Red-light cameras, originally implemented in an attempt at increasing

Question

Red-light cameras, originally implemented  in an attempt at increasing the safety of intersections, have been precisely the opposite: drivers are afraid of expensive citations and often brake suddenly as they approach camera-equipped intersections, so they cause  rear-end accidents.

(A) in an attempt at increasing the safety of intersections, have been precisely the opposite: drivers are afraid of expensive citations and often brake suddenly as they approach camera-equipped intersections, so they cause

(B) while attempting to increase safety at intersections, have had a precisely opposite effect: drivers, who are afraid of expensive citations, often brake suddenly as they approach camera-equipped intersections, thus causing

(C) in attempting to increase safety in intersections, have precisely had the opposite effect: drivers fear expensive citations, approach camera-equipped intersections, often brake suddenly, and cause

(D) as attempts to increase intersections' safety, are precisely the opposite: afraid of expensive citations, drivers approach camera-equipped intersections and brake suddenly, thus causing

(E) in an attempt to increase safety at intersections, have had precisely the opposite effect: fearing expensive citations, drivers approaching camera-equipped intersections often brake suddenly, causing

REALMAREZ · Answer

E

Red-light cameras, originally implemented in an attempt at increasing the safety of intersections, have been precisely the opposite: drivers are afraid of expensive citations and often brake suddenly as they approach camera-equipped intersections, so they cause rear-end accidents.

(A) in an attempt  at increasing  the safety of intersections, have been precisely the opposite: drivers are afraid of expensive citations and often brake suddenly as they approach camera-equipped intersections, so  they  cause ----------------  intersections? citations? drivers?

(B)  while attempting to increase  safety at intersections, have had a precisely opposite effect: drivers, who are afraid of expensive citations, often brake suddenly as they approach camera-equipped intersections, thus causing

(C) in attempting to increase safety in intersections, have precisely had the opposite effect: drivers fear expensive citations, approach camera-equipped intersections, often brake suddenly, and cause ------------  not clear cause-effect relationship since it is a list

(D)  as attempts to increase intersections' safety,  are precisely the opposite: afraid of expensive citations, drivers approach camera-equipped intersections and brake suddenly, thus causing

(E) in an attempt to increase safety at intersections, have had precisely the opposite effect: fearing expensive citations, drivers approaching camera-equipped intersections often brake suddenly, causing

Remember: 
Attempt at + noun
Attempt to + verb

100mitra · Answer

Correct Option E

Sentence exam on  
- Intended meaning
- Modifier 
- Tense sequence
- Idiom

1.  Intended meaning 
Red light cameras were attempt to "increase safety at  intersections " 
 eliminate A, C, and D .

2.  Modifier Noun phrase  - "fearing expensive citations" modify Noun Drivers
 Option B  has Redundancy error, with Driver & who refer to same identity, plus usages of "while" refers to time, which is not required.

3.  Have had  - the present perfect form of have, is used when we want to connect the present with the recent past in some kind of a way.

4.  Idiom  - Attempt to refer to verb increase

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Bunuel · Answer

Manhattan Prep Official Explanation

The language "in an attempt at increasing the safety of intersections" illogically implies that the cameras were conceived to keep the intersections themselves safe, rather than to ensure the safety of drivers and others at those intersections. Further, the first clause states that "the cameras... have been precisely the opposite" but the sentence doesn't indicate the opposite of what. We need to find a choice that conveys a logical meaning (in this case that the cameras have had the opposite effect than what was originally intended - they cause, rather than prevent, accidents).

(A) This choice is incorrect for the reasons stated above.

(B) The construction "while attempting…" needs to refer to the subject of the main clause (red-light cameras). In this case, that creates a nonsensical meaning: namely, that the cameras themselves were in the process of "attempting to increase safety."

(C) The construction "in attempting…" needs to refer to the subject of the main clause. In this case, that creates a nonsensical meaning: namely, that the cameras themselves were in the process of "attempting to increase safety." The adverb precisely is improperly placed; in order to minimize ambiguity an adverb should be located as close as possible to what it is modifying (in this case, "the opposite effect"). Because the adverb is placed between "have" and "had," it appears to modify this verb form instead. Finally, the sentence places fear, approach, brake, and cause in parallel. While grammatically correct in a superficial sense, this parallelism doesn't make sense, because these verbs don't represent four separate actions of the same type or in the same context. Rather, the four represent a particular sequence of events: drivers are afraid of citations, so they break suddenly when approaching these intersections, leading to accidents.

(D) The opening of this version describes the cameras themselves as "attempts to increase … safety". The usage of the cameras was an attempt to increase safety, not the mere existence of the cameras. In addition, the first clause states that the cameras themselves "are precisely the opposite," but the sentence doesn't indicate the opposite of what. We need to find a choice that conveys a logical meaning (in this case that the cameras have had the opposite effect than what was originally intended - they cause, rather than prevent, accidents). Finally, in the second clause, "afraid of expensive citations" modifies "drivers approach," thus illogically suggesting that the fear of receiving a ticket influences the drivers' decision to approach the intersections in the first place (as opposed to influencing what they do once they reach those intersections).

(E) CORRECT .  The modifier "in an attempt to increase safety at intersections" describes the situation logically: the intent was to increase general safety in this area. Precisely is correctly placed in front of "the opposite effect." "Fearing expensive citations" is properly used to describe drivers approaching camera-equipped intersections and provides a cause for the actions following. Finally, the comma + "causing rear-end accidents" construction is properly used to describe an immediate consequence of the action in the preceding clause.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Red-light cameras, originally implemented in an attempt at increasing

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Red-light cameras, originally implemented in an attempt at increasing

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