Question:
Choose the option that conforms most closely to Standard English usage.
Choose the option that conforms most closely to Standard English usage.
Show Hint
Look at which noun the word "that" attaches to in the long option, and check the prepositions that go with "disdain" and "self-consciousness".
Updated On: Nov 7, 2026
- From the sixteenth century onwards, people started feeling disdainful and self-conscious about their body and its products that led to a heightened focus on emotional and bodily regulations.
- The heightened focus on controlling the body and emotions comes from disdain and selfconsciousness about the body and its products, found in the sixteenth century.
- From the sixteenth century onwards, a growing disdain for and self-consciousness about the body and its products took hold, leading to a heightened focus on emotional and bodily regulation.
- The heightened focus on emotional and bodily regulations started from the sixteenth century onwards, when people felt disdain and self-consciousness about the body and its products.
Show Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Know what the sentence is trying to say:
From the sixteenth century onwards, people felt a growing disdain and self-consciousness about the body and its products. This led to more focus on controlling emotions and bodily functions.
So a good sentence shows a time, a cause and an effect, and keeps the two feelings (disdain, self-consciousness) in parallel.
Step 2: Check option (1):
"People started feeling disdainful and self-conscious about their body and its products that led to..." The word "that" sits right after "its products", so it seems to say the products led to the focus. That is not the meaning.
Also "their body" and "its products" mix pronouns, and "regulations" does not suit the idea of regulating in general. So (1) is wrong.
Step 3: Check option (2):
"...comes from disdain and selfconsciousness about the body and its products, found in the sixteenth century." The phrase "found in the sixteenth century" is loose. It seems to describe the body and its products, as if they were found then.
The present tense "comes" also does not match a historical period, and "selfconsciousness" is spelled wrongly. So (2) is wrong.
Step 4: Check option (3):
"From the sixteenth century onwards, a growing disdain for and self-consciousness about the body and its products took hold, leading to a heightened focus on emotional and bodily regulation."
The time phrase opens the sentence. The two nouns share one object and each has its own correct preposition: "disdain for" and "self-consciousness about". The verb "took hold" is in the past, which suits history. The phrase "leading to" ties the result to the whole main clause. "Regulation" is the right uncountable form. So (3) is correct.
Step 5: Check option (4):
"Started from the sixteenth century onwards" is clumsy, because "from" and "onwards" repeat the same idea and "started in" or "began" would be natural. The word "regulations" is again unnatural.
The sentence also blurs the cause. It says the focus started when people felt disdain, instead of saying that the disdain took hold and led to the focus. So (4) is weaker than (3).
Final Answer:
Option (3) is clear, parallel and correctly worded. The answer is option (3). \[ \boxed{\text{Option 3}} \]
From the sixteenth century onwards, people felt a growing disdain and self-consciousness about the body and its products. This led to more focus on controlling emotions and bodily functions.
So a good sentence shows a time, a cause and an effect, and keeps the two feelings (disdain, self-consciousness) in parallel.
Step 2: Check option (1):
"People started feeling disdainful and self-conscious about their body and its products that led to..." The word "that" sits right after "its products", so it seems to say the products led to the focus. That is not the meaning.
Also "their body" and "its products" mix pronouns, and "regulations" does not suit the idea of regulating in general. So (1) is wrong.
Step 3: Check option (2):
"...comes from disdain and selfconsciousness about the body and its products, found in the sixteenth century." The phrase "found in the sixteenth century" is loose. It seems to describe the body and its products, as if they were found then.
The present tense "comes" also does not match a historical period, and "selfconsciousness" is spelled wrongly. So (2) is wrong.
Step 4: Check option (3):
"From the sixteenth century onwards, a growing disdain for and self-consciousness about the body and its products took hold, leading to a heightened focus on emotional and bodily regulation."
The time phrase opens the sentence. The two nouns share one object and each has its own correct preposition: "disdain for" and "self-consciousness about". The verb "took hold" is in the past, which suits history. The phrase "leading to" ties the result to the whole main clause. "Regulation" is the right uncountable form. So (3) is correct.
Step 5: Check option (4):
"Started from the sixteenth century onwards" is clumsy, because "from" and "onwards" repeat the same idea and "started in" or "began" would be natural. The word "regulations" is again unnatural.
The sentence also blurs the cause. It says the focus started when people felt disdain, instead of saying that the disdain took hold and led to the focus. So (4) is weaker than (3).
Final Answer:
Option (3) is clear, parallel and correctly worded. The answer is option (3). \[ \boxed{\text{Option 3}} \]
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