Skywalker18 wrote:
The Kwakiutl recognized one social unit larger than the tribe-the confederacy, which was a cluster of loosely knit, informally related neighboring
tribes who interacted with themselves more often than between other tribes.
(A) tribes who interacted with themselves more often than between- usage of between
(B) tribes who interacted among each other more often than among - usage of among
(C) tribes who interacted with one another more often than with
(D) tribes, interacting among each other more often than between- usage of between
(E) tribes, interacting among one another more often than with
1. I was in a fix between options C and E but chose the incorrect answer because I thought that "who" can't to tribes and we need which or that.( who can be only used for people )
If the usage of 'who' is correct here, then 'who' should be able to refer to other collective nouns such as a team, group etc?generis Skywalker18Well, until I saw this question, my answer would have been:
No, because
who is used to refer only to nouns that are actually human beings.
That said, I can understand why GMAC used
who in this case.
Which nouns are interacting? Individual members of the tribes.
The tribes themselves
as a whole would not interact unless one whole tribe were negotiating a treaty with another whole tribe, for example, or were arranging an alliance with another whole tribe.
The
people in the tribes are interacting.
I am okay with the use of
who in this case and context.
Quote:
then 'who' should be able to refer to other collective nouns such as a team, group etc
No, I would not go that far. One exception does not a make a rule.
If the context were similar to this one (individual members interact and it's kinda weird to think of one whole group "interacting" with another whole group), then those other words you listed
might be able to take "who."
GMAT does not test the group THAT/who issue very often.
Furthermore, as far as I can recall, GMAT has not used
who in this way in any other question.
Quote:
2. In option E, the verb-ing 'interacting' should make sense with
a. which was a cluster of loosely knit, informally related neighboring tribes-- verb-ing 'interacting' tries to refer to the subject of the previous clausewhich was..
b. or does the verb-ing modifier ' interacting' skips over [TO?] the preceding main clause the Kwakiuti... ?
I think you are asking which clause the adverbial modifier "interacting among. . ." applies to.
I think you are also implying that "interacting" in (E) does not make a lot of sense. (If so, you are correct.)
Yes, your (a) is correct. "Interacting" modifies the immediately preceding clause, and thus refers to
which was.
Which, in turn, refers to
confederacy.And now the modifier makes no sense.
The confederacy . . ., interacting among one another . . .
The confederacy does not interact with or among anything or anyone.
Regarding your (b): If the participle "interacting" could reach "The Kwakiutl recognized . . . " —doubtful, and the modifier
interacting is still nonsensical.
Answer (C) is better.
These questions are good. I hope that analysis helps.