12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 10: The temple showcased

Question

12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition with Lots of Fun

The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition containing up to three figures.

(A) The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition containing up to three figures.

(B) The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition which contained up to three figures.

(C) The temple showcased a series of plaques, containing up to three figures, for public exhibition.

(D) The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition that contained up to three figures.

(E) The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition that were containing up to three figures.

JoshAtDreamScore · Accepted Answer

Solution:

This question tests modifiers, a common GMAT pitfall for many students. Whenever we encounter a modifier we have to make sure that the correct phrase is being modified, otherwise the meaning will be distorted.
In this case, the plaques are for public exhibition, and the plaques contain up to three figures. All of the incorrect answer choices A, B, D, and E make it sound like the exhibition contains up to three figures.

A: "containing" incorrectly modifies "exhibition"
B: Incorrect reference of "which contained"
C: Correct
D: Incorrect reference of "that contained"
E: Incorrect reference of "that were containing", awkward wording

ElninoEffect · Answer

(A) The temple showcased a series of plaques for  public exhibition containing  up to three figures. 
 Public exhibition containing up to three figures.? No, it should modify plaques.

(B) The temple showcased a series of plaques for  public exhibition which  contained up to three figures. 
 Which is used for public exhibition and that leads to the same meaning error as in A.

(C) The temple showcased a series of plaques, containing up to three figures, for public exhibition.
 Correct.

(D) The temple showcased a series of plaques for  public exhibition that  contained up to three figures. 
 Same as in B

(E) The temple showcased a series of plaques for  public exhibition that  were containing up to three figures. 
 Same as in B

*Note there can be other ways also but I found this the fastest way to get to the answer.

Kinshook · Answer

The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition containing up to three figures.

Since it is not public exhibition but a series of plaques that contain up to three figures, use of  containing up to three figures  after public exhibition is 
incorrect.
The sentence means that public exhibition contained up to three figures.
Incorrect

Since it is not public exhibition but a series of plaques that contain up to three figures, use of  which contained up to three figures  after public exhibition is Incorrect.
It is not clear what contained up to three figures, plaques or public exhibition.
Incorrect

The modifier  containing up to three figures  is correctly placed after a series of plaques. 
Correct

Since it is not public exhibition but a series of plaques that contain up to three figures, use of  that contained up to three figures  after public exhibition is incorrect.
The sentence means that public exhibition contained up to three figures.
Incorrect

Since it is not public exhibition but a series of plaques that contain up to three figures, use of  that were containing up to three figures  after public exhibition is incorrect.
The sentence means that public exhibition contained up to three figures.
Incorrect

IMO C

behlmanmeet · Answer

Question:

The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition containing up to three figures.

Solution:

On an initial read, this might seem okay or grammatically correct but the meaning seems a bit off. "Public exhibition containing up to three figures" says that the public exhibition contains up to 3 figures which seems a bit odd but maybe not completely. But you are showcasing a series of plaques and have only up to 3 figures to show for all those series. Also up to 3 also does not mean 3, it means less than or equal to 3. Does this exhibition have random draws for the number of figures it has? The number of figures an exhibition has or contains would mostly be a certain fixed number. Also up to 3, what if it's 0, then what are they showcasing. What makes more sense is that they showcase are series of plaques that contain or have up to 3 figures.

(A) The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition containing up to three figures.:  Reasons mentioned above

(B) The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition which contained up to three figures.:  Again points to exhibition containing the figures.

(C) The temple showcased a series of plaques, containing up to three figures, for public exhibition.:  Corrects the mistake. Most likely the right option.

(D) The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition that contained up to three figures.:  Again points to exhibition containing the figures.

(E) The temple showcased a series of plaques for public exhibition that were containing up to three figures.:  Now because of "were", we could say that the "that" here is for series of plaques. But the verb "were" makes it wrong. The series of plaques contain figures or have them. It's more of a fact or trait of the plaques. But past tense "were" suggests that they no longer have those figures.

Thus, the answer is C

Bunuel · Answer

Dreamscore Official Explanation

A: "containing" incorrectly modifies "exhibition"

B: Incorrect reference of "which contained"

C: Correct

D: Incorrect reference of "that contained"

E: Incorrect reference of "that were containing", awkward wording

12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 10: The temple showcased

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12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 10: The temple showcased

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

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My Rewards