the ability to listen to people."

Introduction / Context:
This sentence-improvement question focuses on choosing the most appropriate noun to describe a quality that someone possesses. The sentence praises a woman for having "the ability to listen to people" and refers to this ability as something rare. You must decide whether the phrase "rare character" is the best way to express this idea or if a different option is more precise and natural in standard English.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Original sentence: "She has that rare character - the ability to listen to people."
• The underlined idea is essentially "rare character".
• Options: rare ear, rare characteristic, rare sense, No improvement.
• The ability mentioned is a personal quality, not a physical object.

Concept / Approach:
The word "character" generally refers to the overall moral and mental qualities of a person. Saying "rare character" is not incorrect, but it usually describes a person as a whole ("He is a man of rare character"), not one specific ability. Here, we are talking about a particular quality: the ability to listen to people. The noun "characteristic" is more precise for a specific feature or quality that someone possesses. Therefore, "rare characteristic" fits better than "rare character" in this sentence structure.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify what is being described as "rare". It is not her whole personality, but a specific ability: listening to people. Step 2: Examine "rare ear". While we can talk metaphorically about "a good ear for music", "rare ear" sounds unnatural and does not clearly convey the meaning of a rare quality. Step 3: Examine "rare characteristic". This means a rare feature or quality, which matches "the ability to listen to people" perfectly. Step 4: Examine "rare sense". This could mean a rare understanding or perception, but it does not directly match the idea of "ability to listen to people" as clearly as "characteristic" does. Step 5: Consider "No improvement". Keeping "rare character" would make the sentence slightly awkward, because "character" is too broad for a single ability mentioned after the dash. Step 6: Conclude that "rare characteristic" is the most precise and natural replacement.

Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the sentence with the chosen option: "She has that rare characteristic - the ability to listen to people." This clearly indicates that the ability to listen is a specific trait she possesses and that this trait is rare. The grammar and meaning are both clear. Many English grammar and usage books use "characteristic" when referring to specific qualities ("a distinctive characteristic", "one of her best characteristics"), which supports this choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• rare ear: Very unusual expression and not idiomatic in this context; it does not immediately convey that listening is a rare personal quality.
• rare sense: Vague and ambiguous; it could refer to intuition or perception rather than the specific skill of listening to people.
• No improvement: Leaving "rare character" is grammatically possible, but stylistically less accurate because it suggests her entire character is rare, whereas the sentence clearly highlights one particular ability.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to treat "No improvement" as the safe option when the original sentence is not obviously wrong. However, in sentence-improvement questions, exam setters often expect a better, more precise phrase. To avoid this pitfall, compare each option carefully and choose the one that fits the context most accurately, even if the original is not completely incorrect.

Final Answer:
The best improvement is "rare characteristic", so the sentence becomes: "She has that rare characteristic - the ability to listen to people."