Well let me give my perception of how to handle long passages. Firstly, in most of the cases, it is no more a ploy than to intimidate the candidate. Most of them are decided by simple and basic grammar principles such as S-V number mismatch, basic tense and comparisons, fragmentations and run-ons. I have not found most of them go deep into meaning. Sometimes the wrong choices omit some part of the original passge and to tht extent alter the meaning.
However, the basic approach will be to strip the passage naked by getting rid of the unnecessary modifier phrases and reduce the bulk.
For example, let us take the case in question.
The recent spate of traffic jams on Beijing-Tibet highway reportedly caused by a spurt in traffic by heavy trucks carrying coal and heading to Beijing as part of the illegal trade in coal that has flourished due to lack of government control enroute as well as by the delayed response of the maintenance agencies to undertake timely repairs to the roads damaged in the recent incessant rains
Now in this case, if you try to match the subject of spate with its due verb, you will see that you do not have one. So now, you search a working verb. B and C are properly verbed by was caused. So keep them.
In D, the subject is the singular spurt, but the verb is ‘having caused’.
In E, the subject is movement and the verb ‘was caused’ (as well as has no role here)
Now between the B and C, B misses the ‘by’ parallelism. C is perfect.
Therefore, no need to worry about coal trade or traffic jam or the maintenance delay, those modifiers purposely stacked for distracting
Another example:
Humans have been damaging the environment for centuries by over cutting trees and farming too intensively, and though some protective measures, like the establishment of national forests and wildlife sanctuaries, having been taken decades ago, great increases in population and in the intensity of industrialization are causing a worldwide ecological crisis.
though some protective measures, like the establishment of national forests and wildlife sanctuaries, having been taken decades ago, great increases in population
though some protective measures, such as the establishment of national forests and wildlife sanctuaries, were taken decades ago, great increases in population
though some protective measures, such as establishing national forests and wildlife sanctuaries having been taken decades ago, great population increases.
with some protective measures, like establishing national forests and wildlife sanctuaries that were taken decades ago, great increases in population
with some protective measures, such as the establishment of national forests and wildlife sanctuaries, having been taken decades ago, great population increases
What is the verb for the subordinate clauses starting with ‘though some protective measures’? You will see that only choice B has a working verb and hence that is the choice.
Example 2
In attempting to solve the problems caused by a lowering of the price of oil, oil companies operating in the North Sea have taken a variety of approaches, which includes their reducing employment, using new technology to pump oil more efficiently from smaller fields, and finding innovative ways to cut the cost of building and operating platforms.
which includes their reducing employment, using new technology to pump oil more efficiently
which includes reducing employment, using new technology to be more efficient in pumping oil
which include reducing employment, using new technology to pump oil more efficiently
which include the reduction of employment, their using new technology to pump oil more efficiently
including a reduction of employment, their use of new technology to be more efficient at pumping oil
Even a cursory glance will make out that it is approaches which include, an not includes. So A and B are out; then it is simple list parallelism among C, D and E, you can see C fits the bill easily.
Take away; If you see a big passage, fall back on grammar first.
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thanks for posting!
