Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth

A different stroke

The expression ‘the most’, a superlative degree is required to be identified by the definite article ‘the’. It has to be either 'the most or the fourth most' densely populated. Therefore, A, B and D can be dropped. Between C and E, E is totally off the mark in meaning as Metallicafan has pointed out; Hence C is the answer.
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Hi All,

Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842 and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.

This sentence is giving some information about Hong Kong. These information include:
1. Hong Kong is originally a trading port.
2. Currently it is estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world.
3. It turned into a dependent territory of Greta Britain in 1842.
4. It was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.

On carefully reading this sentence, we notice that all information given about Honk Kong are independent. They are not related anyway except for the fact that all these information are about the same place Honk Kong. Since, choice A is incorrect for the reason already discussed in the thread, we need to find an answer choice that provides all these information.

Choice C: Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of the most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that
This is the correct answer choice and the explanation for the same has already been provided in previous discussions. This choice does not change the meaning of the sentence in any way. Except for choice E, all the answer choices convey the intended meaning.
Choice C presents all the information that we get from the original sentence. In this clause “that turned into dependent territory…”, “that” stands for “a trading port” and what is that trading port? Honk Kong is that trading port. So it’s telling the same thing in a different way. All the information remains the same. So there is no change in meaning in choice C.

Hope this helps.
Shraddha
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Ok guys, the OA is C. I know its gonna create some furore, so here's the OE:

C is slightly redundant (in the list of is unnecessary) but is the only grammatically correct answer choice (excluding answer choice (E), which changes the original meaning). This answer choice corrects the original Superlative mistake by adding the word "the" before the word "most" - "the most densely-populated" is the correct Superlative form.
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How in the world did no one point out that the comma wasn't underlined in the original question at the top?? I would have chosen C if that comma was underlined!

Thats not good...how in the world am I supposed to know which threads have wrong answer printed as correct answers and vice versa?

Well the simple and straightforward answer is : TRY to stick to official sources as far as possible esp. for Verbal.
DO NOT solve questions from debatable sources like 1000 SC/CR/RC , brutal SC, Barron's and from non gmat sources like LSAT (
If the source is unspecified and OA is debatable, seek an expert reply or ignore the question.

Hope this helps

Also google the question and you will find discussions on alternate forums.
As well as stick to reliable sources for practice-MGMT,Aristotle,etc
For reliable sources refer to Nareens' post above

Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842 and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.

A. Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world,

B. Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that

C. Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of the most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that

D. Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that

E. Originally a trading port estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world, Hong-Kong
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Source of this question: EconomistGMAT

Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842 and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.

A. Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world,

B. Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that

C. Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of the most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that

D. Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that

E. Originally a trading port estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world, Hong-Kong..............misses the wrod currently thereby removing the needed aspect in comparison between what it was and what it is now.

I prefer
currently estimated to be fourth in the list of (in options C & D) compared to estimated to be fourth most(in options A and B).

Out of C and D, I chose D.

but below official explanation says that

Hence C is the answer.

Simply revolving around the simple aspect of using the word ‘the’ for the superlative degree of comparison, one can forthwith dismiss A, B and D. Of the remaining C and E, the dropping of the word ‘currently’ drastically alters the original meaning as pointed out by Mechmeera.
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Why is A wrong?

In C, it says that a trading port that turned into a dependent.....

Though not gramatically incorrect, two modifiers on two sides of a noun is considerd awkward in GMAT. Do not eliminate on this basis immediately, but if you are finally left with two apparently correct choices, you may use this basis to eliminate one of them.

In Option A, the modifiers "Originally a trading port" and "currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world" appear on two sides of the noun "Hong-Kong". A better way to use two modifiers for the same noun is to use them on the same side of the noun, joining them by a conjunction:

Originally a trading port and currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, Hong-Kong turned into....

Hello shubhdeora,

This is in response to your PM. Thanks for the query.


IMHO, Choices A and B are incorrect because they use the expression fourth most densely-populated region in the world without the before the phrase.


The word most is preceded by the word the.


Take a look at the following two choices of an official question from OGVR '18#204:


Choice A: Of all the record companies involved in early jazz, the three most prominent were Columbia, Victor, and OKeh.

Choice D: Columbia, Victor, and OKeh were three most prominent of all the record companies involved in early jazz.



Choice D is incorrect because of lack of the before the phrase three most prominent. But Choice A does have the same.



Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
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Why is there a comma after 'that' in the correct option?

So E should 100% be dropped. It combines the information from the different parts of the phrase and completely garbles the meaning. The rest are a bit trickier but the correct choice can be identified if you just know this one thing. The adjective ‘most’ is a superlative and in all its forms needs to be preceded by ‘the’. This means that A,B, and D are all grammatically incorrect. C is strange and wordy but it is also the only correct option.



This one was very clever, very tricky.

Q: Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842 and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.


(A) Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world
(B) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that
(C) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of the most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that
(D) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that
(E) Originally a trading port estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world, Hong-Kong

Solution:

When using a superlative like ‘most’ in this case needs to say ‘the most’ or ‘the fourth most’
So rule out A, B, D
E – changes meaning, Hong Kong is currently considered, not originally

This leaves us with C – uses ‘the fourth most’
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Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that Hong Kong is currently estimated to be the fourth most densely populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842, and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Idioms

• "the + superlative" is the correct idiomatic construction.

A: Trap.
1/ This answer choice fails to maintain the correct idiomatic construction "the + superlative", as it omits the word "the", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that Hong Kong is currently estimated to be the fourth most densely populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842, and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997; remember, "the + superlative" is the correct idiomatic construction.

B: Trap.
1/ This answer choice fails to maintain the correct idiomatic construction "the + superlative", as it omits the word "the", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that Hong Kong is currently estimated to be the fourth most densely populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842, and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997; remember, "the + superlative" is the correct idiomatic construction.

C: Correct.
1/ This answer choice correctly uses the idiomatic construction "the + superlative ("most" in this case)" and uses the phrase "currently estimated", conveying the intended meaning - that Hong Kong is currently estimated to be the fourth most densely populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842, and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.

D:
1/ This answer choice fails to maintain the correct idiomatic construction "the + superlative", as it omits the word "the", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that Hong Kong is currently estimated to be the fourth most densely populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842, and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997; remember, "the + superlative" is the correct idiomatic construction.

E:
1/ This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "a trading port estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that Hong Kong was originally estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world; the intended meaning is that Hong Kong is currently estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world.

Hence, C is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team


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