Tanchat wrote:
The issue in (A) is "fear of", right?
Correct. Nobody was afraid of other countries.
Some people were afraid
that other countries would do certain things—a meaning that's impossible to convey with "other countries" + modifier(s).
Quote:
"This" in (A) is not wrong because it logically refers to the entire clause "A Swiss government panel recommended that the country sell about half of its gold reserves".
I suppose so.
The rare instances of standalone "this"/"these" in GMAC's correct sentences, however, have been used for things that
don't neatly fit other common modifier templates.
The modifier here is an absolutely perfect fit for
comma + _ING, so GMAC is going to write it as
comma + _ING in the correct version of the sentence.
Tanchat wrote:
But I would like to confirm that I understand correctly. Some GMAT questions provide only 1 clear and other 1-2 options "not" incorrect but the correct one is better (more concise or clearer)
No. Every question will have 1 correct answer and 4 incorrect answers. The wrong answers are all, indeed, wrong.
Quote:
(A) This can refer to either "clause", "phrase" or "noun". But the structure is not quite good and if "this" refers to the phrase after "with", it will not make much sense and the modifier (with____, ) cannot modify "this".
• "Near to" is not idiomatic.
• The initial "With..." modifier is incorrect for at least two distinct reasons:
—The choice of modifier is entirely inappropriate. Comma-blocked initial "With..." should refer to an underlying circumstance/situation, already true at the time narrated, that contributes/contributed to the event narrated in the main clause. (See
here.)
—"This" is trying to describe exactly the same process that's in the modifier, creating nonsense because the modifier and the main clause can't describe the same single observation/event/idea.
analogy:
Because the object is very heavy, it is hard to lift —> SENSIBLE SENTENCE
Because the object is very heavy, its weight makes it hard to lift —> NONSENSE
The object's weight makes it hard to lift —> SENSIBLE SENTENCE (here we need common sense to conclude that the object is heavy, not light or of middling weight)
Quote:
(E) I don't think (E) is totally wrong, but (D) is better
The
no comma + "having..." modifier in E is nonsense.
A summary of the issue can be found in this post (permalink; should jump directly to my post once the page has finished loading).
Thank you for your response. I really like your explanation
I used to automatically eliminate the option that has "this" alone, but I don't do that now.
close
02 Oct 2022, 01:15
