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07 Jul 2022, 14:06
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E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
35%
(medium)
Question Stats:
67% (01:17) correct
33%
(01:32)
wrong
based on 525
sessions
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The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
A. Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending
B. Columbus was the Incan highway, over 2,500 miles in length, and extended
C. Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended
D. Columbus, the Incan highway, being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended
E. Columbus, the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending
Similar question from GMAT Prep with different options.
A. Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending
B. Columbus was the Incan highway, over 2,500 miles in length, and extended
C. Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended
D. Columbus, the Incan highway, being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended
E. Columbus, the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending
Similar question from GMAT Prep with different options.
08 Jul 2022, 11:19
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This question was posted on a thread for a slightly different version of this question, from the Verbal Review. This thread is for the GMATPrep version -- if anyone sees this on an official GMATPrep test, please let us know if we've made any typos in the answer choices!
So now we find ourselves in a familiar position: we don't have four options with obvious grammatical errors, so we simply have to compare what's left to see which option is best.
The first glaring difference between (B) and (E) is the subject: "the greatest road system..." vs "the Incan highway". To see why that matters, here are some examples:
This seems fine. "The greatest basketball player of all time" is the subject, and the noun after the linking verb ("was") gives us more information about that subject, telling us who exactly that player was.
But take a look at this version:
This is a bit funkier. Clearly, the point of the sentence was link an initially unidentified subject ("the greatest basketball player of all time") to a specific person (Michael Jordan). But then we're adding that the unidentified subject also plays golf every day? It doesn't really make sense to describe the golf habits of an unidentified subject ("the greatest basketball player of all time").
Even though the parallelism is technically okay in the second example above, using the specific person as the subject would be much clearer and better: "Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player of all time and plays golf every day."
Now back to choice (B). The second verb ("extended") gives us specific information about an unidentified subject. In some contexts that might work, but in this case the sentence is trying to communicate specific information about a specific road. That's why the parallelism in (B), while technically okay, isn't ideal.
(E) avoids that issue altogether: "the Incan highway" is the subject, and that specific road is described as being the greatest road system and "extending from..." Does that make (B) wrong in a bubble? Maybe not. But the structure of (E) makes a bit more sense.
Also, the meaning of the "over 2,500 miles long" part is a bit clearer in (E):
Again, that doesn't make (B) WRONG, exactly, but it gives us another vote in favor of (E).
So (B) isn't terrible, but (E) is a better choice.
I hope that helps!
Tanchat
The version of (B) here is technically parallel: the greatest road system (1) was the Incan Highway and (2) extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile. We have a subject (the road system) and two parallel verbs for that subject, so we can't eliminate (B) right away.
So now we find ourselves in a familiar position: we don't have four options with obvious grammatical errors, so we simply have to compare what's left to see which option is best.
The first glaring difference between (B) and (E) is the subject: "the greatest road system..." vs "the Incan highway". To see why that matters, here are some examples:
- "The greatest basketball player of all time was Michael Jordan."
This seems fine. "The greatest basketball player of all time" is the subject, and the noun after the linking verb ("was") gives us more information about that subject, telling us who exactly that player was.
But take a look at this version:
- "The greatest basketball player of all time was Michael Jordan and plays golf every day."
This is a bit funkier. Clearly, the point of the sentence was link an initially unidentified subject ("the greatest basketball player of all time") to a specific person (Michael Jordan). But then we're adding that the unidentified subject also plays golf every day? It doesn't really make sense to describe the golf habits of an unidentified subject ("the greatest basketball player of all time").
Even though the parallelism is technically okay in the second example above, using the specific person as the subject would be much clearer and better: "Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player of all time and plays golf every day."
Now back to choice (B). The second verb ("extended") gives us specific information about an unidentified subject. In some contexts that might work, but in this case the sentence is trying to communicate specific information about a specific road. That's why the parallelism in (B), while technically okay, isn't ideal.
(E) avoids that issue altogether: "the Incan highway" is the subject, and that specific road is described as being the greatest road system and "extending from..." Does that make (B) wrong in a bubble? Maybe not. But the structure of (E) makes a bit more sense.
Also, the meaning of the "over 2,500 miles long" part is a bit clearer in (E):
- In (B), the "over..." part is dropped in as a comma-separated modifier, and the reader has to figure out what to do with it.
- In (E), that same modifier is tied directly back to the subject with a linking verb, so the meaning is clear and unambiguous.
Again, that doesn't make (B) WRONG, exactly, but it gives us another vote in favor of (E).
So (B) isn't terrible, but (E) is a better choice.
I hope that helps!
General Discussion
genericUser
Joined: 31 Jan 2022
Last visit: 22 Dec 2023
Posts: 111
Given Kudos: 35
Location: Italy
Schools: SDA Bocconi "24 (M)
GMAT 1: 670 Q49 V33
GMAT 2: 690 Q47 V37
GPA: 3.9
Updated on: 09 Jul 2022, 10:05
Originally posted by genericUser on 08 Jul 2022, 00:23.
Last edited by genericUser on 09 Jul 2022, 10:05, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by genericUser on 09 Jul 2022, 10:05, edited 1 time in total.
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A. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, which, over 2,500 miles long and extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Error. After the comma the verb is missing
B. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, over 2,500 miles in length, and extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Error. "over 2,500 miles in length" does not have a clear reference. It has to modify the Incan highway
C. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Error. the Incan highway, which ... southern Chile. some verb should follow the Incan highway. the which part is a non-essential modifier.
D. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway, being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Error. being over + The Incan highway was extended
E. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Correct.
IMO E
feedback appreciated.
Error. After the comma the verb is missing
B. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus was the Incan highway, over 2,500 miles in length, and extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Error. "over 2,500 miles in length" does not have a clear reference. It has to modify the Incan highway
C. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway, which was over 2,500 miles in length and extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Error. the Incan highway, which ... southern Chile. some verb should follow the Incan highway. the which part is a non-essential modifier.
D. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway, being over 2,500 miles in length, was extended from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Error. being over + The Incan highway was extended
E. The greatest road system built in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, the Incan highway was over 2,500 miles long, extending from northern Ecuador through Peru to southern Chile.
Correct.
IMO E
feedback appreciated.
