newspapersalesman
EMPOWERgmatVerbal
Hello Everyone!
(C) to usher in a seasonably cool air mass to the region, a broad area of high pressure building, and
This option is INCORRECT because the comma after "region" creates an awkward comma splice. It also doesn't work to say that high pressure is "building, and bring fair and dry weather..." because it's not parallel. It should be "building and bringing" for it to be parallel! It also says that ALL of the actions happen at the same time, which isn't accurate. First, the cool air mass comes in and builds pressure, and THEN fair and dry weather happens over the next several days.
Hi, I have a question. You said "bring" and "building" are not parallel but I think "bring" can be parallel to "usher". The parallelism is just fine. For example: I entered the classroom at the last minutes, fellow students looking, and found my seat quickly. Can you say this sentence is wrong because "found" and "looking" are not parallel?
Or the standard for eliminating choice c is because the sentence has an adverbial modifier between two verbs and that makes the meaning ambiguous just as two V-ing noun modifier can't be put in between two nouns?
GMATNinja Do you think the parallelism in choice C is ok here? What standard should I based on when I am stuck between C and E?
Yes, technically "bring" can be parallel to "usher". But that leaves us with, "Gusty westerly winds will continue to (1) usher {...} and (2) bring {...} for several days." Does "for several days" apply to both parts of that parallel list? Will the winds continue to usher in a seasonably cool air mass to the region
for several days? Or does "for several days" only apply to "bring..."?
In choice (E) we don't have that problem -- the use of "which" is a little bit funky, but helps clarify that "for several days" does NOT apply to "usher...". Does that make (C)
wrong? No, but in (C) the meaning is open to interpretation. That's one vote in favor of (E) over (C).
Speaking of "bring",
what is it that brings fair and dry weather? In choice (C), it's the
winds. In choice (E), however, it's the ushering in of a cool air mass and the simultaneous building of a broad area of high pressure. In (C), it sounds as though the winds are literally transporting fair and dry weather from one place to another. In (E), it's the two simultaneous weather phenomena that bring the fair and dry weather. The latter makes a bit more sense.
Also, if it is the
winds that bring the fair and dry weather, what is the significance of "a broad area of high pressure building" in choice (C)? Is that a completely independent statement/observation that has nothing to do with the weather? Does the cool air mass somehow
cause the building of high pressure? Is "broad area" meant to modify "air mass"? Or "region"? That comma-separated portion of choice (C) just kinda sits there without a clear purpose.
Ultimately, it comes down to this: when we line up (C) and (E), the intended meaning is clearer in (E).
I hope that helps a bit!