Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition with Lots of FunAn academic who undertakes a serious study of history often focuses at first on a well known period that even laypeople take great interest in, typically one closely tied to the culture or heritage of the researcher, but frequently evolves into an examination of other less familiar times and places.
(A) An academic who undertakes a serious study of history
(B) For an academic who undertakes a serious study of it, history
(C) A serious study of history, for academics who undertake it,
(D) An academic undertaking a serious study of history
(E) When undertaking a serious study of history, an academic
Explanation:
The intended meaning of the sentence is that a serious study of history often focuses at first on a well known period that even laypeople take great interest in but frequently evolves into an examination of other less familiar times and places.
(A) An academic who undertakes a serious study of history
An academic who undertakes a serious study of history often focuses at first on a well known period that even laypeople take great interest in, typically one closely tied to the culture or heritage of the researcher, but frequently evolves into an examination of other less familiar times and places.
Here, there is an incoherent meaning. An academic can
focus (at first) on a well known period...... but an academic cannot
evolve into an examination..... It is the study of something that can evolve. OUT.
(B) For an academic who undertakes a serious study of it, history
For an academic who undertakes a serious study of it, history often focuses at first on a well known period that even laypeople take great interest in, typically one closely tied to the culture or heritage of the researcher, but frequently evolves into an examination of other less familiar times and places.
Here, again there is an incoherent meaning. History cannot focus or evolve rather
a study of history can focus and evolve. OUT.
(C) A serious study of history, for academics who undertake it,
A serious study of history, for academics who undertake it, often focuses at first on a well known period that even laypeople take great interest in, typically one closely tied to the culture or heritage of the researcher, but frequently evolves into an examination of other less familiar times and places.
Absolutely conveys the intended meaning. A (serious) study of history (often) focuses.........(but) evolves..........places. KEEP IT.
Modifiers: "for academics who undertake it"
modifies "a serious study of history" and "typically one closely tied to the culture or heritage of the researcher"
modifies "often focuses at first on a well known period that even laypeople take great interest in".
(D) An academic undertaking a serious study of history
An academic undertaking a serious study of history often focuses at first on a well known period that even laypeople take great interest in, typically one closely tied to the culture or heritage of the researcher, but frequently evolves into an examination of other less familiar times and places.
Same error as (A). OUT.
(E) When undertaking a serious study of history, an academic
When undertaking a serious study of history, an academic often focuses at first on a well known period that even laypeople take great interest in, typically one closely tied to the culture or heritage of the researcher, but frequently evolves into an examination of other less familiar times and places.
Same error as (A). OUT.
ANSWER C.