Flamboyant sybarites that they were, the later generations

Question

Flamboyant sybarites that they were, the later generations of Roman kings held parties in their courts that sported  ethnic delicacies, choicest of cocktails, and randy performances by courtesans

(A) Flamboyant sybarites that they were, the later generations of Roman kings held parties in their courts that sported

(B) Parties were held in the courts of the later generations of Roman kings, who were flamboyant sybarites and they sported

(C) In their courts, the later generations of Roman kings, flamboyant sybarites that they were, held parties that sported

(D) The later generations of Roman kings, flamboyant sybarites that they were, held parties in their courts sporting
(E) The later generations of Roman kings, flamboyant sybarites that they were, held parties in their courts that sported

daagh · Accepted Answer

The error in this case is primarily built into the phrase  that sported  the delicacies, the cocktails and the performances. Let us be clear that it is t he parties  that sported the three things and nothing else. Then the mystery will unravel.

Let us go choice by choice.

A. The pronoun  that  stands for the courts. It is not the courts that sported the events but the parties. Secondly, who were the flamboyant sybarites?  They  should be some people and not the later generations.

B. The antecedence of the pronoun  they  in the second part of the sentence seems unclear. Is  they  replacing the kings or the courts or the distantly placed parties?

D. Says that  their courts  sported the events - wrong.

E. Says that  their courts  sported- again wrong.

This leaves us with choice C, which correctly points to  the parties  that sported the events. And hence the correct choice.

(P.S.) This question is my own creation and hence there is no other official answer

hirendhanak · Answer

I choose D...but not very sure .. ..OA pls

methevoid · Answer

Can anyone explain why it cant be E? - that sported clearly gels along with 'parties' isnt it?

sporting in D is probably acting as a participle modifier, which modifies parties??am i right>

singh181 · Answer

IMO D

"that" modifies a clause. In the answer choice "that" modifies the clause "the later generations of Roman kings held parties in their courts". So, A, C, and E are out.
B has pronoun error as "they" has no clear antecedent.

daagh · Answer

The clue here is to know what sported the delicacies, the cocktails and the performances. Is it the Sybarites, or the Roman kings or the later generations or the courts or the parties? Once you spot the answer, I think the right answer will automatically unfold. Let me give my reasoning after some more answers emanate

hemanthp · Answer

E it is. A,B and C have modifier errors. Between D and E, D suggests that the romans were sporting cocktails etc.. which is illogical.

E makes it clear that it is the parties in which were sported the cocktails etc.

dkverma · Answer

I also think it's E. E and D are close.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Flamboyant sybarites that they were, the later generations

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Flamboyant sybarites that they were, the later generations

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