Tourism Commission



First glance

Most of the choices begin with prepositions (with, in); in the case of choice (C), just one word (ultimately) precedes a preposition (with). The problem is testing something related to Modifiers.

Issues

(1) Meaning: reducing the guests

Modifier / Meaning: ultimately; ultimate

The original sentence says that the commission conducted surveys in order to reduce the guests. Literally, this means to reduce the size of the guests. Perhaps they’ve invented an incredible shrinking ray gun?

Probably not—this meaning is illogical. Presumably, the goal was to reduce the number of guests or the number of complaints. Eliminate choice (A) for faulty meaning.

While examining the first issue, you might spot another one. The original sentence describes the ultimate goal of the surveys. Other choices move this word around or change the form to ultimate. Check them for proper placement and meaning.

(A) with the ultimate goal

(B) with the goal to ultimately reduce

(C) ultimately with the goal

(D) in an ultimate attempt

(E) with the ultimate goal

An ultimate goal is a decisive or final goal; this meaning makes logical sense for the sentence. Nothing indicates, however, that this is the final attempt to achieve the goal; why wouldn't the commission be able to keep trying? Eliminate (D) for an unlikely meaning.

Choice (B) changes the form to ultimately (an adverb) and places it with the verb to reduce. The goal is not to finally reduce the number of guests. Rather, the surveys have a final or ultimate goal. Eliminate choice (B).

(2) Idiom: goal to reduce

Two choices say with the goal of reducing, while two others say with the goal to reduce. (The fifth removes this structure entirely.) Eliminate choices (B) and (C).

The correct idiom is with the goal of (doing something).

(3) Modifier: with the hotel service

Four of the choices talk about dissatisfaction with the hotels’ service (or with the service in hotels). In choice (C), though, the modifier moves:

overall dissatisfaction by the guests with the hotel service

Prepositional phrases can modify nouns or verbs. If a prepositional phrase begins just after a noun, the general expectation is that it is modifying that noun. In this case, then, with the hotel service would be modifying guests—but the point of the sentence is not to discuss the guests with the hotel service. All of the relevant guests stayed in hotels. The point is to call out those guests who are dissatisfied with the hotel service. Eliminate answer (C) for faulty modifier placement leading to illogical meaning.

(4) Subject-Verb: guests that ends up

Choice (D) uses the construction reduce the number of guests that ends up expressing … dissatisfaction. The plural guests express dissatisfaction, so they end up expressing dissatisfaction. The singular verb ends does not match with the plural subject guests. Eliminate choice (D).

The Correct Answer

Correct answer (E) conveys a logical meaning throughout: the surveys have an ultimate, or final, goal; the goal is to reduce the number of guests; those guests express … dissatisfaction with the hotels’ service.