The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar

Question

The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar research facility, with cutting-edge technology, that they can research potentially revolutionary innovations in.

(A) that they can research potentially revolutionary innovations in
(B) for conducting research about revolutionarily potential innovations
(C) that can be the place for them to research potentially revolutionary innovations
(D) where it would be conducting research into revolutionary potential innovations
(E) in which to conduct research into potentially revolutionary innovations

For a discussion of the Infinitive of Purpose, as well as the OE to this particular question, see:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/the-infini ... orrection/

Mike

Show Answer

Official Answer

E

mikemcgarry · Accepted Answer

Dear VerbalHow , Yes, the meaning is very different. 1) a potentially revolutionary product --- this implies that we have the product already, and we believe that this real existing product has the potential to start some kind of revolution. What is revolutionary, at least possibly, is the impact of the product. That's the original meaning in the sentence. 2) a revolutionarily potential product --- this would be a product that doesn't really exist---it only exists as an idea, in potential, but somehow, its potential to come into existence is revolutionarily different from the potential of other hypothetical products to come into existence. What is revolutionary is the ability of the product to move from hypothetical to real. That's bizarre. That really makes no sense. Does this distinction make sense? Dear Satyarath , Hmm. What you are asking is difficult, because in a sense, you are asking me to explain volumes and volumes of grammar. First of all, I will say: if you want a thorough introduction to grammar, then join Magoosh and watch our SC Lesson videos. The word "which" is a relative pronoun. It always (1) refers to a noun, an antecedent, as any pronoun does (2) starts a subordinate clause, a particular kind known as a relative clause Within the relatively clause, the pronoun " which " may be the subject or direct object or object of a preposition. I learned about yoga, which changed my life . = " which " as subject I just read a good book, which my doctor recommended . = " which " as direct object Here is a book for which I wrote the preface . = " which " as object of preposition " for " Here is a book in which the author criticizes his own writing style. . = " which " as object of preposition " in " One way to think about these last cases: imagine we changed each long sentence into two smaller sentences. Here is a book. I wrote the preface for it. Here is a book. In it, the author criticizes his own writing style. Those are choppier, not as smooth as the longer analogs. Notice, though: whatever role the pronoun " it " has in the second shorter sentence is the role of the pronoun " which " in the longer sentence. That's a very brief overview. The problem is: to explain this thoroughly, I would have to explain all of grammar. Again, I would suggest the Magoosh lesson videos for a thorough overview. I would also recommend this blog article: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2014/how-to-im ... bal-score/ You may also find this article illuminating: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/that-vs-w ... -the-gmat/ Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

Lucky2783 · Answer

Beside other issues with B , "research about" is not idiomatic , "research into " is correct idiom.

Thanks

Posted from my mobile device

seabhi · Answer

IMO E.

The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar research facility, with cutting-edge technology, that they can research potentially revolutionary innovations in.
(A) that they can research potentially revolutionary innovations in -- "they"
(B) for conducting research about revolutionarily potential innovations - "for" we need " facility to"
(C) that can be the place for them to research potentially revolutionary innovations - "them" 
(D) where it would be conducting research into revolutionary potential innovations - "it" is ambiguous
(E) in which to conduct research into potentially revolutionary innovations - correct ..

coolredwine · Answer

Very good question, Mike.

This sentence represents a issue with the usage of "that" as well, I think. Correct me if I am wrong.

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear coolredwine , Thank you. Yes, the use of "that" vs. "which" is one of the issues brewing in this question, but there's also the issue of the Infinitive of Purpose as well as the logic of the adjective/adverbs (" potentially revolutionary " vs. " revolutionarily potential "). The SC questions on the GMAT typically have a few different issues brewing at a few different levels of analysis, so I try to model that in the questions I write. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

VerbalHow · Answer

Hi Mike, why is B wrong? It says:

(B) for conducting research about revolutionarily potential innovations

Is it because "revolutionarily" modifies "potential" here, while in the original sentence, "revolutionary" should be modifying "innovations". In that sense, B changes the meaning of the original sentence. Is my interpretation correct?

smartyguy · Answer

Dear mikemcgarry

coolredwine wrote:
Very good question, Mike.

This sentence represents a issue with the usage of "that" as well, I think. Correct me if I am wrong.

Dear coolredwine,
Thank you. Yes, the use of "that" vs. "which" is one of the issues brewing in this question, but there's also the issue of the Infinitive of Purpose as well as the logic of the adjective/adverbs ("potentially revolutionary" vs. "revolutionarily potential"). The SC questions on the GMAT typically have a few different issues brewing at a few different levels of analysis, so I try to model that in the questions I write.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)

_________________

Can you please elaborate Adjective/Adverbs part because this question shaken my concepts that adverb modifies verbs and adjective modifies noun that is what i have learnt.

Hope i am not missing something, if yes please mention

Regards
SG

_________________ Can you please elaborate Adjective/Adverbs part because this question shaken my concepts that adverb modifies verbs and adjective modifies noun that is what i have learnt. Hope i am not missing something, if yes please mention Regards SG

Cadaver · Answer

Hi Mike I was browsing through all your articles. Found part of my answer in the last line of this article. https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-sent ... use-where/ Thanks a tonne

kinjiGC · Answer

The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar research facility, with cutting-edge technology,  that they can research potentially revolutionary innovations in .

(A) that  they  can research potentially revolutionary innovations in ->Team cannot be referred by  they . In ? what? 
(B)  for conducting  research about revolutionarily  potential  innovations -> "For conducting" doesn't show intent. "to conduct" is better usage. Innovations is a noun, we require a adjective to modify a noun. Potential is a noun and not a adjective

(C) that can be the place for  them  to research potentially revolutionary innovations ->  Them cannot refer to a team 
(D) where it would be conducting research into revolutionary  potential  innovations ->  Same issue as Option B)  
(E) in which to conduct research into potentially revolutionary innovations ->  Correct

smartyguy · Answer

kinjiGC

Can you explain me this construction highlighted below:

My take is that adverb potentially must modify verb not another adverb

(E) in which to conduct research into  potentially revolutionary innovations  -> Correct

Regards
SG

kinjiGC · Answer

innovations -> Noun
revolutionary -> Adjective
potentially -> adverb

Adverbs can modify another adverb, adjective or verb
Adjectives can modify noun

I hope it is clear.

manishkhare · Answer

The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar research facility,  with cutting-edge technology,  that they can research potentially revolutionary innovations in.

Remove the modifier(highlighted in bold) and read the choices,E stands out as the answer.

Regards,
Manish Khare 
Press Kudos,if you like.

mvictor · Answer

The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar research facility, with cutting-edge technology, that they can research potentially revolutionary innovations in.

let's understand the meaning:
CEO gave his R&D Team a research facility
This facility is with cutting-edge technology
this facility can be used to conduct research into potentially revolutionary innovations.

(A) that they can research potentially revolutionary innovations in
remove "with cutting...", and you'll see why A is not correct. Research facility that they can research.. This is somehow awkward. I believe to make this option choice correct, that should be replaced with where. Moreover, "they" doesn't have an antecedent.

(B) for conducting research about revolutionarily potential innovations
research about revolutionarily potential innovations. No. This changes the meaning of the sentence.

(C) that can be the place for them to research potentially revolutionary innovations
"them" doesn't have an antecedent. It refers to the team, but the team is Singular. Moreover, it is wordy.

(D) where it would be conducting research into revolutionary potential innovations
revolutionary potential innovations - changes meaning. "would be" again changes meaning. We are certain that the team will conduct researches.

(E) in which to conduct research into potentially revolutionary innovations
looks good. In which technically refers to the facility. Facility in which to conduct research - sounds way better than original sentence.

E for me.

godot53 · Answer

Hello Sir, mikemcgarry I understand the concept of adverb of purpose here and reason why E is preferred over B ( based on the first split - "to conduct" vs "for conducting"). So, I understand that the very reasoning can be applied in B too. Considering this specific concept,"for conduction" and "to conduct" can both work here. Hence, "in which to conduct" vs "for conducting" becomes a false split. So, the other split - " revolutionary potential innovations" vs "potentially revolutionary innovations"- seems perfect one to go for E. Moreover, if I get this problem in actual GMAT, and, considering that there will always be more than one split, I will surely rely on the second split. Thank you

mohit2491 · Answer

Although I clearly eliminated choices, A,B,C and D, the following sentence (choice E) looks incomplete to me.

The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar research facility, with cutting-edge technology,  in which to conduct research into potentially revolutionary innovations.

This sentence looks in fact looks fragmented to me.

mikemcgarry  can you please help. Thanks in advance!

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear mohit2491 , I'm happy to respond. :-)

This sentence is 100% grammatically correct. It is somewhat sophisticated in its structure, admittedly, so that many less educated native English speakers would be puzzled by it. The word " which " is a relative pronoun. The role of a relative pronoun is to introduce a relative clause, which is a kind of noun-modifying clause. The relative pronoun takes some noun-role in the sentence: sometimes it is the subject, sometimes it is the object, and sometimes it is the object of a preposition. I met a man who spoke with my friend . (Relative pronoun " who " is the subject of the relative clause) I met a man whom my friend hates . (Relative pronoun " whom " is the direct object of the verb inside the clause) I met a man for whom all my friends have an intense dislike . (Relative pronoun " whom " is the object of of a prepositional phrase inside the clause) In this last case, the case in which the relative pronoun is the object of a preposition, the correct structure is: Does this make sense? Mike :-)

Chef · Answer

Hi Mike,

In your second example of the explanation - I just read a good book which the doctor recommended. 
Is the second part a essential clause?
I think it doesn't require a comma before which. Is that right? Or can it be both in this sentence?

Also - in the correct answer for this question, would the answer still be right without "in which"?

Thanks

rekhabishop · Answer

I got it wrong. Clicked D. Could you please explain the concept. I actually had no logical approach.

Mo2men · Answer

Dear Mike, Excellent question that stimulates my thinking :-D

I have questions about choices D & E Choice D 1- Is ' where ' correctly used? my analysis is that it is correct because we talk about physical location so no problem. Am I right? 2- Is the phrase 'revolutionary potential innovations ' correct or has problems? I think it is in for of + + , if correct, do I need ' comma ' or ' and ' between the adjectives? Choice E 1- As I know 'in which should be followed by clause. Is there some ellipses? I understand the choice as follows: 'in which the team can use ] to conduct research into potentially revolutionary innovations' Is my analysis correct? Thanks in advance

The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

The CEO of Laminar Flow gave his R & D team a new $300 million dollar

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards