A sentence is provided in indirect speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding direct speech.
The archivist declared that, unless the humidity controls were recalibrated, the papyri could deteriorate beyond salvage.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Indirect speech:
“The archivist declared that, unless the humidity controls were recalibrated, the papyri could deteriorate beyond salvage.”
Converting to direct speech:
Remove “that”
Keep “unless” (don’t change it to “if”)
Adjust tense appropriately:
were recalibrated → are recalibrated
could deteriorate → could deteriorate (remains acceptable)
Correct direct speech:
“Unless the humidity controls are recalibrated, the papyri could deteriorate beyond salvage.”