Given its authoritative coverage of other science topics, the textbook

Given its authoritative coverage of other science topics, the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative, which leads one to doubt the author's scholarship in that particular area.

A) the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative, which leads- V-ED Modifier ( "Given its authoritative coverage -who has the authoritative coverage ??? its textbook , not the chapter ) should modify the subject of the following clause "Textbook " not the textbook's chapter
B) the chapter of the textbook on genetics is surprisingly tentative, leading - V-ED Modifier ( "Given its authoritative coverage -who has the authoritative coverage ??? its textbook , not the chapter ) should modify the subject of the following clause "Textbook " not the chapter
C) the textbook contains a surprising and tentative chapter on genetics, which leads -Modifier surprisingly (Adverb) should modify tentative (Adj.) ,Surprising and tentative chapter .... change the meaning of the original sentence ,also which is ambiguous
D) the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative and leads ---V-ED Modifier ( "Given its authoritative coverage -who has the authoritative coverage ??? its textbook , not the chapter ) should modify the subject of the following clause "Textbook " not the textbook's chapter . Also as per the original sentence chapter on... tentative and leads ..changes the meaning
E) the textbook is surprisingly tentative in its chapter on genetics, leading -Correct

The answer is E
Split 1
which is wrong it can not refer to tentative as it is not a noun

Split 2
In B which refer to genetics but the sentence does not make sense as the genetics did not cause to doubt rather it was chapter on genetics.

Split 3
The modifier "Given its authoritative coverage of other science topics" should modify text book

Hi akhil911,

Good Question!!

Let me try to help you. Though I am too late but your question can help someone else to clear his/her similar doubt.

The sentence means that the textbook has a sound coverage of other science topics but the chapter on genetics. Furthermore, it says the textbook is surprisingly uncertain about its chapter on genetics, which leads us to doubt the author's scholarship in that particular area. This meaning is clearly expressed by option E.

I hope that clears your doubt. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks.
-Varun

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The original sentence contains several errors. First, the opening modifier "given its authoritative coverage of other science topics" describes the textbook as a whole, yet the subject of the main clause is "the textbook's chapter on genetics." Second, the relative pronoun "which" is used here to modify the entire clause "the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative." "Which" must modify the immediately preceding noun only; it cannot modify the action of an entire clause, as it does here.

(A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.

(B) The modifier issue is not corrected here, since "the chapter" remains the subject of the main clause (as opposed to "the textbook"). However, this choice does correct the misuse of "which" by replacing it with "leading."

(C) The modifier issue is corrected here by making "the textbook" the subject of the main clause. However, the misuse of "which" is retained. The relative pronoun "which" is used here to modify the entire clause "the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative." "Which" must modify the immediately preceding noun only; it cannot modify the action of an entire clause, as it does here. Also, the phrase "surprising and tentative" implies that the chapter on genetics is both "surprising" and "tentative," two characteristics that are independent of one another. However, it is clear in the original sentence that "surprisingly" is meant to be an adverb that modifies the adjective "tentative." The chapter is "suprisingly tentative," not "suprising and tentative."

(D) The modifier issue is not corrected here, since "the textbook's chapter" is the subject of the main clause (as opposed to "the textbook"). Moreover, the verb "leads" is incorrectly parallel with "is" when it should be subordinate (e.g., "leading"). This makes it less clear that doubting the author's scholarship is a result of the tentativeness of the chapter on genetics.

(E) CORRECT. The modifier issue is corrected here by making "the textbook" the subject of the main clause. Moreover, "which" is replaced by "leading," thus eliminating the incorrect use of "which" while preserving the meaning of the sentence.
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Given its authoritative coverage of other science topics, the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative, which leads one to doubt the author's scholarship in that particular area.

(A) the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative, which leads -which is wrongly used

(B) the chapter of the textbook on genetics is surprisingly tentative, leading -textbook contains multiple topics. modifier is misplaced

(C) the textbook contains a surprising and tentative chapter on genetics, which leads -which is wrongly used

(D) the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative and leads --textbook contains multiple topics. modifier is misplaced

(E) the textbook is surprisingly tentative in its chapter on genetics, leading -Correct

Can someone explain how do we figure out that it's the textbook not the chapter.
Thanks.

GMATNinja VeritasPrepKarishma

Can you please explain subtle difference between (B) and (E)?
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chetan2u

daagh

i need to know more about option C.

"the textbook contains a surprising and tentative chapter on genetics, which leads"

As per my understanding, usage of which is not incorrect as it correctly modifies the chapter *on genetics* as "on genetics" is clearly a prepositional phrase.

as per the intended meaning, it is the chapter that is both surprising and tentative, not the entire text book.

as per option e , the textbook is both surprising and tentative .

how is option e correct??

remember this question??---> " emily d's letters *to susan h*, which......" ......this one, as we all know, is from the OG. *which* correctly modifies the letters. It doesn't really modify susan h as "to susan h"is a prepositional phrase.

look forward to hearing from you guys

The chapter is not surprising. The fact that it is tentative is surprising.

1. Surprising (adjective):
The chapter is surprising and tentative. ← "We didn't expect to find this chapter in the textbook."

2. Surprisingly (adverb):
The chapter is surprisingly tentative. ← "We didn't expect this chapter to be so tentative, given that the textbook is otherwise authoritative."
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I don't think C is wrong because of "which": it can modify the "noun" in "noun + prep. modifier" structure. But C is wrong in changing the meaning "surprisingly tentative" to "surprising and tentative". Now "surprising" modifies "chapter" instead of indicating the extent of "tentative", that is weird.

On the other hand E) perfectly avoid the issue, and "leading" modifier modifies the right action. So correct answer is E.

Given its authoritative coverage of other science topics, the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative, which leads one to doubt the author's scholarship in that particular area.

(A) the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative, which leads -> Textbook is the right modifier, not the chapter. Incorrect.

(B) the chapter of the textbook on genetics is surprisingly tentative, leading -> Same as A.

(C) the textbook contains a surprising and tentative chapter on genetics, which leads -> Modifier error is corrected. But, which is modifying genetics, it is incorrect.

(D) the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative and leads -> Same as A.

(E) the textbook is surprisingly tentative in its chapter on genetics, leading -> Both modifiers errors are corrected. - Ing modifier modifies the textbook. It makes sense. Let's keep it.

So, I think E.

GMATNinja ExpertsGlobal5 RonTargetTestPrep

Does the sentence intends to say that other chapters of the textbook are accurate but one particular chapter i.e chapter on genetics is surprising(ly tentative)? If yes, then shouldn’t the verb “is” refer to chapter and not the whole textbook?

Hello Rickooreo,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, yes; the intended meaning is that the textbook is authoritative in other areas, but its chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative.

What Option E does is present this information in a slightly different way - by using the adverbial phrase "in its chapter on genetics" to modify the verb "is surprisingly tentative"; for this reason, the subject in Option E is "textbook", meaning the verb "is" acts upon "textbook".

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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We're talking about the whole and not sum of it's parts. So its not the chapter inside the textbook that is authoritative but in fact the textbooks. Hence A, B, D can be eliminated
(A) the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative, which leads
(B) the chapter of the textbook on genetics is surprisingly tentative, leading
(D) the textbook's chapter on genetics is surprisingly tentative and leads


The part about leads/leading here is important as it talks about casting a doubt about the author's knowledge. Hence 'which' here is incorrect. Hence can be eliminated and we're left with E which is correct
(C) the textbook contains a surprising and tentative chapter on genetics, which leads
(E) the textbook is surprisingly tentative in its chapter on genetics, leading