To determine whether there are deposits of frozen water on the moon

Question

To determine whether there are deposits of frozen water on the moon, research scientists at NASA launched two unmanned satellites that orbited the moon's atmosphere,  analyzing  radar echoes from the lunar surface.

(A) analyzing
(B) as an analysis technique of
(C) to the analysis of
(D) to analyze
(E) a technique for analyzing

Sajjad1994 · Accepted Answer

Official Explanation

You should use  analyzing  at the beginning of the phrase, because that’s what the satellites did. Because NASA launched two satellites, it’s incorrect to refer to them as a  technique ; eliminate B and E. C is incorrect because  to the analysis  is not idiomatic. And you can cross off D because  to analyze  is not complete. It would have been better if the sentence had said used to  analyze

Answer:   A

Hope it Helps

gmataquaguy · Answer

In order for parallelism to work you have to have "equal" elements. When i say "equal" i mean a "list" of nouns or verbs or "noun clauses", etc - you get the idea.

Here in this construct, when the sentence is "parsed",

To determine, whether there are deposits of frozen water on the moon, research scientists at NASA launched two unmanned satellites that orbited the moon's atmosphere, to analyze radar echoes from the lunar surface.

If "parallelism" were to work correctly, the construct in red would have to be equal [in terms of grammatical construction and "level" of hierarchy when you sentence diagram, etc. Also remember there isnt a conjuction in between the 2 seemingly parallel constructs ] to the construct in green

The "," after the atmosphere was a give way that "to determine" and "to analyze" arent parallel.

I'm curious what is the source of this question. I dont think there should be a "," after "to determine".

For more details on absolute phrases check the following link out:

https://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/phrases.htm#absolute

Darth_McDaddy · Answer

I thank all of you for participating. The Answer is A. The source of this question is the Princeton Verbal Workout book

The OE is as follows:

You should use  analyzing  at the beginning of the phrase, because thats what the satellite did. Because NASA launched two satellites, it's incorrect to refer to them as a  technique ;eliminate B and E. C is incorrect because "to the analysis" is unidiomatic. And you can cross of D because  to analyze  is not complete. It would have been better if they had said  used to analyze 

Thank you very much gmataquaguy, you helped me clear my parallelism concepts. 

I thought this fell under the parallelism of gerunds. 
This example is straight from my notes

Gerunds go with gerunds, and infinitives go with infinitives. Donâ€™t mix gerunds and infinitives. 
Wrong: Skiing is as strenuous as to rappel down a cliff.
Right: To sky is as strenuous as to rappel down a cliff

That is why, I thought "to determine" is parallel to "to analyze". 

Thanks

AJ8348 · Answer

Can you please explain why to analyze "is not complete".....!!

Analyzing seems reasonable....but on what basis we opt out to analyze.

pqhai · Answer

Hi AJ8348.

D is wrong for sure. Let me give you another example
 The computer system was upgraded  TO AVOID  stealing information.
 
You think this sentence is correct or not? It's definitely wrong. When you see infinitive, let examine the subject. Make sure the main subject and the infinitive are sensible.  Can the computer system avoid stealing info by itself? Not, It cannot. So, we can change the sentence like:

The computer system was upgraded  TO KEEP IT  from stealing information.

The problem in D is the same. Can two unmanned satellites analyze radar echoes? No, they cannot do so by themselves. D should be changed like: To be used for analyzing.......

Does it help?. Let me know.

Regards.

CJWORK · Answer

I went for A because the modifier refers to satellites.

But I think E is fine also. Does anyone have a clear explanation on why E is wrong?

HKD1710 · Answer

satellites orbited. how did they orbit? this how is explained by "the comma+analyzing" modifier. so A is correct.
E - what does 'technique" refer to? orbiting? launching? this choice is wrong because of no clear referant for this modifier.

daspri2809 · Answer

Hi,

the Verb+ing modifier should modify the subject of the preceding clause. So in this case, isn't 'analyzing' modifying ' research scientists at NASA '? This will alter the intended meaning.
Am I missing anything here?

HKD1710 · Answer

Satellites orbited is the previous clause and analyzing refers to subject satellites and analyzing explains how satellites orbited.

Posted from my mobile device

richirish · Answer

1st action.. 2nd action.. ing, standard format, this is not a 700 level question IMO.

ruchik · Answer

I have the same question. Can experts clarify this doubt.

GMATNinja

ruchik · Answer

Isn't analyzing refering to the action launched. Verb-ing modifier can either modifier subject or the action of preceding clause. Here subject of preceding clause is scientists, and action is launched. The modifier modifies neither. Am i am wrong in my analysis?

robinbjoern · Answer

why does it not refer to the scientists at the beginning of the sentence? The ing structure could also describe the hole preceding clause instead of just the last part.

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

There are two clauses to choose from, either of which could be modified by "analyzing radar echoes from the lunar surface."

One clause is "research scientists at NASA launched two unmanned satellites that orbited the moon's atmosphere."

It does not make sense to say that research scientists at NASA launched two unmanned satellites, analyzing radar echoes from the lunar surface.

The other clause is "that orbited the moon's atmosphere."

If we choose this second clause, we get "that orbited the moon's atmosphere, analyzing radar echoes from the lunar surface."

In this case the agent of "analyzing" is "that," which refers to "unmanned satellites."

Since it's fairly logical to say that unmanned satellites orbited the moon's atmosphere, analyzing radar echoes from the lunar surface, choice (A) works.

numb007 · Answer

Can you help me understand why Option D is wrong?

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

The version created via the use of (D) is just slightly illogical because it doesn't really make sense that a satellite would "orbit ... to analyze."

By the way, does the moon have an atmosphere? and even if it does, would a satellite orbit the atmosphere? I don't think the answer to either of those questions is "Yes."

sparavas · Answer

GMATNinja :

Why is 'to analyze' wrong? (Option D)

scientists launched unmanned satellites (that....) to analyze radar echoes from lunar surface.

'to analyze' here refers that scientists launched the unmanned satellites to analyze something. The meaning and construction looks good to me. What am I missing?

VerbalBot · Answer

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To determine whether there are deposits of frozen water on the moon

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To determine whether there are deposits of frozen water on the moon

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