After all the recent political changes, the Syrians are figuring out

Question

After all the recent political changes, the Syrians are figuring out again how they relate  to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning — figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar .

(A) to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning — figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar

(B) to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning — figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar

(C) to one another and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning — figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar

(D) to each other and to the city they have always live in without quite fully owning — figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically, socially, and with bricks and mortar

(E) to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning — figuring out how to create that city for them, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/arts/design/in-cairo-rethinking-the-city-from-the-bottom-up.html

This means that Egyptians are figuring out anew how they relate  to one another and to the city they have always occupied without quite fully owning — figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar . Headlines have naturally focused on the macro-battles, but the bird’s-eye view does not always reveal what is happening at street level, on corners and in neighborhoods, where daily life today means navigating new relationships with fellow citizens and the spaces they share.

avohden · Accepted Answer

Here's the  OE  from Veritas

Answer C   There are several different decision points in this complex sentence. One of them is the idiomatic choice between “each other” and “one another”. If you know that idiom (“each other” is used with two people/entities whereas “one another” is used with more than two people/entities), you can use that to eliminate (A) and (D), but if you are unsure, you can use other decision points. Remember that the GMAT rarely, if ever, tests pure idiomatic choices. In (A) and (B) the “with bricks and mortars” at the end creates illogical meaning. The goal of the sentence is to show that they are figuring out two things: how to create the city “politically and socially” and create it physically “with bricks and mortar” The goal is not to show that they are building it “politically and socially” with bricks and mortar – this makes no sense! Those two things need to be separated and only (C) and (E) do that properly. (D) uses the improper “each other” and also creates a strange series at the end instead of the two separate ways to create the city. (E) contains a pronoun error with “them” as it seems that the Syrians are creating the city for a group other than themselves. Answer is (C) – the only one with the proper idiom and logical construction at the end.

mnazari · Answer

After all the recent political changes, the Syrians are figuring out again how they relate to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning - figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.

A. to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and  socially, with bricks and mortar .  "with brikcs & motar" is incorrectly modifying socially. 
B. to one another and to the city in which they  have always lived  without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar. 
C. to one another and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar.  correct 
D. to each other and to the city they have  always live in  without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically, socially, and with bricks and mortar  improper tense, should be lived in 
E. to one another and to the city in which  they have always lived  without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for them, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar.  always lived makes me believe that these people are immortal, which is incorrect

AMITAGARWAL2 · Answer

A. to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.
Also Both is used with comma politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.

B. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.
Same as A

C. to one another and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar.
Correct

D. to each other and to the city they have always live in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically, socially, and with bricks and mortar
Live is incorrect with have
 E. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for them, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar. 
'For them' refers to 3rd party, it seems to say that they are building the city for somebody else.

ishanand · Answer

you cannot use each other when referring to more than two people..you use one another..
A,D can be eliminated on this basis

anujag24 · Answer

Hello Experts,

I am confused on the use of "as well as with bricks and mortar" in the option C. what is modified by "as well as with bricks and mortar". How does this phrase add to the intended meaning of the sentence?

Thanks Anuj!!

vietnammba · Answer

I think its B.
More than 2 Syrians so we have to use one another. So its B, C or E. C& E wrongly used as well as. => B

kinjiGC · Answer

After all the recent political changes, the Syrians are figuring out again how they relate  to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning - figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.

to each other -> Seems as if there are only two persons
One another -> Seems more than two persons are involved

A. to  each other  and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves,  both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar. 
 The building process is to be done -> Politically, socially and with Bricks and mortar -> All of them are adverbs modifying the verb "create"

B. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.
 The building process is to be done -> Politically, socially and with Bricks and mortar -> All of them are adverbs modifying the verb "create"

C. to one another and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar. -  Correct

D. to  each other  and to the city they have always live in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically, socially, and with bricks and mortar

E. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for them,  politically and socially,  as well as with bricks and mortar.
 The three adverbs should be a list

intheend14 · Answer

My answer is B.

I think the meaning is changed when the phrase "as well as" is used for bricks and mortar. Elim C,E
Elim D for "they have always line in."
I think in which they have lived is better than the city they have always lived in.
That leaves B as the most concise answer.

kinghyts · Answer

Modifiers can't end with preposition. Therefore, choices A, C and D ("city they have lived in" ) are out. "as well as with bricks and mortar" in E) changes meaning and therefore incorrect. 
B) should be the answer.

scofield1521 · Answer

After all the recent political changes, the Syrians are figuring out again how they relate to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning - figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.

A.  to each other  and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.
"each other" is used for 2 people. If more than 2: use one another.

B. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mort ar.
Correct.

C. to one another and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially,  as well as  with bricks and mortar.
"as well as" doeasnot contribute any meaning. So wrong.

D.  to each other  and to the city they have always live in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically, socially, and with bricks and mortar
"each other" is used for 2 people. If more than 2: use one another.

E. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for them, politically and socially,  as well as  with bricks and mortar.
"as well as" doeasnot contribute any meaning. So wrong.

dinesh86 · Answer

After all the recent political changes, the Syrians are figuring out again how they relate  to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning - figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.

A. to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar - "each other" is used for 2 people. If more than 2 then use 'one another'.

B. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar - Correct.

C. to one another and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar - "as well as" does not go well with meaning.

D. to each other and to the city they have always live in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically, socially, and with bricks and mortar - 'Each other' must be 'one another'. 'Live' must be 'lived' (Is it typographical mistake as I think GMAT does not put such errors or is it ?)

E. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for them, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar - "as well as" is redundant. 'Them' must be 'themselves'.

onedayill · Answer

I'll go with C.

Ruled out B as follows:

In (B) “with bricks and mortars” at the end. The sentence shows that they are figuring out two things: how to create the city “politically and socially” and create it physically “with bricks and mortar”.

B means: they are building it “politically and socially” with bricks and mortar

A & D are out because of "Each other"

Success2015 · Answer

I am not an expert, but still giving it a shot.
how to create that city, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar.

this is what I think "as well as with bricks and mortar" is modifying.
how to create that city politically and socially  (as well as) .
how to create that city with bricks and mortar.

arhumsid · Answer

I will go with C. PoE: 1) Each other- Used for 2 people One another- Used for more than 2 In this case, as Syrians have to be a lot of people, 'One another' should be used. therefore, A and D are out. 2) Them vs Themselves '...figuring out how to create that city for them/themselves ' As here, the act of creation is being talked about by the Syrians and for the Syrians, they would be doing it for 'themselves' and not for ' them '. Therefore, E is out 3) Between B and C: As per the intended meaning, there are two different aspects of creation of the city a. politically and socially, and b. with bricks and mortar You cannot create the city politically and socially with bricks and mortar. Both of these are independent and therefore, should be independently specified. C does that. B. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar. C. to one another and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar . Hence i choose C

Please correct me.

Nevernevergiveup · Answer

After all the recent political changes, the Syrians are figuring out again how they relate  to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning - figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.

A. to each other and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.
 Both usage is wrong here as it would imply that The Syrians are figuring out how to create that city for themselves with bricks and mortar. And they are figuring out politically and socially.
whereas the intended meaning is they are figuring out on how to create the city by two aspects.
they are
 politically and socially,...............both aspects combined together compound noun
with bricks and mortar.

B. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, both politically and socially, with bricks and mortar.
 same errors as in A repeats here.

C. to one another and to the city they have always lived in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar.

D. to each other and to the city they have always  live in without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for themselves, politically, socially, and with bricks and mortar 
 live in  is incorrect as it should in past tense
politically, socially, and with bricks and mortar are not parallel as all three are not in same sense.

E. to one another and to the city in which they have always lived without quite fully owning – figuring out how to create that city for them, politically and socially, as well as with bricks and mortar.
  them  deviates the sentence from the intended meaning and creates an ambiguity in meaning as to whether it refers to Syrians or someone else.

Can someone explain me whether it is wrong to use
 in which they have always lived  instead of  they have always lived in .
As I felt  they  cannot modify  city  and  in which  will do so correctly.

Turkish · Answer

Its a tough one!!  each other  is used when two people are involved and  one another  when more than 2. So A and D is out. Confused between B and C. Will go with C. Ron Purewal in one of his videos said ( COMMA + WITH is normally an adverbial modifier, modifying the entire preceding clause) so with should be incorrect. "C"

arhumsid · Answer

IMHO, both the usages are correct.
1) I think there is nothing wrong in ' ...to the city in which they have always lived '. And B is wrong for different reasons.

2) ' ...to the city they have always lived in ' is also correct. 'They' is correctly referring to Syrians and not to the city.
Take a look at this:
 Jack loves the city  Jack  lives in.  =  Jack loves the city  he  lives in.  (as there's just one subject Jack, there is no ambiguity as to what 'He' refers to)

Hope this makes sense. Please correct me if im wrong.

etdenlinger · Answer

Answer is C.

Each other refers to two people, whereas one another refers to a group. Therefore A and D are eliminated.

E is eliminated because of the usage of "them" after the hyphen, rather than the plural reflexive pronoun "themselves".

D is eliminated because the phrase after the hyphen suggests that Syrians are creating a city, both politically and socially, with (or using) bricks and mortars, which is illogical

nitesh50 · Answer

Hi

Can any expert explain to me whether as well as is a parallelism marker?

That a ruined structure found at Aqaba, Jordan, was probably a church is indicated by its eastward orientation and overall plan, as well as by the artifacts.

In this official sentence, the parallelism is maintained. by X and by y as well as by Z.

WHy is the parallelism not being maintained in this question?
as well as with brick and mortars is not parallel to anything in the sentence.

Looking forward to any help.

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