Introduction / Context:
This item tests word order in indirect questions. Identify the segment with the incorrect inversion.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Reporting verb “asked” introduces an embedded question.
- Indirect questions take normal subject–verb order, not question inversion.
Concept / Approach:
Direct: “How could she manage…?” Indirect: “asked how she could manage…”. Inversion (auxiliary before subject) is used only in direct questions, not after reporting verbs.
Step-by-Step Solution:
A: “The interviewer asked the actress” — correct reporting clause.B: “how could she” — incorrect inversion in an indirect question; should be “how she could.”C: “manage to attain fame” — idiomatic and correct.D: “in a short period.” — acceptable time phrase.
Verification / Alternative check:
Corrected sentence: “The interviewer asked the actress how she could manage to attain fame in a short period.”
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A, C, and D are fine; only B contains the inversion error.
Common Pitfalls:
Carrying over direct-question word order into reported speech.
Final Answer:
how could she
Discussion & Comments