V02-05

Official Solution:

In order to properly understand an investor’s state of mind and gain important insights prior to a deal, a substantial period of time must be spent with the investment banker by the investor to become fully aware of the pros and cons of the investment.

A. a substantial period of time must be spent with the investment banker by the investor to become fully aware of the pros and cons of the investment.
B. the investment banker and the investor must spend a substantial amount of time together, thus ensuring full awareness of the pros and cons of the investment.
C. the investor must spend a substantial amount of time with his or her investment banker, thus ensuring that he or she has been made fully aware of the pros and cons of the investment.
D. the investment banker must spend a substantial amount of time with the investor, thus ensuring that the investor is fully aware of the pros and cons of the investment.
E. the investment banker must ensure that he or she is fully aware of the pros and cons of the investment by spending a substantial amount of time with the investor.


The sentence tells us how to gain useful insights on the investment. The non-underlined modifier should be followed by the subject of the sentence to express the meaning clearly. Therefore the underlined part of the sentence should start with "the investment banker".

A. Incorrect, non-underlined part should begin with "the investment banker".

B. Though, the placement of the subject is correct, the sentence suggests that both "the investor"and"the investment banker" should understand the investor's mind. Moreover the later part of the sentence does not specify whose full awareness is insured. The awareness should be of the investor.

C. This sentence illogically suggests that the investor himself would understand his mind, making it sound nonsensical.

D. CORRECT. The subject is properly placed after the initial modifier and the later part of the sentence clearly expresses that it is the investor who is assured.

E. In this choice the placement of investment banker is correct, but the sentence incorrectly suggests that it is the investment banker who should be aware of the pros and cons of the investment as opposed to the investor.


Answer: D