Arctic is changing faster and more dramatically than any other

Question

Arctic is changing faster and more dramatically than any other environment on the planet because the ice that defines  it is melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

A) it is melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

B) it is melting with alarming speed taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

C) it, melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

D) them are melting with alarming speed, taking with them life that cannot survive anywhere else.

E) they are melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

Romil042 · Answer

IMO A.

Firstly the subject is singular in nature, hence D, and E are out
 
Secondly, for option C:
taking is rightly placed, as it is modifying Arctic.
melting is not needed to be in v+ing form. Ice melting process is a continuous process, which is changing the arctic shape.
Hence C is out

The mistake of C is corrected in A and B. For B, "taking" has to be in v+ing form, so that it can modify Arctic correctly. Due to missing comma just before taking, B cannot be the correct answer.

Hence A is the correct choice.

GMATNinja  please do correct me if I am wrong.

Pankaj0901 · Answer

In option A, should "it" not modify "ice"? "Ice" is closest antecedent to the word "it". Can someone please help how do we know when this 'nearest rule' is not applicable. Thanks in advance.

Romil042 · Answer

Arctic is changing faster and more dramatically than any other environment on the planet because the ice that defines it is melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

Here you can see closely then you might find following:
Arctic is  changing faster and more dramatically than any other environment  on the planet because the ice that defines it is  melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

ice that defines  it 
means ice that (ice) defines ice... sounds weird

shikhasing4 · Answer

Arctic is changing faster and more dramatically than any other environment on the planet because the ice that defines  it is melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

A) it is melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else. - Correct, fixes the verb-ing modifier error, as verb-ing modifer explains the meaning needed to be conveyed by the sentence

B) it is melting with alarming speed taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else. - Incorrect because of modifier error

C) it, melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else. - Fragment, no verb hence incorrect

D) them are melting with alarming speed, taking with them life that cannot survive anywhere else. - them is wrong antecedent for singular ice

E) they are melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.- them is wrong antecedent for singular ice

Pankaj0901 · Answer

Thank you  Romil042

GMATE1 · Answer

Arctic is changing faster and more dramatically than any other environment on the planet because the ice that defines it is melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.

A) it is melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.  CORRECT 
 The pronoun is singular and correctly refers to the singular subject (fixing the problems of choices D&E). Their is no missing verb(fixing the problem of choice C). Their is no missing comma infront of the modfier(", taking with it...")

B) it is melting with alarming speed  __  taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.  FALSE 
 There is a missing comma. The modifier "taking with it life..." modifies the entire clause before it and not just a single noun as the missing comma indicates. 
 
C) it , melting  with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.  FALSE 
 In the second half of the sentence the subject "the ice that defines it"is missing verb. Instead of the necessary verb their is now a modifier(", melting with alarming speed,")

D)  them are  melting with alarming speed, taking with them life that cannot survive anywhere else.  FALSE 
 The subject "Artic" is singular pronoun "them" is incorrect.

E)  they are  melting with alarming speed, taking with it life that cannot survive anywhere else.  FALSE 
 The subject "Artic" is singular pronoun "they" is incorrect.

Splits

1.  it (is)  vs.  them/they are   --> Eliminate D &E because subject is singular
2.  it is melting  vs.  it, melting  --> Eliminate C because C is missing a verb
3.  COMMA taking  vs.  NO COMMA taking  --> Eliminate B because modifier is modifying the clause and not a noun

VerbalBot · Answer

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Arctic is changing faster and more dramatically than any other

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Arctic is changing faster and more dramatically than any other

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