Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal

Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio winds through the middle of the business district, and the River Walk, or Pasco del Rio, is the city's most popular attraction.
A) Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio
B) Unlike the river in many cities in the United Stated, which is no longer the local point of urban life, in San Antonio the river
C)Today the river in many cities in the United States is no longer the focal point of urban life, unlike San Antonio, where it
D) In few United States cities today, a river is the focal point of urban life, but the river in San Antonio
E) No longer do many cities in United States have a river as the focal point of urban life, but in San Antonio the river


A - not the best choice. Unlike many cities in US is compared to the river. Invalid comparison
B - Invalid comparison again. Unlike the river in many cities is compared to San Antonio
C - The sentence should have had "in San Antonio" at the end of the sentence.
D - Invalid comparion ("In few United States cities today" compared to "but the river in San Antonio")
E - Best Answer.

Sentence has comparison and pronoun reference issue

A) Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio [Comparison between Many United States cities and the river – eliminate it]

B) Unlike the river in many cities in the United Stated, which is no longer the local point of urban life, in San Antonio the river [Good one but which is pointing the United States – eliminate it]

C)Today the river in many cities in the United States is no longer the focal point of urban life, unlike San Antonio, where it [It has referent issue – points to San Antonio / River – eliminate it]

D) In few United States cities today, a river is the focal point of urban life, but the river in San Antonio [Changing the meaning of the sentence – eliminate it]

E) No longer do many cities in United States have a river as the focal point of urban life, but in San Antonio the river [Hold it]

Answer: E

I agree it's E

A) Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio
Wrong comparison
B) Unlike the river in many cities in the United Stated, which is no longer the local point of urban life, in San Antonio the river
Wrong comparison
C)Today the river in many cities in the United States is no longer the focal point of urban life, unlike San Antonio, where it
Implies one river in many cities
D) In few United States cities today, a river is the focal point of urban life, but the river in San Antonio
Impies rivers are focal points when they are not
E) No longer do many cities in United States have a river as the focal point of urban life, but in San Antonio the river

E sounds best. Others have incorrect modifiers / comparisons. Another good question +1.

The Sentence has comparison issue:
Unlike many United State Cities …, San Antonio …
A) Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio [Comarison between many United States cities, the river is not parallel – eliminate it]

B) Unlike the river in many cities in the United States, which is no longer the focal point of urban life, in San Antonio the river [Parallel is correct but “which” modifies the United States not the cities – eliminate it]

C) Today the river in many cities in the United States is no longer the focal point of urban life, unlike San Antonio, where it [It has no clear referent – eliminate it]

D) In few United States cities today, a river is the focal point of urban life, but the river in San Antonio [Changes the meaning of the sentence – eliminate it]

E) No longer do many cities in the United States have a river as the focal point of urban life, but in San Antonio the river [Clear in meaning – Hold it]

Answer: E

"E" is the correct answer

Wrong comparisons in options A, B, and C
D is awkward

Therefore, E has to be the answer, because it contains correct comparison.

the correct answer here is still pretty ugly, so let's criticize the four incorrect choices.

choice a:
faulty comparison:
'unlike many u.s. cities, ... the river in san antonio...' --> can't compare cities to a river

choice b:
comparison isn't so good:
the second part should start directly with 'the river' (instead of 'in san antonio the river...'), so that the comparison is more clear.
much more importantly, poor use of the relative pronoun 'which':
'...cities in the united states, which is no longer the focal point...'
relative pronouns like which, by default, refer to the noun that's closest to the left, which in this case is the united states. therefore, this relative pronoun is used in a way that's either ambiguous (if you allow it to potentially refer to other nouns) or just plain wrong (if you follow the rule strictly).

choice c:
faulty comparison again
'the river...' is being compared to san antonio.

choice d:
drastic change in meaning
this sentence has completely gotten rid of any reference to the concept of 'no longer'. while all the other sentences say that things have changed, this sentence presents the situation as if it's always been that way.

Sentence meaning:
The original sentence contrasts rivers in many US cities as not a focal point of urban life with the river in San Antonio as the most popular attraction (implying that the river is focal point of urban life). Answer choice that cannot describe this contradiction is incorrect  eliminate D
Answer choice:
A) Compare “many United States cities” with “the river”  Incorrect
B) “the river in many cities in the United Stated” denotes a specify river that flows to all those cities in the US  change the intended meaning  Incorrect
C) Compare “the river” with “San Antonio”  Incorrect
D) Incorrect as explained above
E) Correctly state the contradict  Correct

Option B:
Can not we read "Unlike the river in many cities in the United Stated, which is no longer the local point of urban life, in San Antonio the river" as"Unlike the river in many cities in the United Stated, which is no longer the local point of urban life, the rive in San Antonio "?

If not? Please explain the way the interpretation is done, (if possible)

Comma + Which : Refers to the United States


Hence (B) is not correct !!

May is ask, what is the subject of "is the city's most popular attraction"
because "The river" already has a verb "winds"

lets take the correct answer and plugin in the stem

No longer do many cities in United States have a river as the focal point of urban life, but in San Antonio the river winds through the middle of the business district, and the River Walk, or Pasco del Rio, is the city's most popular attraction.

No longer do many cities in United States have a river as the focal point of urban life--sentence

,but - coordinating conjunction.

in San Antonio the river winds through the middle of the business district--sentence

,and--coordinating conjunction.

the River Walk, or Pasco del Rio, is the city's most popular attraction--sentence.

Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio winds through the middle of the business district, and the River Walk, or Pasco del Rio, is the city's most popular attraction.

(A) Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio - Incorrect comparison - US cities vs river

(B) Unlike the river in many cities in the United States, which is no longer the local point of urban life, in San Antonio the river - Incorrect comparison - river in San Antonio is preferred ; usage of which to refer to river -- too far away

(C) Today the river in many cities in the United States is no longer the focal point of urban life, unlike San Antonio, where it - Incorrect comparison - river vs city

(D) In few United States cities today, a river is the focal point of urban life, but the river in San Antonio - meaning changes and contrast is lost

(E) No longer do many cities in United States have a river as the focal point of urban life, but in San Antonio the river - Correct

Answer E

Could anyone please help me identify exactly which words are parallel in the correct answer choice E?
Isn't there 'many cities' parallel with 'river in san Antonio'??

Posted from my mobile device

I'll explain you all the choices and get to E eventually.

Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio winds through the middle of the business district, and the River Walk, or Pasco del Rio, is the city's most popular attraction.

1) meaning-
Clause 1- in many USA cities , river used to be a main attraction but now the river isn't. So we would expect whatever next would be a continuation of the initial sentence.
Clause 2- contrast - in San Francisco , the river is still a central attraction .

Errors-
1. comparison- cities Vs river - wrong

(A) Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio

(B) Unlike the river in many cities in the United Stated, which is no longer the local point of urban life, in San Antonio the river - "which" is misplaced and ambiguisly may modify United States cities . Not totally wrong but lets keep it and then compare at the end.

(C) Today the river in many cities in the United States is no longer the focal point of urban life, unlike San Antonio, where it - WRONG- 1)comparison error. 2) "the river in many cities..." May imply that a common river exits which serves mahy cities

(D) In few United States cities today, a river is the focal point of urban life, but the river in San Antonio- WRONG - contrast is lost. Contrast is- today the river is no longer attractive in mnay cities , but still river in sansfrisco is popular . The sentence structure in this AC places clauses as independent and then introduced the conjunction "but" to suggest a contrast.but the contrast is lost as now we are comparing few cities with San Francisco and that may totally be valid and hence may not hold ground for a contrast.

(E) No longer do many cities in United States have a river as the focal point of urban life, but in San Antonio the river- THERE IS NO PARALLELISM IN PLAY HERE ... These are two straightforward contrasting CLAUSES. And the comparison is grammatically correct. Though the comparison is not exactly ideal and hence not parallel , it shows the contrast very succinctly.

B Vs E - the modifier "which" in B is still ambiguous . And hence E( though not perfect) is better

is this question from gmatprep ? . Pls, show the screenshot

Yes, the question is from GMAT Prep. No screenshot available though.