Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an in

Question

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat,  the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it

(C) it took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

GMATBuster's Weekly Verbal Quiz- WIn Empowergmat course

GMATBusters · Answer

Empowergmat Official Explanation:

This sentence deals with modifier and antecedent placement. The modifier is the non-underlined portion of the text, so the correct antecedent is right after the modifier. What outshone the Panama Canal or the Empire State building as incredible construction? Differences within the text are highlighted.

(A)  the Hoover Dam  built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish

This is  correct.  The modifier is referring to the Hoover Dam and correctly places the modifier and noun it is modifying next to each other.

(B)  the Colorado River , one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it

This is  incorrect.  The modifier does not refer to the Colorado River; the river itself is not a construction feat.

(C)  it took 21,000 workers  more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

This is  incorrect.  The modifier does not refer to the 21,000 workers because they are not a construction feat.

(D)  for more than two years , 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

This is  incorrect.  The modifier does not describe either the two years or the workers; neither the time nor the workers are construction feats. Additionally, “for more than two years” creates a nonessential clause that makes the sentence awkward.

(E)  more than two years  were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

This is  incorrect . The modifier does not refer to the time that workers used to build the dam; time is not a construction feat.

scnamjoshi · Answer

Outshining the panama canal or even empire state building- So we are comparing a construction which outshined-Thus after the comma needs to have right subject, here its a right construction which is a hoover dam.Hence A

piyush0122 · Answer

Option B, C, D, & E are incorrect due to modifier error. The correct noun that is being modified by Outshining the Panama canal......incredible construction feat is The hoover dam. Only in option choice A the modifying clause is followed by the correct noun entity. so A is the correct choice.

DavidTran · Answer

B, D, E is out since the first sentence need to modify the Hoover Dam. 
C is wrong in meaning.
So A is my answer

gravito123 · Answer

It is modifier, S+V construction. Only A has the correct modifier + S combo. Or in other words, only "Hoover Dam" is "Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat".

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yashikaaggarwal · Answer

IMO E

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and  took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish  (took 21000 more than 2 years, makes it sounds illogical)

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and  took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it . ( same as A, comparison is drawn between workers are years)

(C)  it took 21,000 workers more than two years  to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers( Same as A and B)

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam  that would tame  the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers (tense error)

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers(seems best Choice)

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Kartikay22 · Answer

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat, the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

Analysis : Verb-ing modifier " Outshining...." should be placed next to the noun it is modifying . 
A is correct

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish - Correct

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it

(C) it took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

mSKR · Answer

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat, the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish- CORRECT

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it
>> Outshining incredible construction feat wrongly modifying river 
- we want to highlight about dams constructions 
- comparison of man built constructions sites – canal, state building and dam

(C) it took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
>> that would is wrong. The dam is already built

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
>>>> Outshining incredible construction feat wrongy modifying workers

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
>> workers didn’t build the river- wrong modifying

debjit1990 · Answer

''Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat'' now after comma what outshines Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building should come. Option A only says the Hoover Dam..so this is correct.
Option B is not correct..it says the Colorado River. Colorado river was not built but Hoover dame was.

Ans: A

Anuragjn · Answer

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat, the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish
  Correct. Hover Dam is the subject of the sentence and Modifier 'Outshining--- feat' should come closest to Hoover Dam

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it
 Misplaced Modifier

(C) it took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
  'It' doesn't have any antecedant

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
 Misplaced Modifier - will Hoover Dam tame the Colorado river for more than 2 years ??

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
  Misplaced Modifier

Amisha23 · Answer

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat, the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it

(C) it took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

A- the sentence says as if the Colorado river is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish, therefore wrong.

B- It says as if Colorado river outshines the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building, therefore wrong.

C-the use of would tame shows the uncertainty of the event. The actual sentence doesn't displays uncertainty thus wrong usage of would. Incorrect.

D- same error as option C. Incorrect.

E- Correct. Correct sentence structure.

E is the right answer.

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Aviral1995 · Answer

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat,  the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

The modifier Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat needs some noun just after it. We see no such noun in C,D, and E. So C,D, and E are out

A conveys the meaning much more directly. Also in B, the it at the end is for Hoover dam, which makes it redundant.

the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it(Hoover Dam)

So Answer is A

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it

(C) it took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers

uc26 · Answer

Key thing to notice-

1. The initial modifier "Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat" should modify "the Hoover Dam". Any choice using anything other than "the Hoover Dam" would lead to incorrect modification.

Let’s take a look at each option and eliminate any problematic options:

(A)  the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish 
Correct. Proper Modification and free of any other errors.

(B)  the Colorado River , one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it
Incorrect. Logically, only Hoover Dam can be an incredible construction feat. It is illogical to say that "the Colorado River" was an incredible construction feat because a river cannot be constructed.

(C)  it took 21,000 workers  more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
Incorrect. Modification error. We need the initial modifier to modify "the Hoover Dam".

(D)  for more than two years , 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
Incorrect. Modification error. We need the initial modifier to modify "the Hoover Dam".

(E)  more than two years  were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers
Incorrect. Modification error. We need the initial modifier to modify "the Hoover Dam".

ritwikk2 · Answer

B,C,D,E: Wrong modified entity of the first non-underlined portion of the sentence.
A: Hoover Dam is the amazing construction feat as mentioned in the first part of the sentence. Therefore, this is correct as is.

A  is correct.

zhanbo · Answer

My answer is  (A) . It took me 40 seconds.

The modifier "Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat" dictates that the subject of main clause should be "the Hoover Dam", rather than " the Colorado River", "it", "21,000 workers", or "more than two years".

When (B) through (E) are ruled out, only (A) remains as the best answer.

anubhavzarabi · Answer

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat, the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

Sentence Analysis:
"Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat" is a modifier starting with present participle acting as a gerund. This modifier is supposed to modify "the Hoover Dam ".

Only option A modifies the right entity and the remaining options fail to do so.

Therefore, Correct Option: A

CuriosStud · Answer

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat, the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

A is correct as is.

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it.........outshining is wrongly modifying The col river. Also col river cannot be constructed.

(C) it took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers.....Again it is being modified where as it should refer to Hoover Dam.

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers.......outshining is modifying 21000 workers is wrong.

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers........modifying as well as verb error

ReXXar · Answer

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish - Looks decent. No modifier errors. Outshining the Panama canal ... modifies Hoover dam.

(B)   the Colorado River  , one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam that was built to be more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish it - Modifier error. Colorado river is not outshining the Panama canal in construction.

(C)   it took 21,000 workers   more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers - Modifier error

(D)   for more than two years, 21,000 workers   built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers - Modifier error

(E)   more than two years   were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers - Modifier error

MayankSingh · Answer

IMO A

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat , the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish.

Modifier -  Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an incredible construction feat  - 
Modified Entity - The Hoover Dam/ The Colarado River

(A) the Hoover Dam built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, is more than 726 feet tall and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish   - Correct -

(B) the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers, was tamed by the Hoover Dam  that was built to be more than 726 feet tall  and took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish  it  -    - Incorrect -   It at the end is unnecessary + As per intended meaning, Dam took two year to finish not River.

(C) it took 21,000 workers more than two years to finish the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers   - Incorrect -   Modifier Error

(D) for more than two years, 21,000 workers built the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that would tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers    - Incorrect -   Modifier Error

(E) more than two years were needed to complete the 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam that 21,000 workers built to tame the Colorado River, one of America’s most powerful rivers    - Incorrect -   Modifier Error

Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an in

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Outshining the Panama Canal or even the Empire State Building as an in

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