OFFICIAL EXPLANATION



• HIGHLIGHTS

When all or almost all of a sentence is underlined, look for modifier errors, which are common in sentences with long underlined portions.
Causality is another common basis of error.
Try your best to understand the logical linkage and sequence.

There are no shortcuts for this problem and that fact is true of a number of official questions.
You have to read every sentence. (The moment you catch an error and are comfortable, though, move on. You need only one reason to eliminate.)

THE PROMPT



This sentence means that
Because glass products made on the island of Murano could only be made according to traditional methods [that were secret and valuable], local artisans were forbidden to leave the island.

Stated differently: Because the traditional methods were secret and very valuable, the authorities wanted the artisans kept under tight watch and did not allow artisans to leave the island.

THE OPTIONS


• The clauses proceed in logical order.
• Nothing seems wrong, but it is hard to be certain. The best next step is to work through the options one by one.
KEEP


• aha! Modifier error.
-- according to traditional techniques modifies crafted and should be placed right next to crafted.
-- True, the placement of adverbial modifiers is not as restricted as the placement of adjectivial modifiers (of nouns). In this case, though, the core of the sentence turns on "crafted according to traditional techniques."
-- compare to (A). Even if you cannot articulate the weird logic, is this placement better than that in option (A)? No. It's not as clear.
-- And why does a time modifier come between a verb that is heavily restricted by the "according to traditional techniques"? There is no good answer. You could eliminate B by comparing it to A on this basis and move on. Or you could spot:
• IDIOM / Standard usage error . Correct: X is/was forbidden to do Y or (less common) X forbids Y to do Z
-- the forbidden construction in B is wrong
-- it was forbidden that artisans leave is subjunctive (like command subjunctive)
-- that + subjunctive after forbidden is not idiomatic
-- the passive voice is considered standard usage for that verb, this way: local artisans were forbidden to leave
-- one more time, even if you don't know all the standard usage stuff, compare B's phrasing to A's.
Option A wins for clarity and familiarity (you've likely seen forbidden to do X, whereas you are unlikely to have seen it was forbidden that . . . subjunctive mood verb
• Logic - does this sentence mean that the glass products could be made only on the island? As in, the island was the only place on the planet where glass could be made?
ELIMINATE B


-- This option is the hardest call.
-- The logic is weird and echoes that in (B): is the island the only place on the entire planet that glass products could be crafted?
-- The passive construction leaves us with a very flabby sentence. Compare it to A.
-- The crafting of glass products is wordy and employs a gerund (verbING) unnecessarily.
-- The sentence structure is hard to absorb because too many adverbs are "stacked" against one another in a row.
The verb done is followed by [adverb of manner] [adverb of time] [adverb of place].
-- Moving even one of those adverbs and adding commas makes the sentence much easier to understand.
Compare to (A), which opens with "During the Renaissance," a placement that breaks the sentence up. (A) is easier to follow and has better flow.
ELIMINATE C


• easiest error to spot: techniques of tradition. Tradition itself, the generic kind, does not "have" techniques. The phrase is not standard and makes no sense.
-- At the least, compare "techniques of tradition" to "traditional techniques." The first phrase is confusing and weird.
• the logic is unclear
-- cause and effect are hazy: local artisans [were] forbidden to leave the island is a result of the fact that glass products could only be crafted according to traditional techniques on the island. The last part of the sentence, glass products being seems tacked on at best.
• no reason exists to use being
• the seemingly disconnected part might be trying to be an absolute phrase. It is failing miserably. It does not modify the main clause in any logical way. In fact, we might argue that the logic seems backwards.
Eliminate D


• the time period itself (the Renaissance) did not craft glass products
Eliminate E

The correct answer is A

• NOTES

I think this question initially seems difficult, so if you had a hard time, don't worry, and don't worry about the stats.

COMMENTS

TheNightKing - Verrrrry funny. (Actually, you are funny.)
No. Assume that I am occasionally the absent-minded professor.

Maybe I had some subconscious aversion to this question. I don't think so. I love history generally and little stories. (This story is true.)

shridhar786 , Keby1nja , J2S2019 , TheNightKing , amitanshumaity , ArtVandaley - thank you for being patient.

More importantly, I respect that you took a risk by posting an answer.
Cripes, writing the answer took a looonng time (I mean, in this one sitting). I don't replicate 4-line answers in books. I may have to start doing so.

The "extra" comments are often my favorite parts. Kudos to all.
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A) During the Renaissance, glass products made on the Island of Murano could only be crafted according to traditional techniques, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere
yes this the correct answer
During the Renaissance, (1)--glass products made on the Island of Murano could only be crafted according to traditional techniques, and
(2)---local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere


B) Glass products, which were made on the island of Murano, could only be crafted during the Renaissance according to traditional techniques, and it was forbidden that local artisans leave and sell their creations elsewhere
this again creates the unintended meaning---by saying that glass product could only be crafted during the renaissance (which is not the intended meaning of the sentence)
also, placement of modifier--according to traditional techniques is wrong


C) The crafting of glass products could only be done according to traditional techniques during the Renaissance on the Island of Murano, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere
this sentence says that the crafting of glass products could only be done during the Renaissance on the Island of Murano----but this is not the intended meaning of the sentence----intended meaning is that the glass products made on the island could only be crafted according to traditional techniques (not that these products could only be crafted on the island)---(incorrect)


D) Local artisans, forbidden to leave the island of Murano, could not sell their creations elsewhere during the Renaissance, glass products only being crafted according to techniques of tradition

traditional techniques would be preferred in place of techniques of tradition
two sentences are connected by a comma (incorrect)


E) Only traditional techniques could be used during the Renaissance that crafted glass products on the island of Murano, so local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere
here that modifies the Renaissance and creates illogical meaning that the Renaissance crafted the glass products (how can the renaissance craft the glass product) (incorrect)
---only modifies traditional techniques and creates the meaning that no other techniques were used expect traditional techniques but the intended meaning of the sentence is that the glass products were only crafted by use of traditional techniques (not that only this technique was used---so incorrect)

A) During the Renaissance, glass products made on the Island of Murano could only be crafted according to traditional techniques, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere

KEEP: No mistakes yet... let's see if there is a better option as the last sentence has a potentially strange meaning due to the 'and' (i.e. artisans were forbidden to leave their creations)

B) Glass products, which were made on the island of Murano, could only be crafted during the Renaissance according to traditional techniques, and it was forbidden that local artisans leave and sell their creations elsewhere

INCORRECT: Putting "which...Murano" as a modifier clause changes the meaning of the original sentence, resulting in a generalisation to all glass products in existence.

C) The crafting of glass products could only be done according to traditional techniques during the Renaissance on the Island of Murano, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere

INCORRECT: Like C, is a change of meaning. It illogically suggests that glass can only be made in Murano.

D) Local artisans, forbidden to leave the island of Murano, could not sell their creations elsewhere during the Renaissance, glass products only being crafted according to techniques of tradition

INCORRECT: Awkward construction.

E) Only traditional techniques could be used during the Renaissance that crafted glass products on the island of Murano, so local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere

INCORRECT: Change in meaning. Suggests that there is only glass-crafting technique in the Renaissance era.

CONCLUSION:
No better answer than option A, so let's pick that one.

Posted from my mobile device

IMO the correct answer is A

This question i have solved entirely based on the meaning call
I was so puzzled while reading the answers choices that the marked answer could be wrong

During the Renaissance, glass products made on the Island of Murano could only be crafted according to traditional techniques, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere.


A) During the Renaissance, glass products made on the Island of Murano could only be crafted according to traditional techniques, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere - Correct - No such meaning error spotted

B) Glass products, which were made on the island of Murano, could only be crafted during the Renaissance according to traditional techniques, and it was forbidden that local artisans leave and sell their creations elsewhere - use of non-restrictive clause is incorrect - " if we ignore the non-restrice clause & state the sentence again "Glass products could only be crafted during the Renaissance........." - meaning call - Incorrect.

C) The crafting of glass products could only be done according to traditional techniques during the Renaissance on the Island of Murano, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere - "The crafting of glass products could only be done according to traditional techniques during the Renaissance" - Meaning is incorrect.

D) Local artisans, forbidden to leave the island of Murano, could not sell their creations elsewhere during the Renaissance, glass products only being crafted according to techniques of tradition - really a tough sentence to read on. again meaning error - Incorrect

E) Only traditional techniques could be used during the Renaissance that crafted glass products on the island of Murano, so local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere - Big error - Spotted & discarded - Incorrect

I have started to dislike the questions where the stem is fully underlined but I guess 1. They are inevitable 2. I will hopefully learn enough to tackle them.
There is nothing wrong in the sentence that is very obvious so let's try to eliminate the other choices.

B) Glass products, which were made on the island of Murano, could only be crafted during the Renaissance according to traditional techniques, and it was forbidden that local artisans leave and sell their creations elsewhere ----- That is not right. They could be crafted only according to traditional techniques and not the fact that they can be crafted only during the Renaissance.

C) The crafting of glass products could only be done according to traditional techniques during the Renaissance on the Island of Murano, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere ----- I don't think there is anything wrong in this option. More on this later.

D) Local artisans, forbidden to leave the island of Murano, could not sell their creations elsewhere during the Renaissance, glass products only being crafted according to techniques of tradition ------- Same reasoning as in B. This time, we are just changing meaning for something else.

E) Only traditional techniques could be used during the Renaissance that crafted glass products on the island of Murano, so local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere ------ Same meaning Error. Realise by how placing the modifiers at different places the whole sentence is going for a toss.

I have marked the answer as C. I guess I did not compare A and C enough to realise that A is a better structured. Though I feel there is nothing horribly wrong in C apart from the passive construction may be?

IMO A.

P.S: Well, I can be happy at least I was able to eliminate three incorrect choices

Thank you!
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During the Renaissance, glass products made on the Island of Murano could only be crafted according to traditional techniques, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere.

Meaning analysis --> During a period, glass products made on an island --> Crafted according to a traditional technique --> A
and people who made it could not sell it elsewhere-->B

The sentence describes a period and the two IC are connected with ' ,and ' .
The subject verb --> local artisans were forbidden --> agree in number
All the connections are correct and the sentence renders logical meaning.

All other choices introduce fatal errors.

IMHO A

During the Renaissance, glass products made on the Island of Murano could only be crafted according to traditional techniques, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere.


A) During the Renaissance, glass products made on the Island of Murano could only be crafted according to traditional techniques, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere

B) Glass products, which were made on the island of Murano, could only be crafted during the Renaissance according to traditional techniques, and it was forbidden that local artisans leave and sell their creations elsewhere:- Subtle problem. When we modify something with which, it doesnt restrict the noun. THe sentence, as it is, is trying to say something for all glass products. Not just the ones made on the island. We must qualify glass products here. Eliminate.

C) The crafting of glass products could only be done according to traditional techniques during the Renaissance on the Island of Murano, and local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere- Renaissance was on the island of murano. PAssive voice isnt justified.

D) Local artisans, forbidden to leave the island of Murano, could not sell their creations elsewhere during the Renaissance, glass products only being crafted according to techniques of tradition- being acts as a modifier. Eliminate. BEsides, the 2nd part of the sentence is incomplete and doesnt modify anything. Techniques of tradition and traditional techniques are different.

E) Only traditional techniques could be used during the Renaissance that crafted glass products on the island of Murano, so local artisans were forbidden to leave and sell their creations elsewhere - renaissance crafted galss products. Eliminate

Hence A

generis Hello Sir, Sorry for the tag but did you forget to post the OE on this one?
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TheNightKing , OMG

I completely forgot.

Thank you for letting me know! +1 (Tagging me is perfect.)

I will post the OE within the next 4-16 hours.

I'll post notice as I usually do.

Please forgive my oversight. Thanks again.

Posted from my mobile device
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I don't like to tag anyone unless absolutely needed. You are already tagged on the forum more than required I believe.
Please don't ask for our forgiveness. We are already truly grateful for what you do. Thank you!
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generis
Should we assume that you do not want to provide OE for this question?

Thank you!
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I have posted the official explanation HERE

And finally we have it. Thank you for understanding the fact that I was just being funny.
You are very senior to me and I would not want to disrespect you in any possible way.

Thank you!
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