SAT English Practice Question

The 19th century saw the rise of the novel, a genre that allowed writers to explore new forms of storytelling and character development. Writers like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens used the novel to create vivid portraits of life in England, while American authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville used it to explore themes of morality and the human condition. However, the novel’s popularity was not without its critics, who argued that the genre was too sentimental and unrealistic. Some critics even went so far as to say that the novel was nothing more than a form of escapism. But despite the criticisms, the novel continued to thrive, and it has remained one of the most popular literary genres to this day. Even today, writers are still using the novel to explore new ideas and to tell compelling stories. Which of the following choices makes the most effective change to the third sentence of the passage?

1. A.However, the novel’s popularity was not without its critics; who argued that the genre was too sentimental and unrealistic.
2. B.However, the novel’s popularity was not without its critics, who argued that the genre was too sentimental, and unrealistic.
3. C.However, the novel’s popularity was not without its critics, who argued that the genre was too sentimental and unrealistic.
4. D.However, the novel’s popularity was not without its critics, who argued that the genre was too sentimental and unrealistic.