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Difficulty:
35%
(medium)
Question Stats:
65% (01:12) correct
35%
(01:25)
wrong
based on 11456
sessions
History
Date
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By 1999, astronomers had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets about the size of Jupiter
(A) had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets
(B) had discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that were
(C) had discovered that there were 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets
(D) have discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that are
(E) have discovered that 17 nearby stars are orbited by planets
(A) had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets
(B) had discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that were
(C) had discovered that there were 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets
(D) have discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that are
(E) have discovered that 17 nearby stars are orbited by planets
https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/10/us/in-new-discoveries-a-planetary-mystery.html
In a stunning run of discoveries over the last three years, astronomers have observed 17 nearby stars that appear to be orbited by planets more or less the size of Jupiter. The most recent detection of a planet around a star other than the Sun was described here today.
17 Stars
First glance
Three answers begin with had discovered; the other two begin with have discovered. Which one is the correct verb tense for this sentence?
Issues
(1) Verb: have discovered
Had discovered is the past perfect tense, used to signal that something took place before something else in the past. Have discovered is the present perfect tense, used to denote something that started in the past but is still true or still ongoing in the present.
The time marker by 1999 indicates that the action took place prior to 1999. As such, the past perfect tense had discovered is correct: prior to 1999, the astronomers had discovered these stars. Eliminate answers (D) and (E).
(2) Modifier: that
Meaning
It is difficult to choose from among the remaining three choices; this is one of the hardest problems in the Official Guide. Compare the three choices to find the differences:
(A) …17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets…
(B) …17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that were…
(C) …there were 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets…
Each of these choices presents a reason not to like it…yet one must be the correct answer! Examine each choice in turn.
The opening part of the sentence uses past perfect, so is it okay to switch to present tense, as choice (A) does?
Past perfect does require either a past time marker or a simple past verb—but the sentence does correctly provide the time marker by 1999. The are verb, then, is not required to be in the past tense. Does it make sense to have a present tense verb at this point in the sentence? What if it said were?
Astronomers had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets…
Astronomers had discovered 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets…
In the first sentence, the stars were orbited by the planets at the time of discovery and they still are today. That meaning is acceptable.
In the second sentence, the stars were orbited by the planets at some point in the past. Was this still happening at the time of the discovery? Or maybe the astronomers discovered something that was true only prior to the discovery? Or perhaps the action was still occurring at the time of discovery but is no longer going on today? The choice of were makes the meaning ambiguous; it’s actually better to use are. Leave choice (A) in.
Choice (B) contains the noun modifier that were about the size of Jupiter. What were about the size of Jupiter: the stars or the planets? And when were they the size of Jupiter?
Noun modifier rules dictate that the modifier be placed as close as possible to the noun that it modifies. In this case, the pronoun them (referring to stars) is closest to the word that. The rules allow, however, for an exception: if another noun modifier also modifies the same noun (for instance, the box of nails, which is on the table…), then you can have two modifiers in a row, each of which refers back to the original noun. So the that modifier could also refer to the planets. It’s impossible to tell whether the stars or the planets are about the size of Jupiter. Answer (B) also introduces ambiguity: when were the stars or planets the size of Jupiter? At the time of discovery? Before? Did they change size later on? Eliminate choice (B) for modifier and meaning issues.
Examine choice (C): The astronomers had discovered that there were 17 nearby stars. When were those stars present? Prior to the discovery? At the time of discovery? What happened later in time—did they disappear? Further, that were orbited creates the same ambiguity: was this true prior to the discovery only, or at the time of the discovery, or at some point after? Did the planets implode? Get pulverized by a meteor? Or maybe the stars were the ones to disappear? Or possibly they are all still there today. Eliminate choice (C) for ambiguity.
The Correct Answer
Correct answer (A) employs the past perfect had discovered to indicate something that took place by 1999. Further, the modifier and verb choices indicate clearly that the 17 stars continue to be orbited by Jupiter-sized planets today.
In a stunning run of discoveries over the last three years, astronomers have observed 17 nearby stars that appear to be orbited by planets more or less the size of Jupiter. The most recent detection of a planet around a star other than the Sun was described here today.
17 Stars
(A) CORRECT
(B) Modifier (that)
(C) Meaning
(D) Verb (have discovered); Modifier (that)
(E) Verb (have discovered)
(B) Modifier (that)
(C) Meaning
(D) Verb (have discovered); Modifier (that)
(E) Verb (have discovered)
First glance
Three answers begin with had discovered; the other two begin with have discovered. Which one is the correct verb tense for this sentence?
Issues
(1) Verb: have discovered
Had discovered is the past perfect tense, used to signal that something took place before something else in the past. Have discovered is the present perfect tense, used to denote something that started in the past but is still true or still ongoing in the present.
The time marker by 1999 indicates that the action took place prior to 1999. As such, the past perfect tense had discovered is correct: prior to 1999, the astronomers had discovered these stars. Eliminate answers (D) and (E).
(2) Modifier: that
Meaning
It is difficult to choose from among the remaining three choices; this is one of the hardest problems in the Official Guide. Compare the three choices to find the differences:
(A) …17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets…
(B) …17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that were…
(C) …there were 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets…
Each of these choices presents a reason not to like it…yet one must be the correct answer! Examine each choice in turn.
The opening part of the sentence uses past perfect, so is it okay to switch to present tense, as choice (A) does?
Past perfect does require either a past time marker or a simple past verb—but the sentence does correctly provide the time marker by 1999. The are verb, then, is not required to be in the past tense. Does it make sense to have a present tense verb at this point in the sentence? What if it said were?
Astronomers had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets…
Astronomers had discovered 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets…
In the first sentence, the stars were orbited by the planets at the time of discovery and they still are today. That meaning is acceptable.
In the second sentence, the stars were orbited by the planets at some point in the past. Was this still happening at the time of the discovery? Or maybe the astronomers discovered something that was true only prior to the discovery? Or perhaps the action was still occurring at the time of discovery but is no longer going on today? The choice of were makes the meaning ambiguous; it’s actually better to use are. Leave choice (A) in.
Choice (B) contains the noun modifier that were about the size of Jupiter. What were about the size of Jupiter: the stars or the planets? And when were they the size of Jupiter?
Noun modifier rules dictate that the modifier be placed as close as possible to the noun that it modifies. In this case, the pronoun them (referring to stars) is closest to the word that. The rules allow, however, for an exception: if another noun modifier also modifies the same noun (for instance, the box of nails, which is on the table…), then you can have two modifiers in a row, each of which refers back to the original noun. So the that modifier could also refer to the planets. It’s impossible to tell whether the stars or the planets are about the size of Jupiter. Answer (B) also introduces ambiguity: when were the stars or planets the size of Jupiter? At the time of discovery? Before? Did they change size later on? Eliminate choice (B) for modifier and meaning issues.
Examine choice (C): The astronomers had discovered that there were 17 nearby stars. When were those stars present? Prior to the discovery? At the time of discovery? What happened later in time—did they disappear? Further, that were orbited creates the same ambiguity: was this true prior to the discovery only, or at the time of the discovery, or at some point after? Did the planets implode? Get pulverized by a meteor? Or maybe the stars were the ones to disappear? Or possibly they are all still there today. Eliminate choice (C) for ambiguity.
The Correct Answer
Correct answer (A) employs the past perfect had discovered to indicate something that took place by 1999. Further, the modifier and verb choices indicate clearly that the 17 stars continue to be orbited by Jupiter-sized planets today.
07 Aug 2015, 05:23
Kudos
Bookmarks
We do require the past perfect here to denote a past event; By 1999 'have discovered' does not make sense. Drop D and E. Among A, B, C:
A: had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets --- correct choice ----- the 17 starts are the object of the verb discovered.
B: had discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that were ---‘them’ refers to stars logically, ‘ that were’ renders a wrong meaning that the stars were about the size of Jupiter
C: had discovered that there were 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets --- This choice alters the meaning that the planets are not any more orbiting the stars
A: had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets --- correct choice ----- the 17 starts are the object of the verb discovered.
B: had discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that were ---‘them’ refers to stars logically, ‘ that were’ renders a wrong meaning that the stars were about the size of Jupiter
C: had discovered that there were 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets --- This choice alters the meaning that the planets are not any more orbiting the stars
12 May 2016, 14:55
Kudos
Bookmarks
By 1999, astronomers had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets about the size of Jupiter
A: had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets
B: had discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that were
C: had discovered that there were 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets
D: have discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that are
E: have discovered that 17 nearby stars are orbited by planets
Error Type(s):
Verb Tense (Past Perfect; Tense)
A quick scan of the options makes quick work of this one before we read the sentence carefully---Verb Tense is in play. Specifically, because of the word “had” we know to investigate whether there were two events that concluded in the past. If there were, then we got to get rid of options D and E since "have" would be incorrect. If there were not two events in the past, then we get to chuck options A, B and C since "had" would be incorrect. Either way, there’s a big victory to be had right at the start.
Since 1999 is being reference in terms of the discoveries that had taken place at that point, this sentence reverts us back to 1999, and then discusses the discoveries that had already occurred by that point. Past perfect? Yep. The chronology looks like this:
Chronology of Events
Event 1: Discovery of 17 stars with planetary systems
Event 2: 1999
Now (the time the sentence was written)
Chuck D and E. Specifically, these options are out because if we’re referring back to 1999, a point in the past, we wouldn’t use simple present ongoing tense (have).
So now, between options A, B, and C: when is this orbiting happening? The whole way through this discussion: before discovery, after, and ongoing from now. These stars ARE orbited by planets---the orbits didn’t suddenly stop after discovery. That means C is definitely out since it puts the orbit in the past.
With B, “were about the size of Jupiter” suggests that the size of these planets has changed since discovery. Gone.
A, correct as written: past perfect is correctly applied, and the Verb Tense is successfully structured to imply that the rotation and size are ongoing.
A: had discovered 17 nearby stars that are orbited by planets
B: had discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that were
C: had discovered that there were 17 nearby stars that were orbited by planets
D: have discovered 17 nearby stars with planets orbiting them that are
E: have discovered that 17 nearby stars are orbited by planets
Error Type(s):
Verb Tense (Past Perfect; Tense)
A quick scan of the options makes quick work of this one before we read the sentence carefully---Verb Tense is in play. Specifically, because of the word “had” we know to investigate whether there were two events that concluded in the past. If there were, then we got to get rid of options D and E since "have" would be incorrect. If there were not two events in the past, then we get to chuck options A, B and C since "had" would be incorrect. Either way, there’s a big victory to be had right at the start.
Since 1999 is being reference in terms of the discoveries that had taken place at that point, this sentence reverts us back to 1999, and then discusses the discoveries that had already occurred by that point. Past perfect? Yep. The chronology looks like this:
Chronology of Events
Event 1: Discovery of 17 stars with planetary systems
Event 2: 1999
Now (the time the sentence was written)
Chuck D and E. Specifically, these options are out because if we’re referring back to 1999, a point in the past, we wouldn’t use simple present ongoing tense (have).
So now, between options A, B, and C: when is this orbiting happening? The whole way through this discussion: before discovery, after, and ongoing from now. These stars ARE orbited by planets---the orbits didn’t suddenly stop after discovery. That means C is definitely out since it puts the orbit in the past.
With B, “were about the size of Jupiter” suggests that the size of these planets has changed since discovery. Gone.
A, correct as written: past perfect is correctly applied, and the Verb Tense is successfully structured to imply that the rotation and size are ongoing.
