Question

the plays of shakespeare are thought by many to be the greatest works of literature ever written. some scholars, however, are convinced that these plays were not actually written by william shakespeare.

which sentence can be added to the paragraph to best maintain a consistent style throughout the passage?

○ they think that he definitely could not have written these amazing plays because he was really not educated enough.
○ they think he did not have enough schooling that you probably need to create such great work.
○ they believe he did not have the education necessary to create this extraordinary body of work.
○ they believe he didnt have the education thats needed to write this body of work, which, you will agree, is extraordinary.

Explanation:

The original passage uses formal, academic language (e.g., "convinced", "actually written"). We need to select the option that matches this tone:

1. The first option uses casual phrasing ("really not educated enough", "amazing plays") which is inconsistent.
2. The second option uses informal language ("you probably need") and awkward phrasing that does not fit the academic tone.
3. The third option uses formal, precise language ("believe", "education necessary", "extraordinary body of work") that aligns perfectly with the original passage's style.
4. The fourth option includes an informal asides ("which, you will agree, is extraordinary") that disrupts the formal tone.

Answer:

They believe he did not have the education necessary to create this extraordinary body of work.