The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next

Question

The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next year, a system approved both as the first project to mine the deep ocean floor off the west coast of Mexico and as the real potential for human interaction transforming with the oceans , to the benefit of human beings and the oceans themselves.

(A) The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next year, a system approved both as the first project to mine the deep ocean floor off the west coast of Mexico and as the real potential for human interaction transforms with the oceans

(B) Approving the first project off the west coast of Mexico, the International Seabed Authority will realize the potential for transforming human interaction with the oceans, overseeing the new system to mine the deep ocean floor by next year

(C) With the new system overseen to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, the International Seabed Authority is expected to approve the first project by next year to do so off the west coast of Mexico, where potential for human interaction transformed with the oceans is very real

(D) It is expected that by next year the International Seabed Authority, approving the first project to do so off the west coast of Mexico, will oversee the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor; the potential for which human interaction with the oceans transforms is very real

(E) Overseeing the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, the International Seabed Authority is expected to approve by next year the first project to do so off the west coast of Mexico; the potential for transforming human interaction with the oceans is very real

E

Source: ZhanGMAT

A question never seen before but (IMO) feels pretty much like real-test hard Qs.
Please explain why other choices are inferior/wrong...

The only fault that I know by far is D: sentence fragment after the semi-colon.

Thank you.

mb2202 · Accepted Answer

Let's give this a shot.

The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next year, a system approved both as the first project to mine the deep ocean floor off the west coast of Mexico and as the real potential for human interaction transforming with the oceans,  to the benefit of human beings and the oceans themselves.

(A) The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next year, a system approved both as the first project to mine the deep ocean floor off the west coast of Mexico and as the real potential for human interaction transforms with the oceans -  Usage of 'as' is incorrect. 'As' followed by a noun i.e. "first project" and "real potential" means that the system is playing these roles. This is INCORRECT. Additionally, if we remove the modifier, the sentence becomes - "The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next year to the benefit of human beings and the oceans themselves." This also doesn't make sense.

(B) Approving the first project off the west coast of Mexico, the International Seabed Authority will realize the potential for transforming human interaction with the oceans, overseeing the new system to mine the deep ocean floor by next year -  The modifier and the clause take place in the same time frame. From the opening modifier it seems that approval of the first project 'will' take place in future. As per the original sentence, it is clear that the approval has already been approved. Also, upon removing the modifiers, the sentence becomes - "the International Seabed Authority will realize the potential for transforming human interaction with the oceans to the benefit of human beings and the oceans themselves." This is incorrect because the intent of the main clause in the original sentence is that the ISA will oversee.."

(C) With the new system overseen to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, the International Seabed Authority is expected to approve the first project by next year to do so off the west coast of Mexico, where potential for human interaction transformed with the oceans is very real -  'With' expresses relationship between the 2 phrases/ clauses. This was not the intent of the author

(D) It is expected that by next year the International Seabed Authority, approving the first project to do so off the west coast of Mexico, will oversee the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor; the potential for which human interaction with the oceans transforms is very real -  It is not expected that ISA will oversee the project, we are sure of it as per the original sentence. Also, the potential is very real to the benefit of human beings..doesn't seem very logical

(E) Overseeing the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, the International Seabed Authority is expected to approve by next year the first project to do so off the west coast of Mexico; the potential for transforming human interaction with the oceans is very real

Can 'to do so' refer to something in the modifier? IMO this doesn't seem like an official question, but (E) is the least incorrect.

Pranathi.T · Answer

Can you please explain why E is the correct answer choice and why the remaining choices are wrong?

itisSheldon · Answer

The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next year, a system approved both as the first project to mine the deep ocean floor off the west coast of Mexico and as the real potential for human interaction transforming with the oceans, to the benefit of human beings and the oceans themselves.

(E) Overseeing the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, the International Seabed Authority is expected to approve by next year the first project to do so off the west coast of Mexico; the potential for transforming human interaction with the oceans is very real

In option E, Does (Overseeing the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor) modifies the action of International seabed authority. 
Overseeing the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, to the benefit of human beings and the oceans themselves. -- Is the above construction grammatically and logically correct?

DmitryFarber · Answer

itisSheldon  In theory, yes, the initial phrase is an adverbial modifier that applies to the main action. However, this doesn't make sense here. The implied meaning would be that the expectation of approval was somehow a natural consequence of the fact that the Authority is overseeing the system. The GMAT would never use an adverbial mdofier in this way. In any case, there are numerous other faults in answer choice E that prevent this sentence from passing muster. I would advise against trying to learn any English grammar from this sentence.

User101 · Answer

The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next year, a system approved both as the first project to mine the deep ocean floor off the west coast of Mexico and as the real potential for human interaction transforming with the oceans, to the benefit of human beings and the oceans themselves.

The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next year, a system approved both as the first project to mine the deep ocean floor off the west coast of Mexico and as the real potential for human interaction transforms with the oceans
>>  approved both ….as the real potential for human interaction transforms with the oceans
You can say approve X(noun) as Y(noun). But here in the second part a verb “transforms” is present. Hence option A is incorrect.
 
(B) Approving the first project off the west coast of Mexico, the International Seabed Authority will realize the potential for transforming human interaction with the oceans, overseeing the new system to mine the deep ocean floor by next year 
>>  will oversee/will approve make more sense. The authority has already realised the potential. Which is why the are going to approve the project. Here ‘will realise doesn’t make any sence. Hence option B is incorrect

(C) With the new system overseen to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, the International Seabed Authority is expected to approve the first project by next year to do so off the west coast of Mexico, where potential for human interaction transformed with the oceans is very real
>> Transformed is incorrect . The event hasn’t already happened. Hence the use of past participle is incorrect.
Hence option C is incorrect

(D) It is expected that by next year the International Seabed Authority, approving the first project to do so off the west coast of Mexico, will oversee the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor; the potential for which human interaction with the oceans transforms is very real
>> There is no sensible antecedent for ‘for which’. 
Also the potential for …transforms…is incorrect…it should be the potential for transforming.
Hence option D is incorrect.
 
(E) Overseeing the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, the International Seabed Authority is expected to approve by next year the first project to do so off the west coast of Mexico; the potential for transforming human interaction with the oceans is very real

>>Overseeing the new system to authorise mining the deep ocean floor, the International Seabed Authority ( noun modifier followed by the correct subject ) is expected to approve( correct indication of a future event ) by next year the first project to do so off the west coast of Mexico; the potential for transforming( usage in option D corrected ) human interaction with the oceans is very real
 Hence Option E is the correct option

daagh · Answer

Look at the casual way choice A has been transcribed. There is some confusion between the transforming in the stimulus and transforms in the choice. How would one like to look further at all?

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The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next

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The International Seabed Authority will oversee the new system by next

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