Modern historians have challenged the common belief that suicide rates

Question

Modern historians have challenged the common belief that suicide rates soared after the Great Wall Street Crash of 1929 by presenting various pieces of evidence,  out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to a sum of 17 , only one less than the same number in 1929.

A. out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to a sum of 17

B. out of whom the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to 17

C. out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to 17

D. out of which the most interesting argument is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to a sum of 17

E. out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to 17 suicide cases

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Modern historians have challenged the common belief that suicide rates soared after the Great Wall Street Crash of 1929 by presenting various pieces of evidence,  out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to a sum of 17 , only one less than the same number in 1929.

A. out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to a sum of 17

This answer choice is stylistically flawed. Using both  amounted to  and  a sum  is redundant.

What helps us identify this question as a redundancy question as well as identify this mistake is the following Stop Sign: amount to a sum

B. out of whom the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to 17

While this answer choice corrects the original redundancy, it is grammatically incorrect. The relative pronoun  whom  can describe only humans. Since the noun that the relative clause modifies (i.e., evidence) is non-human, the relative clause that modifies it cannot begin with the relative pronoun  whom .

C. out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to 17

This answer choices corrects the original redundancy without making any further, unnecessary adjustments to the sentence.

D. out of which the most interesting argument is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to a sum of 17

This answer choice repeats the original mistake: using both  amounted to  and  a sum  is redundant.

What helps us identify this question as a redundancy question as well as identify this mistake is the following Stop Sign:

amount to a sum

Furthermore, this answer choice changes the meaning of the original sentence. Although the word  argument  may fit the sentence at this point, this answer choice uses it instead of the original  arguably , which indicates that this sentence describes an opinion rather than hard data (i.e., whether or not the evidence presented in the sentence is the most interesting is a matter given to debate).

E. out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to 17 suicide cases

Although it corrects the originalredundancy, this answer choice is still stylistically flawed as a result of repeating the words  suicide cases . The sentence already indicates that the number 17 refers to the  number of suicide cases . Repeating the words  suicide cases  after the number 17 is redundant.

NawalDwivedi · Answer

C seems correct.
A,D uses number and then again Sum of , inducing redundancy.
B uses whom, which is not appropriate for evidence.
E uses suicide cases twice redundantly.

PyjamaScientist · Answer

Option D in my opinion. But, C is close too.

C. out of which the most interesting, arguably, is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to 17 This comes close to a correct answer. But, it also has  "most interesting ____ is that the number". 
 Interesting is an adjective and their is no noun following this adjective. But, this option C uses better last part than Option D, which is,  amounted to 17  this is more precise and succinct than the option D's  amounted to a sum of 17

D. out of which the most interesting argument is that the number of suicide cases per 100,000 people in 1928, a year before the Great Crash, already amounted to a sum of 17  most interesting is an adjective. None of the options have a noun to this adjective. Option D rectifies this error by placing a noun "argument" next to "most interesting".

Whom can not be used in option B as  Whom is used for referring to persons; which is generally used for referring to inanimate objects like table and lowly creatures.

rdonline · Answer

C correct.
A,D uses number and then again Sum of , inducing redundancy.
B uses whom, which is not appropriate for evidence.
E uses suicide cases twice redundantly.

Modern historians have challenged the common belief that suicide rates

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Modern historians have challenged the common belief that suicide rates

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards