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01 Nov 2018, 09:46
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A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
25%
(medium)
Question Stats:
71% (01:01) correct
29%
(01:11)
wrong
based on 408
sessions
History
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About 7,500 years ago, a torrent of water poured through the Bosporus into the Black Sea, raising the water level 500 feet within a year.
(A) a torrent of water poured through the Bosporus into the Black Sea, raising the water level
(B) a torrent of water poured through the Bosporus into the Black Sea, which raised the water level
(C) a torrent of water poured into the Black Sea through the Bosporus, which raised the water level
(D) the Black Sea had a torrent of water poured into it through the Bosporus, raising the water level
(E) the Black Sea had the water level raised by a torrent of water pouring into it through the Bosporus
(A) a torrent of water poured through the Bosporus into the Black Sea, raising the water level
(B) a torrent of water poured through the Bosporus into the Black Sea, which raised the water level
(C) a torrent of water poured into the Black Sea through the Bosporus, which raised the water level
(D) the Black Sea had a torrent of water poured into it through the Bosporus, raising the water level
(E) the Black Sea had the water level raised by a torrent of water pouring into it through the Bosporus
01 Nov 2018, 20:24
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PeepalTree
Major concepts that are tested
• participial phrases that act as adverbial modifiers, also known as
COMMA +__ING or COMMA + verbING
• COMMA + WHICH and
• logical sequence
Participial phrase: raising the water level
SPLIT #1: COMMA + WHICH
COMMA + WHICH
-- cannot modify an entire clause or phrase
-- the GMAT tests this issue often
-- instead, COMMA + WHICH must modify a preceding noun or noun phrase
Which is a relative pronoun and thus must refer to a noun
-- the modified noun is usually placed right before "comma + which," but there are exceptions
• Correct: I received my package, which was overdue.
• Correct, a bit less common: I received my package of books, which was overdue
("of books" is a prepositional phrase that refers to a noun that is very close to comma + which)
• WRONG: I received my package two days late, which annoyed me.
(I am annoyed by the fact that the package arrived late. The package itself does not annoy me.)
Rewritten correctly: I was annoyed because I received my package two days late.
OR: I received my package two days late, a delay that annoyed me.
B) into the Black Sea, which raised the water level
The Black Sea did not raise its own water level. I promise.
C) ... through the Bosporus, which raised the water level
The Bosporus itself did not raise the water level. The torrent of water [from someplace else] raised the water level.
(And water level of which body? The Bosporus or the Black Sea?)
Eliminate B and C
Split #2: Eliminate illogical and nonsensical sentences
Here is Option (E) inserted into the sentence
About 7,500 years ago, the Black Sea had the water level
raised by a torrent of water pouring into it through the Bosporus 500 feet within a year.
This sentence is babble.
500 feet within a year modifies —or means— WHAT?
"Logical predication" is involved in nearly half of all SC questions.
If "500 feet within a year" were removed, the sentence would be nearly acceptable.
We would need the pronoun ITS rather than the definite article THE to precede "water level,"
in this way: the Black Sea had ITS water level raised ... As (E) stands, though, it is a disaster.
Eliminate E
Split #3: adverbial modifiers, although versatile, must not be ambiguous
Option D) the Black Sea had a torrent of water poured into it through the Bosporus, raising the water level
• the COMMA + verbING modifier (participial phrase) acts as an adverbial modifier that modifies the whole preceding clause
• these modifiers must not create ambiguity
• "raising"? Whose water level rose by 500 feet within a year? That of the Bosporus? That of the Black Sea?
• Passive voice compared to voice in Option A
-- a torrent poured (A) is rhetorically stronger than had a torrent of water poured into it through (D). Active voice in this case imbues the sentence with vigor. .
-- HAD in this option is the past tense of HAVE as a standalone verb that means experienced, underwent, or received.
-- Similar: The gopher had its burrow filled with water when the flood came.
-- had is a flabby verb that is made weaker because the subject has something done TO it. Poured is an energetic verb. Its subject is an active doer.
• What poured the water into the Black Sea? The absence of a subject is not fatal, but it's another strike.
Eliminate D
Answer A is correct.
Takeaways:
• learn what (comma + which) can and cannot do
• learn about participial phrases (comma + verbING, and verbING generally)
• try not to obsess if you get the choices down to two (likely A and D).
• think outside the box. Some aspect of option D is weird.
Compare. How do A and D differ? Which is clearer?
General Discussion
01 Nov 2018, 10:36
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IMO D
D gives a correct & logical strucuture.
About 7,500 years ago, the Black Sea had a torrent of water poured into it through the Bosporus, raising the water level 500 feet within a year.
A lacks main verb. so A is fragment.
A. a torrent of water poured through the Bosporus into the Black Sea, raising the water level
Correct me if i am wrong.
D gives a correct & logical strucuture.
About 7,500 years ago, the Black Sea had a torrent of water poured into it through the Bosporus, raising the water level 500 feet within a year.
A lacks main verb. so A is fragment.
A. a torrent of water poured through the Bosporus into the Black Sea, raising the water level
Correct me if i am wrong.
