Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experi

Hi Sujit2k7 ,

I guess the appositive here is an concrete appositive and hence it doesnt have to refer to studying , rather can refer to the immediate noun preceding the appositive. Hence the issue here is not due to incorrect reference of the appositive.
Perhaps you might want to check this link and a couple of posts by RON on the same topic on manhattan forum .
www.manhattangmat.com/forums/post35386.html#p35386

Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

-Jyothi

Wow Mike ...thanks for correcting me...
Still i have one doubt we have seen examples how GMAT tricks on "lowering interest rates" v/s "lowering of interest rates"
Is not in the same way "Studying the fruit fly" is different from "Study of fruit fly"

Dear sujit2k7
Notice ---
lowering interest rates = good
studying fruit flies = good
but
a lowering of interest rates = bad
a studying of fruit flies = bad
Now, what's very curious about this juxtaposition, the verb "to study" has a noun form "a study", but the verb "to lower" doesn't have a corresponding noun form "a lower" --- the closest noun would be something like "decrease" or "decline"
a study of fruit flies = good
a decrease in interest rates = good
Does all this make sense?
Mike

The options are C, D and E are all wrong with the singular use of scientist. Someone please edit the options.
With "Scientists" the option E is a clear choice.

I just wana make sure that in D, we have a dangling modifier. I mean making the independent clause Passive doesn't fix that problem.. Right?

I have a question in option E

The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

In this, the subject is the study but the modifier "a household nuisance" modifies the fruit fly. Shouldn't this be wrong?

It is alright. The standard rule is that a modifier modifies the noun it touches. Here the modifier "a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject" touches "fruit fly" and correctly modifies it. This is a standard placement of modifier.

O got this all wrong on my mock but here is how I would solve it re looking at each of the questions..

Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

approach - cancel -, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, - which now leaves us with

Studying the fruit fly has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

Meaning. Scientist have studied FF which enables them to understand the secret of how embryos develop
Problems in the original sentence
- The subject is scientist right at the end
- The study has enabled the scientist to unravel secrets
- how embryos develop to begin

(A) Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
because of the above reason a is out

(B) By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
same reason as above "how embryos develop to begin to be" + "by the study of" puts the entire sentence into the past tense

(C) By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
"by the study of" puts the entire sentence into the past tense + the comma has been removed at the start

(D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientists.
originally I chose this but once I re-studied it I realised
"by the study of" puts the entire sentence into the past tense + beginning makes it past tense but the original sentence is present tence

(E) The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
right answer
- present tense
- remove the ing a red light always to re-evaluate the answer
- correct the awkward part of "how embryos develop to begin"

Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

A. Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
(1) modifier error: studying the fruit fly can’t enable the secrets; studying the fruit fly can enable SCIENTISTS to unravel or identify the secrets

B. By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
(1) improper comparison marker: “and also” doesn’t convey the proper comparison – “a household nuisance” is bad and “a time-honored experimental subject” is good;

C. By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.
(1) modifier error: the fruit fly didn’t study anything

D. By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientists.
(1) modifier error: “the secrets” didn’t study the fruit fly; (2) improper comparison marker: “and also” doesn’t convey the proper comparison – “a household nuisance” is bad and “a time-honored experimental subject” is good;

E. The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

A. 'Studying the fruit fly' needs to modify 'scientists' and not 'household nuisance'
B. 'it was possible for secrets to ... to unravel' is incorrect. Implies secrets unravel by themselves.
'it was possible .. for scientists' is the correct usage.
C. Implies that the fruit fly is 'studying'.
D. 'By studying' is modifying secrets which is incorrect.
E. Correct.

Dear EMPOWERgmatVerbal and MartyTargetTestPrep
could you enlighten why the preposition followed by adverb ?
Does the preposition ought to follow by object only? (noun/pronoun).

The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientists to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

Another question, are there rules that define the conditions:
1 Ver+ing Of noun - correct
2. Verb+ing Of noun - Incorrect
3. noun of Verb+ing - correct
4. noun of Verb+ing - Incorrect

Thank you in advance.

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