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Sub 505 (Easy)|   Modifiers|                  
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 25 Mar 2021, 22:51
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 23 May 2022, 10:51
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GMATNinja, can you please explain the meaning of this sentence?
The exploits includes circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg.

I understand grammatical aspect of this sentence. However, I struggle to understand the meaning of this sentence.
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 24 May 2022, 06:06
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tkorzhan1995
GMATNinja, can you please explain the meaning of this sentence?
The exploits includes circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg.

I understand grammatical aspect of this sentence. However, I struggle to understand the meaning of this sentence.
Show more

Hello tkorzhan1995,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the meaning of this sentence is that one of Nelly Bly's exploits was circling the world in less time than a given fictional character named Phileas Fogg, who was created by the writer Jules Verne, did.

Phileas Fogg is the protagonist of the Jules Verne book Around the World in 80 Days, so presumably, Bly managed to go around the world in less than 80 days.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 02 Jul 2022, 03:26
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg

A A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included- the possessive is incorrect.
B The exploits of Nellie Bly, a pioneer journalist, included - the exploits of nellie Bly, appositive phrase a pioneer journalist, included - sounds perfect
C Nellie Bly was a pioneer journalist including in her exploits the - This answer choice incorrectly uses the present participle ("verb+ing" - "including" in this sentence) to refer to an event that concluded in the past; we can use simple past instead.
D Included in the pioneer journalist Nellie Bly's exploits are - says that her exploits are a pioneer journalist
E The pioneer journalist's exploits of Nellie Bly included - sounds as if a pioneer journa was exploiting nellie bly. wrong.
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 02 Jul 2022, 04:04
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg

A A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included

Introductory modifier error


B The exploits of Nellie Bly, a pioneer journalist, included

Correct

C Nellie Bly was a pioneer journalist including in her exploits the

Meaning is off.

D Included in the pioneer journalist Nellie Bly's exploits are

Gerund structures are singular. The use of "are" is incorrect.

E The pioneer journalist's exploits of Nellie Bly included

Non sensical meaning.

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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 11 Sep 2022, 17:32
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Could anyone please elaborate on the comparison in option B?

The gerund is compared with a person? That doesnt make sense to me. Did I miss any parts?
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 11 Sep 2022, 18:38
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg
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A A pioneer journalist,----> Modifying the exploits instead of Nellie Bly Nellie Bly's exploits included Modifier error
B The exploits of Nellie Bly,----Modified properly--- a pioneer journalist, included No error,Hold
C Nellie Bly was a pioneer journalist including in her exploits the Meaning error, improper usage of inculde
D Included in the pioneer journalist Nellie Bly's exploits are Same modifier error as in Option A
E The pioneer journalist's exploits of Nellie Bly included Same modifier error as in Option A


IMO B
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 12 Sep 2022, 04:27
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louisinau
Could anyone please elaborate on the comparison in option B?

The gerund is compared with a person? That doesnt make sense to me. Did I miss any parts?
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Hello louisinau,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, no comparison is made in Option B; the subject of the sentence is "The exploits", and the meaning here is that one of Nellie Bly's exploits was circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg.

"included" is not a comparison marker; rather it refers to the action of belonging to a category.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 12 Sep 2022, 17:12
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louisinau
Could anyone please elaborate on the comparison in option B?

The gerund is compared with a person? That doesnt make sense to me. Did I miss any parts?

Hello louisinau,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, no comparison is made in Option B; the subject of the sentence is "The exploits", and the meaning here is that one of Nellie Bly's exploits was circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg.

"included" is not a comparison marker; rather it refers to the action of belonging to a category.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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Hi ExpertsGlobal5

Thanks for your replay. However, I am asking what is comparing to Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg. how faster? who circled? I didnt say "included" is a comparison maker. but "FASTER THAN" is.
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 12 Sep 2022, 19:57
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louisinau
When we read the words 'circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg', we can infer that
1. Phileas Fogg is a fictional character created by Jules Verne
2. This character Phileas Fogg 'circled the globe', meaning he went around the world

So Nellie Bly went around the world faster than Phileas Fogg did.

BTW, many people may know that Phileas Fogg went around the world in 80 days. Because Phileas Fogg is the hero of the classic novel Around The World In 80 Days. It's an old book from the 1870s, but it has been picturised multiple times in cinema and TV
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Around_ ... ighty_Days


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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 13 Sep 2022, 00:17
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louisinau
When we read the words 'circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg', we can infer that
1. Phileas Fogg is a fictional character created by Jules Verne
2. This character Phileas Fogg 'circled the globe', meaning he went around the world

So Nellie Bly went around the world faster than Phileas Fogg did.

BTW, many people may know that Phileas Fogg went around the world in 80 days. Because Phileas Fogg is the hero of the classic novel Around The World In 80 Days. It's an old book from the 1870s, but it has been picturised multiple times in cinema and TV
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Around_ ... ighty_Days

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Thank youvv65
Thanks for your explantion. I am still a little confused with the way the comparison was made. In the right sentence, I was looking for a person who can parallel with Phileas Fogg. If it were written like " the exploit included a record that NB cicrled the globe faster than Phileas Fogg", it would make more sense to me.

I dont doubt the correctness of the right answer but I am not sure if this sytle of comparison was made common?
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 13 Sep 2022, 02:03
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louisinau
I am still a little confused with the way the comparison was made. In the right sentence, I was looking for a person who can parallel with Phileas Fogg. If it were written like " the exploit included a record that NB cicrled the globe faster than Phileas Fogg", it would make more sense to me.

I dont doubt the correctness of the right answer but I am not sure if this sytle of comparison was made common?
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The comparison is not between Nellie Bly and Phineas Fogg. The comparison is between how fast Nellie Bly circled the globe and how fast Phileas Fogg circled the globe.

See this sentence: His talents include running faster than Usain Bolt [DOES].
The DOES in the sentence is implied but not present. The comparison is similar to the comparison in Answer (B).
What the sentence means: "running faster than Usain Bolt" is one of his talents.

Here is a simplified version of the sentence we get with (B): The exploits of Nellie Bly included circling the globe faster than Phileas Fogg [DID].
Again, the DID is implied but not present.
What this means: "circling the globe faster than Phileas Fogg" was one of Nellie Bly's achievements.

Does this help to clear your doubt?
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 13 Sep 2022, 04:25
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louisinau
Could anyone please elaborate on the comparison in option B?

The gerund is compared with a person? That doesnt make sense to me. Did I miss any parts?

Hello louisinau,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, no comparison is made in Option B; the subject of the sentence is "The exploits", and the meaning here is that one of Nellie Bly's exploits was circling the globe faster than Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg.

"included" is not a comparison marker; rather it refers to the action of belonging to a category.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team


Hi ExpertsGlobal5

Thanks for your replay. However, I am asking what is comparing to Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg. how faster? who circled? I didnt say "included" is a comparison maker. but "FASTER THAN" is.
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Hello louisinau,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the comparison here is between the action of "circling the globe" as done by Nellie Bly and the same action as done by Phineas Fogg.

We can simplify the sentence as "Nellie Bly's exploits included circling the globe faster than Phineas Fogg circled the globe."

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global team
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 05 Dec 2022, 11:58
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Hello all,
I have a question regarding the correct answer choice.
I do not get why the right answer choice, namely B), is not considered illogical. It sounds as if "a pioneer journalist" is modifying "The exploits of Nellie Bly" and not Nellie Bly.
Could someone be so kind and explain whether there is a general rule to that and why this is correct?
Thank you
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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 06 Dec 2022, 06:04
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s3fushah

I do not get why the right answer choice, namely B), is not considered illogical. It sounds as if "a pioneer journalist" is modifying "The exploits of Nellie Bly" and not Nellie Bly.
Could someone be so kind and explain whether there is a general rule to that and why this is correct?
Thank you
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The phrase 'a pioneer journalist' makes sense as a modifier for Nellie Bly. That is why (B) isn't considered illogical.

I don't think there is any general rule that can be applied.

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A pioneer journalist, Nellie Bly's exploits included 24 Dec 2023, 00:57
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