Question: Directions: In each of the following sentences, a part of the sentence is underlined. Beneath each sentence, four different ways of phrasing the underlined part are indicated. Choose the best alternative among the four.
Since the advent of cable television, at the beginning of this decade, the entertainment industry took a giant stride forward in our country.
(b) is the correct answer choice.
This question tests you for use of the correct verb tense. Possible constructions could be:
(i) At the beginning of this decade, X took a giant stride ...
(ii) Use present perfect, when we talk of a period of time extending from a point in the past and completion of an action ‘since’ then, as seen from today’s perspective.
(b) matches with (ii) above and correctly uses the present perfect tense. The phrase ‘at the beginning of this decade’ is merely placed in opposition to inform us about the ‘advent of cable television,’ and does not in any way affect the structure of the sentence.