Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day many

Question

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Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day, many organizations  hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose  in dozens of states, some scuttled those plans.

A) hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose

B) had hoped to restart operations next month, but with rising cases

C) hoped for operations restarting next month, but as cases had been rising

D) had hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose

E) were hoping for restarting operations next month, but as cases have risen

generis · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC2) 
 For SC butler Questions  Click Here

THE PROMPT

Notice that the sentence describes   two different events  at different times in the past.
That setup frequently requires past perfect  
 ​
The organizations had hoped for something before the cases rose.
Or, before the sun rose, the organizations had hoped for something.

Both events are in the past. The earlier of the two takes past perfect (HAD + verbED)

THE OPTIONS

• the simple past tense  hoped  fails to bring out the fact that this hope (to start) happened before the rise in events. 
→ The correct form should be the past perfect tense  had hoped  to refer to earlier of the two past events.
In choice A, the use of the simple past tense  hoped  fails to bring out the fact that this happened before the rise in events. 
ELIMINATE A

• phrasing and meaning
→ The phrase  rising cases  in choice B distorts the meaning of the sentence because (B) talks about a particular type of case: rising cases. 
→ (B) also makes the use of the past perfect tense  had hoped  incorrectly because there is no simple past anywhere in this sentence, and we need simple past.
Most of the time, to use past perfect, one verb must be in simple past tense.
Sometimes a time stamp will work. 
But we cannot talk about the "past of the past" (past perfect tense) without a proper simple past event.
ELIMINATE B

• Choice C unnecessarily introduces the past continuous tense  were hoping  in the sentence. 
• The use of  hoped for . . . restarting  is also unidiomatic
ELIMINATE C
 
• I do not see any errors
• The verbs are correct.
Cases  rose,  simple past tense. Before that time, organizations  had hoped  to restart operations.
KEEP

•  for restarting  is unidiomatic.
(Be suspicious when you see two ___ING words close to each other.
I have mentioned this guideline before: good writers try to avoid too many ___ ING words placed closely together unless they are in a parallel list.
 ELIMINATE E

The answer is D.

COMMENTS

asishron29181  , again, welcome to SC Butler.

I am really impressed with the level of engagement in quite a few of these posts.
Well done!

The analysis might have taken a wrong turn here and there, but critical thinking skills are on display in this thread.

Kudos go to correct answers posted before the OA reveal.

Nice work, everyone. STay safe.

sumitkrocks · Answer

As we are discussing facts simple past is needed; no need to use past perfect as there are no two related actions IMO
B D and E are out; As "hope" is used to present future possibility Infinitive verb form is appropriate 
A s the right answer IMO

zhanbo · Answer

This is a tough question for me as it tests verb tense extensively. I ended up choosing  (D) .

First split: "had hoped" (Past perfect) or "hoped" (Simple past) or "were hoping" (Past continuous). 
A tough call. By reading the sentence multiple times, I feel that "had hoped" provides the essential clue to the reader that such hope had been dashed. Those organizations no longer held such hope.

Now, if I made the right call in choosing "had hoped", I would only need to pick between "with rising cases" (B) and "as cases rose" (D). 
Another touch call. I honestly think either is acceptable. In that case, I must have picked the wrong split and have to go back to square one. 
It is after several back and forth that I, based on gut instinct, picked (D) because it gives the feeling that the event of "rising cases" developed after they "had hoped". On the other hand, "with rising cases" might give the wrong impression that this development has been known all along.

Looking forward to the OE.

winterschool · Answer

Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day, many organizations hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose in dozens of states, some have scuttled those plans.

A)  hoped to  restart operations next month, but as  cases rose   Incorrect

as cases rose and hoped both in past form, I think past perfect tense required

B) had hoped to restart operations next month, but  with rising cases   Incorrect

but with rising cases sounds bad

C) hoped for operations restarting next month, but as cases  had been  rising  Incorrect

had been uses wrong

D)  had hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose   Correct 
 
E) were hoping for restarting operations next month, but as cases  have risen   Incorrect

have risen wrong - we are talking about past events and its result continues till now

I think answer D

Sumi1010 · Answer

Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day, many organizations hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose in dozens of states, some have scuttled those plans.
Meaning:
<An expectation> triggered <a hope/plan xxx>, but <an event> <destroyed the plan xxx>
The plan xxx did not exist after the event. The sequence is clear.

Note:
1.Past perfect is used :
- with another simple past event/event marker when the former event had some bearing/effect on later.
- To make the sequence of the events clear.

2.The most common usage of conjunction AS are the below two :
-While (simultaneously) : In AS X,Y - X and Y happened together. Thus, the tenses of both X and Y should be same.
-Because (since) : In AS X,Y - X triggers Y. Thus, the tenses of X and Y need not to be same.

AS cases rose in dozens of states, some have scuttled those plans.
In the above sentence, the incidents of "rising cases" and "scuttling the plans" can't be simultaneous.
In fact, because of "rising cases", "scuttling the plans" was considered. Thus, the tenses for "rising cases" and "scuttling the plans" need not to be same.

Now, let's see the choices -
A) hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose
Looks correct. "rising cases" triggered "scuttling the plans". Hold on with it.
B) had hoped to restart operations next month, but with rising cases
What is the subsequent simple past even for the past perfect "had hoped"? There is no simple past event or event indicator.
C) hoped for operations restarting next month, but as cases had been rising
Incorrect construction - <past perfect continuous>, <Present perfect>
D) had hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose
The simple past "rose" does not bear any relation/effect with the action in past perfect "had hoped" . Thus, past perfect is incorrect again.
E) were hoping for restarting operations next month, but as cases have risen
In AS X,Y - X(rise of cases) triggers Y (scuttling the plans).
The hope was intended to do something. Hence, infinitive ( to restart) works better.

Thus, A survives.

Anuragsharma93 · Answer

IMO - E

Lets approach the sentence in two Steps -
I. Break Down the Sentence 
II. Meaning

Expecting  the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day, many organizations  hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose  in dozens of states, some have scuttled those plans.

Step I - Break down the question 
- The Sentence is staring with Expecting ie. a verb in continuous form pointing towards a notion from the past.
- After the comma there is the verb Hoped...
- Last part of the sentence says the result of the increase has led to some people changing their Opinion .

Now Since there is no action in the past to which "had Hoped" might logically point to , we can easily eliminate Options - D & B

Now Option C uses wrong construct altogether  (cases had been rising)  and the meaning of the sentence is also goofed up. - Eliminate C and Move to Step II

Step II - Meaning

We are left with following two options -
A) hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose
E) were hoping for restarting operations next month, but as cases have risen 
 
Lets Zoom in the question to understand a bit more in details - 
Part 1- Expecting  the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day, many organizations hoped - 
Now the question is do we need a verb before hoped ? I would say yes, so that we can put in place a clear timeline and Were (past tense) comes to our rescue in option E.

Part 2-   but  as cases rose   in dozens of states, some have scuttled those plans. - This is concluding the discussion. Early many organisations were expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by may , but as the cases Rose - Some of these organisations have scuttled those plans.

Now we are left to decide between as cases rose Vs as cases have risen - I will chose cases have risen since it brings out the meaning clearly. The fact that the cases have risen has led to a few organisation change their plan.

Tough Question - looking forward to OA

RajatJ79 · Answer

Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day, many organizations  hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose  in dozens of states, some have scuttled those plans.

Pre-thinking : This is a tough question. Had to guess my way out of this one.
 Order of Past Events  - While arranging two events from the past, the event which occurred 1st takes Past perfect and the 2nd event takes Simple past. 'had hoped' (Past perfect) and 'rose' (Simple past). This narrows Options to B or D.

A)  hoped  to restart operations next month, but as cases rose

B) had hoped to restart operations next month, but with  rising cases 
 Should be 'cases rising in dozens of states' instead of 'rising cases in dozens of states'

C)  hoped  for operations restarting next month, but as cases had been rising

D)   had hoped   to restart operations next month, but   as cases rose

E)  were hoping  for restarting operations next month, but as cases  have risen 
 'were hoping for restarting' is not the best structure.

Awaiting OA. IMO answer should be Option D.

swim2109 · Answer

A) hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose
  the event is time relative to the cases as he had hoped before the cases started rising. 'Had' should be used 
B) had hoped to restart operations next month, but with rising cases
 'as cases rose' is a 100 times better than 'with' as it represents the reason 
D) had hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose

D is the correct answer

TarunKumar1234 · Answer

Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day, many organizations hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose in dozens of states, some have scuttled those plans.

A) hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose Incorrect

as cases rose and hoped both in past form, I think past perfect tense required

B) had hoped to restart operations next month, but with rising cases Incorrect

but with rising cases sounds bad

C) hoped for operations restarting next month, but as cases had been rising Incorrect

had been uses wrong

D) had hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose Correct

E) were hoping for restarting operations next month, but as cases have risen Incorrect

have risen wrong - we are talking about past events and its result continues till now

I think answer D

asishron29181 · Answer

Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day, many organizations hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose in dozens of states, some have scuttled those plans.

A) hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose - Series of events in the past and one occurred after another in succession. Simple past usage is incorrect.

B) had hoped to restart operations next month, but with rising cases - Incorrect usage of past perfect tense. Incorrect

C) hoped for operations restarting next month, but as cases had been rising -'had been rising'is incorrect usage here.

D) had hoped to restart operations next month, but as cases rose - correct verb tense used. correct.

E) were hoping for restarting operations next month, but as cases have risen - incorrect

IMO D

Posted from my mobile device

generis · Answer

The official explanation is  here .

Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day many

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Expecting the disease outbreak to be under control by May Day many

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