In the late 19th century, when Vassar was a small, recently founded wo

Question

In the late 19th century,  when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught as many astronomy majors in a given year as there are today, when  Vassar is a much larger, co-educational college.

(A) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught as many astronomy majors in a given year as there are today, when

(B) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, in a given year, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught just as many astronomy majors as there are in a given year today, when

(C) while Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught a number of astronomy majors in a given year such as there are today, when

(D) while Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught such a number of astronomy majors in a given year as are there today, whereas

(E) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught a number of astronomy majors just as large in a given year as the number that is there today, while

daagh · Accepted Answer

I think we can also approach the issue via another route. Let us first ask - Is the broad-spectrum contrasting conjunction –  while  - appropriate in the given case or should we use a narrow band and pin pointing –  when  - for the subordinate conjunction. The usage - while  - is not trying to denote a contrast here but is indicating a time frame. Therefore -  When  - is the proper diction in the given case So Choices C and D can be dropped instantly.

E also has to be dropped with the same contempt, because it is not clear whether the comparison is between -  a number  -, a countable plural noun, with -  the number  -a singular noun or it is between -  the large astronomy majors  - with -t he number . –

Now between A and B:

In B, the misplaced prepositional modifier, - i n a given year  - means to say that Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, in a given year as if it became a different thing in other years. This is not the text’s intent. Hence let us drop B also

IMO, A stands out as the best of the lot, for using the right subordinate conjunction –  when  - for both the past and present time frames and for placing the prepositional modifier -i n a given year  - at its due place

andy_gr8 · Answer

I dont see anything wrong with A.

(B) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, in a given year, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught just as many astronomy majors as there are in a given year today, when
Watch the words "in a given year today".Its complicated.

(C) while Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught a number of astronomy majors in a given year such as there are today, when
such has to be used as example..Not to compare the numbers

(D) while Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught such a number of astronomy majors in a given year as are there today, whereas
such error again :wink:

(E) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught a number of astronomy majors just as large in a given year as the number that is there today, while
large...number...Clearly wrong

(E) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught a number of astronomy majors just as large in a given year as the number that is there today, while large...number...Clearly wrong

Financier · Answer

I do not clearly understand the issue with placement of " in a given year ". Can anybody explain the issue? Instructors are very Welcome

BKimball · Answer

Financier,

"In a given year" is a prepositional modifier (i.e. it's a modifier, and it starts with a preposition.). A prepositional modifier is simply a form of a noun modifier. The rule with noun modifiers, as you may know, is that noun modifiers must touch the noun they are modifying.

I can't go into the specifics of this question, so let's make this a back and forth here. What is "in a given year" supposed to modify? In which answer choices do these two things touch each other? This will help you narrow it down from 5 answer choices.

I'll be here when you reply.

Brett

amma4u · Answer

(A) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught  as many  astronomy majors in a given year  as  there are today, when
(B) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college,  in a given year , founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught just as many astronomy majors as there are in a given year today, when
(C) while Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught a number of astronomy majors in a given year  such as  there are today, when
(D) while Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught  such a number of  astronomy majors in a given year as are there today, whereas
(E) when Vassar was a small, recently founded women's college, founding professor and astronomer Maria Mitchell taught a number of astronomy majors  just as  large in a given year as the number that is there today, while

A is the best. Uses the correct Idiom and correct placement of the modifiers

Bunuel · Answer

KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

A

In a complicated sentence like this, it"s probably best to focus on eliminating wrong answers. There are some wrong phrases that are obvious, for instance, the awkward, unidiomatic ''such a number of Astronomy majors in o given year as there are today," in (D). There's also the confusing "a number of Astronomy majors such as there are today/' in (C). It's unclear what that phrase means, and (C) also begins with the illogical "while." Looking at the other choices,, you see that (B. is both awkward and confusing. The meaning of "as many. ..as there are in a given year today" is unclear, and (6) also makes Mitchell a "founding professor/' whatever that is. (E) has the bizarre locution "a number. ..just as large as the number that is there today." This is both awkward and ungrammatical; "the number that are there" would at least be correct.

Notice how much text is underlined in this sentence. These will only be a few such questions in each section, and they're good ones to ta k a quick guess on if you're pressed for time.

VerbalBot · Answer

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In the late 19th century, when Vassar was a small, recently founded wo

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In the late 19th century, when Vassar was a small, recently founded wo

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