Task: The following test contains dangling and misplaced modifiers, disrupted modifiers, and squinting modifiers in addition to numerous problems involving…

ENGL 1013 Spring 2013

Editing Exam 3

Task: The following test contains dangling and misplaced modifiers, disrupted modifiers, and squinting modifiers in addition to numerous problems involving style. You are to use the proofreading marks I have taught you to correct the errors in the following passages. You need not label anything.

Each paragraph has one error, with two exceptions (see below). Be warned: if you correct something that was already correct, or create another problem with your “correction,” I will deduct points from your score. Stick to the known problems.

The general errors found in this exam are as follows: Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers (3); Disruptive Modifiers (2); Squinting Modifiers (1); Is When, Is Where Phrasing Errors (2); Syntactic Expletives (2); Nominalizations (2); Redundant Words (2); Conciseness (1); and Parallelism (2).

Furthermore, there is also one sentence fragment (1) and one comma splice (1) randomly found in the three stories.

Expect to find twenty (20) total errors worth five (5) points each. Specific errors found in each section are explained below, with the obvious exception of the two wildcard errors.

News Story One: Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers (3); Disruptive Modifiers (2); Squinting Modifiers (1)

Wild Boar Attacks Butcher but Ends Wurst Off

BERLIN (Reuters) – A small-town German butcher said on Monday he faces steep bills after a wild boar tore through his shop savagely indulging in an hour-long rampage. Fortunately, he will at least recover some of his losses by selling slices of the slain beast.

The boar wandered out of a nearby forest and into the shop and caused about 5,000 euros ($6,600) in damage butcher, Rainer Kraemer told Reuters, before being shot by a local hunter.

“Insurance covers theft and fire, but the butcher shop isn’t covered for a wild boar attack,” said Kraemer, whose shop is in, and has been for the last twenty-three years, the town of Hoehr-Grenzhausen near the western city of Koblenz.

After being fully carved up, Kramer only expects the 130-kg (290 lbs) boar will only fetch about 400 euros in ham and wurst sales.

Escaping with only a minor injury, the store only contained a single customer at the time of the attack.

“Once the boar pushed through the door, I quickly helped the customer out of store and then went to try to guard the production equipment,” said Kraemer. He and a sales clerk were unhurt in the rampage but unable to, before the animal gored the customer, stop the boar.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; editing by Paul Casciato)

News Story Two: Is When, Is Where Phrasing Problems (2); Syntactic Expletives (2); Nominalizations (2)

Wet Floor Foils Aussie Streaker’s European Tour

BERLIN (Reuters Life!) – Caught in the buff, a drunken 19-year-old Australian man led German police on a chase through Munich’s main train station late Wednesday before slipping on a wet floor where he was later apprehended unhurt. According to police, streaking is where an individual disrobes and runs through public areas, such as a train terminal.

It was a Sydney native who wore only his shoes and held his underwear in his hand during the chase in freezing temperatures, a spokesman for the Bavarian state police said.

The teenager quickly changed into his underwear once he fell and police later engaged in the act of covering him in a blanket.

During questioning the teenager told police that he was carrying out a bet with friends that he could travel through Europe naked. Rapidly gaining popularity in Australia, the “Peekaboo Walkabout” is when you explore new territories while giving full access to your own.

There are many tourists performing acts of streaking for personal pleasure. “I simply like to be naked,” the police spokesman quoted him as saying, the Australian teenager was fined 100 euros ($132). Steve Irwin could not be reached at his new residence for comment.

(Writing by Eric Kelsey; editing by Paul Casciato)

News Story Three: Redundant Words (2); Conciseness (2); Parallelism (2)

Snowball Fight Turns into Giant Melee in Germany, Police Say

BERLIN (AFP) – A playful snowball fight that began in a spirit of fun turned into a violent melee involving more than 500 people in the eastern city of Leipzig, police said Tuesday, with fireworks, bottles and stones thrown into the mix.

A group of 40 people had gathered late Monday to toss snowballs at each other but the game at that point in time quickly degenerated into a massive free-for-all that required police intervention, authorities said in a statement.

“The black-clad mob was throwing snowballs, they threw broken bottles, and lit fireworks got tossed, too,” the statement said.

Because of the fact that more than 500 people joined the fracas, the brawl snarled traffic and sparked a major police operation.

“Officers became the main target of the hooligans but a completely uninvolved car driver who was not participating in the battle also fell victim, with the mob smashing his windscreen with a beer bottle and injuring his arm.”

During the impromptu mêlée, three officers were wounded, damage was done to two police cars, and there was one anchorman who had his arm chopped off. Before the group could be broken up.