The abundant supply of fresh water and its location, an isolated......

I eliminated A,C and E by meaning and SV analysis.
Logically both B and D makes sense but option D follows the structure of question in which both the causes are equally relevant for effect and hence seems to be a better answer. Correct me if i'm wrong.

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Why the choice B is wrong? Can someone please explain?

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In optionB,modifier is incorrectly placed,the description 'an isolated landmass' is for California not for location.

Official Explanation:

(A) The use of its is ambiguous as it could refer to Iceland and it could also refer to fresh water. Also, the plural subject (because of the use of and) does not agree with the singular verb makes.

(B) The subject-verb agreement is correct because of the use of the additive phrase (making the singular supply the subject). However, the problem of its being ambiguous remains.

(C) The modifying phrase at the beginning of the sentence needs to come closer to location. Also, the singular subject supply does not agree with the plural make.

(D) The correct answer. The use of its is not ambiguous because it comes before any other noun (such as water) has been mentioned. The modifying phrase is also placed close to location.

(E) Makes it appear as though Iceland has location, which is absurd. Also doesn’t make it clear that Iceland is a natural nesting location because of those two factors.

Hi GMATNinja and VeritasKarishma, Why is option C wrong in the above question?

Look at the skeleton of the sentence:

Iceland has A which, along with B, make Iceland ...

A is singular so we should use singular verb "makes".

Also, "An isolated landmass in the North Atlantic" describes the "location" of Iceland so it is better to put it near "location" as done in (D).

[quote="manu11"]The abundant supply of fresh water and its location, an isolated landmass in the North Atlantic, makes Iceland a natural nesting location for migratory birds.

(A) The abundant supply of fresh water and its location, an isolated landmass in the North Atlantic, makes Iceland a natural nesting location for migratory birds.
(B) The abundant supply of fresh water as well as its location, an isolated landmass in the North Atlantic, makes Iceland a natural nesting location for migratory birds.
(C) An isolated landmass in the North Atlantic, Iceland has an abundant supply of fresh water which, along with its location, make Iceland a natural nesting location for migratory birds.
(D) Its location, an isolated landmass in the North Atlantic, and an abundant supply of fresh water make Iceland a natural nesting location for migratory birds.
(E) Iceland, having an abundant supply of fresh water and location, an isolated landmass in the North Atlantic, is a natural nesting location for migratory birds.


Error immediately noticeable is subject verb agreement and Modifiers

Option A : "Abundant supply of water AND its location" definitely require a plural verb "make".Hence, Wrong ans choice
Option B: The Modifier "an isolated landmass in the North Atlantic" looks wrongly placed
Option C: A lil wordy and modifier issue again and "Iceland" repeated again. " Iceland has an abundant supply of fresh water which, along with its location, make Iceland "
Option D: Modifers are placed correctly and accurately describe Iceland
Option E: Initial stmt "Make Iceland a natural nesting loc" tries to give us reasons to convince us why Iceland is ideal. However, this answer choice " is a natural nesting location" looks like a statement which changes the meaning

Can someone explain how the modifier in 'B' is wrongly placed? Is "its location" referring not to Iceland?

VeritasKarishma,
Why An isolated landmass in the North Atlantic can not modify Iceland? Isn't Iceland an isolated landmass in the North Atlantic?

I agree that there is subject verb number error with regard to make in option C.

Thank you.

It does modify Iceland and there is nothing wrong with it.
As per the sentence, the location is relevant so explaining that it is isolated etc right next to location is easier on the reader.

Hi
Could you please help me out..At last I was left out with options B n D..Between them I chose B...I’m agreeing with D as it is error free but I’m not completely settled with the reasons for option B as incorrect..Because I don’t find any difference in the way the word LOCATION has been modified in both B n D

Thanks and Kudos in advance


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Hi Experts

GMATNinja KarishmaB EducationAisle ChrisLele mikemcgarry AjiteshArun egmat sayantanc2k RonPurewal DmitryFarber MagooshExpert avigutman EMPOWERgmatVerbal MartyTargetTestPrep ExpertsGlobal5 IanStewart
other experts AnthonyRitz

Can someone please explain me the difference between B and D

what I thought was "an isolated landmass in the North Atlantic" is modifying Location

But in option D it seems to play the role of separate entity

How option D is good then option B?

This is another problematic prep company question. If you ask "What is the 'isolated land mass' in this sentence?", it's clearly Iceland. It's not Iceland's location; the "location" in the sentence is "the North Atlantic". The only answer choice that correctly describes Iceland, not Iceland's location, as an "isolated land mass" is answer C, but that answer has an SV error. So there isn't a good answer among the choices.

The official explanation prefers D to B because in B, it's potentially unclear what the word "its", in the phrase "its location", refers to (it could refer to the supply of water or to Iceland). That's a minor problem compared to the meaning issue in both B and D, though.

Yeah, I'll second IanStewart here and say that this question just does not work. Trying to learn from this is as likely to damage your SC skills as to sharpen them.