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gmat1393
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Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s 15 Jan 2021, 03:45
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C
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

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45% (medium)

Question Stats:

62% (01:21) correct 38% (01:30) wrong based on 281 sessions

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Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s school education board for, first of all, not ensuring full compliance with the recommendations set by the exam committee, and secondly, their inability to improve the standard of teaching in most schools despite increased funding.

A. And secondly, for their inability to improve

B. But secondly, for their inability to improve

C. And second, for not being able to improve

D. And secondly, for their failure in improving

E. And second, that it was unable to improve

Source: GmatWhiz
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C
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Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s 16 Jan 2021, 21:05
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gmat1393
Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s school education board for, first of all, not ensuring full compliance with the recommendations set by the exam committee, and secondly, their inability to improve the standard of teaching in most schools despite increased funding.

A. And secondly, for their inability to improve

B. But secondly, for their inability to improve

C. And second, for not being able to improve

D. And secondly, for their failure in improving

E. And second, that it was unable to improve

Source: GmatWhiz
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A. And secondly, for their inability to improve - ambiguous pronoun

B. But secondly, for their inability to improve - ambiguous pronoun

C. And second, for not being able to improve

D. And secondly, for their failure in improving - ambiguous pronoun

E. And second, that it was unable to improve - ambiguous pronoun

All the answers, except for C, have ambiguity as pronoun can refer to committee or board

Answer C
IMHO
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Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s 19 Jan 2021, 23:11
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When to use second and secondly?
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Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s school education board for, first of all, not ensuring full compliance with the recommendations set by the exam committee, and secondly, their inability to improve the standard of teaching in most schools despite increased funding.

A. And secondly, for their inability to improve

B. But secondly, for their inability to improve

C. And second, for not being able to improve

D. And secondly, for their failure in improving

E. And second, that it was unable to improve

The correct answer should be C as it is the most parallel
First usage is parallel to Second
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Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s 22 Jan 2021, 19:28
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gmat1393
Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s school education board FOR, first of all, not ensuring full compliance with the recommendations set by the exam committee, and secondly, their inability to improve the standard of teaching in most schools despite increased funding.

A. And secondly, for their inability to improve

B. But secondly, for their inability to improve

C. And second, FOR not being able to improve

D. And secondly, for their failure in improving

E. And second, that it was unable to improve

Source: GmatWhiz
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gmat1393
I have a dout about parallel structure.
FOR is redundant in answer C. Please share official explaination.
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medhawi
When to use second and secondly?
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medhawi, as far as I know, "Secondly" isn't actually a word. It's incorrect to use secondly. You can google this for more confirmation.
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in C]

''FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO''

is 'being' an ing verbal referring back to noun 'school' board

can 'being' in such a construction can jump over a verb to refer to noun
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mansianand1234
in C]

''FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO''

is 'being' an ing verbal referring back to noun 'school' board

can 'being' in such a construction can jump over a verb to refer to noun
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Hello mansianand1234,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, "for not being able to" is not jumping over anything here; "for...not ensuring" and "for not being" are two adverbial phrases listed together that both act upon the verb "criticized".

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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Recently, an article in the local newspaper criticized the city’s school education board for, first of all, not ensuring full compliance with the recommendations set by the exam committee, and secondly, their inability to improve the standard of teaching in most schools despite increased funding.

Option Elimination -

A. And secondly, for their inability to improve - SV Issue

B. But secondly, for their inability to improve - SV Issue

C. And second, for not being able to improve - "for not ensuring full compliance..." and "for not being able to improve..." are both prepositional phrases that act adverbially. Ok. Best amongst the lot.

D. And secondly, for their failure in improving - SV Issue.

E. And second, that it was unable to improve - before "and" we have a prepositional phrase and after "and" we have a clause. Not parallel.
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