The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season

Question

The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season  and reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out.

A) The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season

B) With double significance, the All-Star Game occurs mid-way through

C) The baseball season is divided in half by the All-Star Game

D) The All-Star Game signals the middle of the baseball season

E) With the All-Star Game, half the season is over

Source: 800-score

ExpertsGlobal5 · Accepted Answer

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem: 
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that the All-Star Game signals the middle of the baseball season and reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out.

Concepts tested here: Meaning

A:  Trap. This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "middle of the season"; the use of "baseball" to modify "All-Star Game" rather than "season" incorrectly implies that the All-Star Game signals the middle of an   unspecified   season; the intended meaning is that the All-Star Game signals the middle of the   baseball   season, specifically.

B:  This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the clause "With double significance, the All-Star Game occurs mid-way through"; the construction of this clause leads to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that the All-Star Game signals the middle of the baseball season and reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out.

C:  This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the passive voice construction "The baseball season is divided...and reminds"; the construction of this clause makes "baseball season" the subject of the sentence, illogically implying that the baseball season reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out; the intended meaning is that the All-Star Game reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out.

D:   Correct.  This answer choice uses the phrase "middle of the baseball season", conveying the intended meaning - that the All-Star Game signals the middle of the   baseball   season, specifically. Moreover, Option D uses the clause "The All-Star Game...reminds...running out", conveying the intended meaning- that the All-Star Game reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out.

E:  This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the clause "half the season...reminds...running out"; the construction of this clause makes "half the season" the subject of the sentence, illogically implying that half of an unspecified season reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out; he intended meaning is that the All-Star Game reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team

daagh · Answer

The baseball All-Star Game is a proper name specific to baseball. The 'baseball" is not separable from the "All- Star Game" if you intend to allude to baseball. We may see that basketball has an All-Star Game and hockey has an All - Star Game event in the US. That is why I doubt whether D can be taken as a legitimate answer. Maybe it passable but not above-board.

Why would one argue against A, which seems to be more forthright?

Why would one argue against A, which seems to be more forthright?

dorane · Answer

daagh because American publications wouldn't use that phrase: "the baseball All-Star Game." 
It would be "Major League Baseball's . . . "
Or "MLB's . . . " 
Or "The All-Star Game, baseball's annual . . . " 
Or answer D.

RMD007 · Answer

IMO D.

The All star game and The baseball all star game both seems ok, but the later part i think should be more meaningful i.e. what does it signals?
A - Signals middle of the season.
D - Signals middle of the baseball season.

D looks more promising..

matthewsmith_89 · Answer

I quickly narrowed it down to A and D. I guess I'll go with D.

abhimahna · Answer

Since the confusion is between A and D, I would like to put my thoughts here.

Although both looks good, D is preferred as it clarifies what kind of season are we talking about. It says in the middle of baseball season, meaning almost 50% of that baseball playing duration.

abhishekdadarwal2009 · Answer

The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season and reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out.

A) The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season

B) With double significance, the All-Star Game occurs mid-way through

C) The baseball season is divided in half by the All-Star Game

D) The All-Star Game signals the middle of the baseball season

E) With the All-Star Game, half the season is over

I support A to be the correct answer D cannot be choosen just because of compactness because what if someone is not aware of baseball and its leagues and respective structure,
In plain grammer A is perfect and no reason to doubt it.

abhimahna · Answer

I believe D also clarifies that "All-Star Game" has some link to Baseball plus D also specifies the season we are talking about.

Although A also clarifies that "All-Star Game" has some link to Baseball, it does not tell us which season we are talking about. Is it the middle of Winters or summers or something else. Hence, A has this flaw. Thus D is correct.

chesstitans · Answer

I think the answer for this question is ambiguous. I chose A but I also found D a good answer. 
The question needs to be modified.

boston · Answer

The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season and reminds the losing teams that the time for them to improve their playing is running out.

A) The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season   middle of what season? spring, winter, summer? It is not clear what season is being talked about here.

B) With double significance, the All-Star Game occurs mid-way through   Convoluted, and distors the meaning

C) The baseball season is divided in half by the All-Star Game   the season isn't the one reminding the losing teams

D) The All-Star Game signals the middle of the baseball season   Correctly identifies that the Game signifies the middle of the baseball season (no ambiguity like in option A), and reminds teams.

E) With the All-Star Game, half the season is over   Again, season isn't the one reminding teams.

The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season

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The baseball All-Star Game signals the middle of the season

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