The coal strike reduced Indiana's energy reserves, which

Question

The coal strike reduced Indiana's energy reserves,   which caused unemployment among the workers. 

(A) which caused unemployment among the workers.
(B) which caused the workers to be unemployed.
(C) a circumstance that resulted in unemployment.
(D) a fact that created unemployed workers.
(E) which led many workers to be unemployed.

Raffie · Answer

It has to be (C)

A, B and E suggest that the energy reserves caused the unemployment, not the strike.

D suggests that the strike created the workers.

tarek99 · Answer

not only that, C is also the best choice because it avoids redundancy. When you speak of unemployement, of course you are talking about workers. who else could you possibly be referring to? students????

asdert · Answer

plus, a fact that... gmat dislikes that particular phrase

GMATBLACKBELT · Answer

ABE all wrong b/c improper use of which.

D: a fact that, this is a no no on the gmat most of the time. Also a circumstance better describes what actually happened. The coal strike is a fact, but its better described as a circumstance.

Amardeep Sharma · Answer

Clear C

Agree with Gmatblackbelt on D, while rest are wrong for using incorrect modifiers.

Amar

spider · Answer

For some reason I thought "Which" over here was referring to the previous clause.

totally missed this one!!

Beyond700 · Answer

On target. OA is C

spider · Answer

Lately I have been confusing myself more and more with the usage of "Which" - I guess I have been too many sources. 

1. Which can be used as a relative pronoun referring back to the closest noun and always preceded by a comma - I agree with this one its easy.

2. But sometimes which behaves like an absolute phrase and refers back to the previous sentence as a whole. 

Why cant the usage of which above be the latter of the two??

Is the which in the options above a restrictive or non-restrictive clause


can someone please please help me out here.....

Beyond700 · Answer

This is how I see it...

In the above sentence:
 The coal strike reduced Indian's energy reserves,  which ...

 The coal strike -  Subject 
 reduced -  verb 
 Indiana's energy reserves -  object 

  which  - modifier . Modifies the object with this clause 'caused unemployment among the workers' 
 Here  which  rightly points to a noun but the whole sentence is illogical.

 Absolute phrases  are made of nouns or pronouns followed by a participle and any modifiers of the noun or pronoun. Absolute phrases contain a subject (unlike participial phrases), and no predicate. They serve to modify an entire sentence. 

 Where as the relative pronoun  which  refers to inanimate things and to animals: in their noun or pronoun form

 As the first clause can stand by itself and also, as there is a comma   ,   before  which  - non-restrictive clause

x2suresh · Answer

If I modify the sentencse (d) like below
d)a fact that resulted in unemployment

Which one you will chose? c or d please explain your answers.

Fistail · Answer

C. Which in A, B, and E refers to wrong noun. in D, it is wrong to say that "The coal strike reduced Indiana's energy reserves" created unemplyoed workers.

Beyond700 · Answer

Both (C) and (D) will be redundant..which means you will have 2 right answer choices.

 a fact that resulted in unemployment

 or 

 a circumstance that resulted in unemployment

spider · Answer

Beyond700 - Thank you for taking out time for the explanation. 

I see in this case the which clause is modifying the noun and is a non-essential modifier.

don2007 · Answer

Hi Beyond700,

I am still not clear on the usage of the relative pronoun which. Can you please explain to me with the aid of sentences the use of which-

1. To modifer an inanimate thing 

2. To modifer a sentence

Don.

Beyond700 · Answer

As it is quite elaborate, I thought I would share with you some of my notes on this. Kindly have a go at it and feel free to discuss on the same.

The coal strike reduced Indiana's energy reserves, which

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