Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at t

Question

Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at the age of seven, Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that enabled ownership by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of their own businesses and gain financial independence.

(A) Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that enabled women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to own
(B) Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that enabled ownership by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of
(C) Martha Matilda Harper's creation of America's first retail franchise network was a radical new business model that enabled women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to own
(D) America's first retail franchise network was created by Martha Matilda Harper, a radical new business model that enabled women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to own
(E) America's first retail franchise network was created by Martha Matilda Harper, a radical new business model that enabled ownership by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of

MacFauz · Answer

I don't agree with the OA... Can you recheck?... IMHO,There is nothing wrong with the original sentence itself.

WoundedTiger · Answer

Agree with macfauz, Ans has to be A

Clearly C,D and E can be ruled out because the modfier " Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at the age of seven" can modify only Martha

For option B,lets break down the sentence and see what it looks like 
 
Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at the age of seven, Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that enabled ownership by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of their own businesses and gain financial independence.

Clause 1 :Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at the age of seven, Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network
Clause 2:a radical new business model
Clause 3: that (that stands for new business model) enabled ownership by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of their own businesses and gain financial independence

Note clause 2+ Clause 3 a Noun+noun Modifier construction modifying the preceding clause,

Subject verb pair in : clause 3 (That-Sub) + verb (enabled )

Now enabling of ownership allows women to own their businesses and gain financial freedom and therefore use of "to" is better to show intent.

Comments welcome

newsha · Answer

I agree. I think the original sentence is correct.

unceldolan · Answer

I agree with you, chose A for the same reasons.

surbhi87 · Answer

+1 A

B is 1. Passive and 2. Doesnt make sense here : " a radical new business model that enabled ownership by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of their own businesses and gain financial independence."

still would've made more sense if it were "own businesses and financial independence gain" ... In "gain financial independence", gain is a verb and doesn't go with the preceding noun (businesses)

fnumiamisburg · Answer

+1 for A.
it was between A and B but I don't understand the meaning of a part of the sentence B.
model-- that enabled ownership by women  in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries  of their own businesses and gain financial independence."
it says a model enabled ownership by women of their own business and gain financial independence.
gain financial independence is in parallel with what? and who gain financial independence? ownership by women or women?

monirjewel.... it seems most of us don't agree with OA...why don't u post OE...

abhinav11 · Answer

Went for A. Can some one post the OE please

vinayak4u · Answer

Though "A" sounds perfect as it is, it could possibly be wrong due to the construction "own their own businesses...."

amksameer · Answer

The OA is A.. It is a gmat prep question

saumya12 · Answer

A minor thing; this is actually a "phrase" (and not a "clause"). I believe this is called the "absolute modifier" (noun+a noun modifier).

mohnish104 · Answer

Bro, I think u have posted the wrong OA. Kindly correct.

prateekbhatt · Answer

I chose A too. But i think the difference between A and B is...

(A) Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that  enabled women  in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to own
(B) Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that  enabled ownership  by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of

Man, women or human beings cant be enable, its a thing or a product or a service that can be enabled.

cssk · Answer

Still confused between A and B. Can you post the OE if possible?

rango · Answer

Good one; But i do not agree with the answer ' enable X to Y' is the correct idiom usage. Answer must be A. Other factors the modifier ' a radical new business model ' following the comma exactly referring to the Noun - retail franchise network. :banana

monirjewel · Answer

Corrected the OA. its A. Thanks

cssk · Answer

Certainly A.

If you observe the verb phrase "gain financial independece" in choice B, verb "gain" has no parallel antecedent before "and".

pramendrapandeya · Answer

A easy one :-

Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at the age of seven, Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that enabled ownership by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of their own businesses and gain financial independence.

new business model that enabled women (New businees model will women not ownership , So A is correct

(A) Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that enabled women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to own (Correct)
(B) Martha Matilda Harper created America's first retail franchise network, a radical new business model that enabled  ownership  by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of
(C)  Martha Matilda Harper's creation  of America's first retail franchise network was a radical new business model that enabled women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to own
(D)  America's first retail franchise network  was created by Martha Matilda Harper, a radical new business model that enabled women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to own
(E) America's first retail franchise network was created by Martha Matilda Harper, a radical new business model that enabled  ownership  by women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of

I have highlighted wrong portion:)

Hope that helps:)

Divyadisha · Answer

'Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at the age of seven' must modify MM. C , D and E are out.

The model 'enabled women to own something' and not 'enabled ownership by women'. B is out.

A is the answer

VerbalBot · Answer

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Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at t

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Born into poverty and sent by her father into servitude at t

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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