V01-32

Question

Consulting companies and other professional services groups, law firms, and research divisions often have informal talent powerhouses,  where senior partners strive to identify the best partners junior to them, and the best junior partners compete for the projects that they find most rewarding.

A. where senior partners strive to identify the best partners junior to them, and the best junior partners compete for the projects that they find most rewarding.
B. in which senior partners strive and identify the best junior partners, and the best junior partners compete for the projects that they find most rewarding.
C. where senior partners strive to identify the best junior partners, and the best junior partners compete for the most rewarding projects.
D. that enable senior partners to strive and identify the best junior partners, and the best junior partners compete for the most rewarding projects.
E. in which senior partners strive to identify the best junior partners, and the best junior partners compete for the most rewarding projects.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

Official Solution:

Consulting companies and other professional services groups, law firms, and research divisions often have informal talent powerhouses,  where senior partners strive to identify the best partners junior to them, and the best junior partners compete for the projects that they find most rewarding.

A. where senior partners strive to identify the best partners junior to them, and the best junior partners compete for the projects that they find most rewarding.
B. in which senior partners strive and identify the best junior partners, and the best junior partners compete for the projects that they find most rewarding.
C. where senior partners strive to identify the best junior partners, and the best junior partners compete for the most rewarding projects.
D. that enable senior partners to strive and identify the best junior partners, and the best junior partners compete for the most rewarding projects.
E. in which senior partners strive to identify the best junior partners, and the best junior partners compete for the most rewarding projects.

This question uses the incorrect pronoun "where" to refer to  "informal talent powerhouses."  "Where" is used to refer to physical locations, but the  "informal talent powerhouses."  is a metaphorical construct, not an actual geographical location. In this case, "in which" is the appropriate construction. The original answer choice also utilizes unnecessary turns of phrase in its use of “best partners junior to them,”  as well as  “projects that they find most rewarding,”  both could be expressed more concisely. 
 This choice correctly changes  "where"  to  "in which"  but incorrectly uses the conjunction  "and"  between the terms  "strive"  and  "identify"  suggesting that the two terms denote two distinct activities, as opposed to the intended single activity of identifying the best junior partners. Also,  “projects that they find most rewarding”  are unnecessarily wordy. 
 This answer repeats the original pronoun error  "where"  
 This choice incorrectly uses the conjunction  “and”  between the terms  “strive”  and  “identify,”  suggesting that the two terms denote two distinct activities, as opposed to the intended single activity of identifying the best junior partners. 
 CORRECT This choice correctly changes "where" to "in which" and also rephrases the sentence more concisely  ("best junior partners"; "most rewarding projects").

Answer: E

tae808 · Answer

Doesn't the answer choice E change the meaning of the sentence?
There must be a difference between "most rewarding project" and "projects that they find most rewarding".

Most rewarding project: is the most rewarding project that many agree on OR maybe financially most rewarding.
Projects that they find most rewarding: what they actually think as "rewarding".

Say, "most rewarding project" can be consulting for a hedge fund and what "projects that they find most rewarding" could be working closely with Google.

sayantanc2k · Answer

There is no mention in GMAT official guidelines that the original sentence always conveys the intended meaning. In case there is only one grammatically correct option, the same has to be selected, even though it deviates from the original meaning.

ravitejajasti · Answer

should not there be a comma before and in the underlined portion?

sayantanc2k · Answer

Yes, thank you for pointing out - the typographical errors have been rectified.

gmatc2018 · Answer

I think this is a  high-quality  question and I agree with explanation.

jk94 · Answer

Can somebody explain why we cannot use "where" ?

vb1991 · Answer

I haven't found any evidence of 'powerhouses' being objects/constructs that companies  have . A 'powerhouse' is something a company can BE. The correct usage would be:

Consulting companies and other professional services groups, law firms, and research divisions  are  informal talent powerhouses.

Am I missing something here?

RenanBragion · Answer

I think this is a  high-quality  question and I agree with explanation.

cataakash · Answer

I got why the answer is E but I don't understand how to rectify option D. 
  “and”  between the terms  “strive”  and  “identify,”  suggesting that the two terms denote two distinct activities, 
How do you rectify this error.
Please help!

Shakshi1995 · Answer

I have read somewhere that if the preposition is used before which, then there is no need for a comma. If it is true, how option E is correct?

akhtolkhyn · Answer

I think this is a  high-quality  question and I agree with explanation.

BottomJee · Answer

I think this is a  high-quality  question and I agree with explanation.

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