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Posts: 170
Updated on: 22 Sep 2019, 09:03
Originally posted by misterJJ2u on 19 Jun 2007, 14:44.
Last edited by Bunuel on 22 Sep 2019, 09:03, edited 3 times in total.
Last edited by Bunuel on 22 Sep 2019, 09:03, edited 3 times in total.
Renamed the topic, edited the question and added the OA.
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
65%
(hard)
Question Stats:
51% (01:31) correct
49%
(01:38)
wrong
based on 8054
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
A natural response of communities devastated by earthquake or flood is to rebuild on the same site, overlooking the possibility that the forces that caused it could be repeated.
(A) overlooking the possibility that the forces that caused it could be repeated
(B) overlooking the possibility that the forces causing it could be repeated
(C) overlooking that the forces that caused the disaster could also cause another one
(D) without considering that the forces causing the disaster could be repeated
(E) without considering that the forces that caused the disaster could also cause another such disaster
SC17561.01
(A) overlooking the possibility that the forces that caused it could be repeated
(B) overlooking the possibility that the forces causing it could be repeated
(C) overlooking that the forces that caused the disaster could also cause another one
(D) without considering that the forces causing the disaster could be repeated
(E) without considering that the forces that caused the disaster could also cause another such disaster
SC17561.01
Solving this question helps.
Taking a timed set of similar questions in
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is even better.
Posts: 312
Updated on: 06 Jan 2020, 02:35
Originally posted by JonShukhrat on 04 Jan 2020, 07:18.
Last edited by JonShukhrat on 06 Jan 2020, 02:35, edited 2 times in total.
Last edited by JonShukhrat on 06 Jan 2020, 02:35, edited 2 times in total.
daagh
Dear daagh,
(Sorry for such a long post. I tried to be as much precise as I can so that beginners could benefit from it.)
Today I’ve had enough time to reflect on this question. And, with your permission, I’d like to share with you some findings.
A. I think we need to modify too widespread but not always correct notion: “comma + verbing must modify the subject and the action of that subject in the preceding clause”.
Let’s use more precise description from GMATGuruNY and RonPurewal: “COMMA + VERBing serves to refer to the nearest preceding action and the performer of that action.” This precision is indeed important because the performer of the action is NOT always the subject of the preceding clause. Below are two examples:
B. Mitch Hunt gives a good explanation of how comma+verbing works here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/?href=-map-eart ... 84515.html
- Geologists use a network of seismometers to chart seismic waves that originate in the earth's crust and ricochet around its interior, travelling most rapidly through cold, dense regions and more slowly through hotter rocks.
Here, the subject of the main sentence is “geologists”, and the action of this subject is “use”. So, according to widespread notion, comma+travelling should refer to “geologist” and “use”. But that’s incorrect because geologists are not travelling through hotter rocks. Actually, comma + travelling here refers to the nearest preceding action “ricochet” and its performer “seismic waves”. And it’s perfectly logical to say that seismic waves ricochet while travelling through certain regions of earth’s crust. We can also note that “waves” is not the subject of the sentence, and “ricochet” is not the main verb. That’s why we need a more precise description.
C. Another good example comes from Ron. He says: Note that i've been careful to say that these modifiers describe "actions". i.e., I’m careful NOT to say "verbs". For example:
- I peeked into the workshop and saw the master watchmaker leaning over the table, squinting at the tiny parts of an old Rolex.
Ron: here, comma + "squinting..." describes the action of "leaning over the table".
"leaning" isn't technically a verb, but it still represents an action (and is ultimately derived from a verb).
Once again, comma + squinting is not referring to the subject of the sentence “I” and its action “peeked” or “saw”, but referring to the nearest action “squinting” and its performer “the master watchmaker”.
Small conclusion: COMMA + VERBing serves to refer to the nearest preceding action and the performer of that action. And that performer is not always the subject of the sentence.
Considering all the above, we can finally dissect our original question:
- A natural response of communities devastated by earthquake or flood is to rebuild on the same site, without considering that the forces that caused the disaster could also cause another such disaster.
Here, “without considering” refers to “to rebuild” because “to rebuild” is the nearest preceding action. And it’s logical to say that someone fails to consider a danger while rebuilding the communities. So “without considering” makes sense with “to rebuild”. However, “without considering” doesn’t necessarily have to make sense with the subject of the sentence “a response of communities” - because “a response of communities” is not the performer of the action “to rebuild”. The performer of “rebuild” is implied but not clearly shown here.
Let me, please, try to be a bit more precise so that I can explain what I mean. the construction “a natural response is to rebuild” is similar to “A is B” in which both A and B are nouns. “to rebuild” is a noun here, and “to rebuild” is equal to “a natural response”. So, “a response” is not the performer of “to rebuild”, and hence “without considering” doesn’t have to modify “a response”.
There is a similar example:
- The main rule of bungee jumping is to jump with wide open arms, without looking down.
Here, neither “main rule” nor “bungee jumping” performs the action “jump”. The actual performer (people) is implied but not explicitly shown. “without looking down" makes sense with “to jump” and its implied performer (people), but doesn’t necessarily have to make sense with the subject of the sentence “main rule”. The same is true for the original sentence.
Main conclusion: “without considering” does make sense with the nearest action “to rebuild” and its implied performer (people), but doesn’t necessarily have to make sense with the subject of the sentence “a natural response”.
There is a similar official example here, with GMATGuruNY 's detailed explanation: https://gmatclub.com/forum/?href=.html#831859
Thank you for your patience. Your comments are welcome.
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sayantanc2k
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Expert reply
rishit1080
On re-examining the question, I could understand a solid reason (which I missed in my previous post) that option E is the best answer.
Comma + present participle modifier should refer to the subject of the previous clause or the effect of the entire clause. Here "Overlooking .... " wrongly suggests that "A natural response" (subject of the previous clause) overlooks, not the "communities". Hence option A, B And C can be eliminated.
The intended meaning is that the disaster, not the forces, would be repeated. Hence option A, B AND D can be eliminated.
Option E is the correct answer.
usaidmandvia Previously I missed the modifier problem as mentioned above in this post - why C is incorrect is explained above.
misterJJ2u
B: "IT" is incorrect
C: "Another one" of what? Site? Disaster?
D: Forces getting repeated will not necessarily cause the disaster again.
E: Correct
Posts: 6,486
Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
Choice A: In Option A, we see a pronoun ambiguity error; the pronoun "it" could refer to "site" or "earthquake or flood". Moreover, Option A also suffers from a modifier error; the modifying phrase "overlooking the possibility" incorrectly modifies "A natural response", rather than "communities". Additionally, this answer choice alters the intended meaning of the sentence; a close reading of Option A will show that it refers to the possibility of the forces being repeated, rather than the event the forces caused. Thus, Option A is incorrect.
Choice B: Option B repeats the meaning-related and modifier errors of Option A. Thus, Option B is incorrect.
Choice C: Option C also suffers from the modifier error found in Options A and B. Moreover, it suffers from ambiguity in the phrase "overlooking that" as "overlooking" can also mean to physically overlook something. Thus, Option C is incorrect
Choice D: Option D also suffers from the meaning-related errors found in Options A and B. Thus, Option D is incorrect.
Choice E: Option E suffers from no modifier errors and clearly conveys the intended meaning of the sentence. Thus, Option E is correct.
Hence, E is the best answer choice.
To understand the concept of “Avoiding Pronoun Ambiguity” on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
_________________
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
misterJJ2u
Choice A: In Option A, we see a pronoun ambiguity error; the pronoun "it" could refer to "site" or "earthquake or flood". Moreover, Option A also suffers from a modifier error; the modifying phrase "overlooking the possibility" incorrectly modifies "A natural response", rather than "communities". Additionally, this answer choice alters the intended meaning of the sentence; a close reading of Option A will show that it refers to the possibility of the forces being repeated, rather than the event the forces caused. Thus, Option A is incorrect.
Choice B: Option B repeats the meaning-related and modifier errors of Option A. Thus, Option B is incorrect.
Choice C: Option C also suffers from the modifier error found in Options A and B. Moreover, it suffers from ambiguity in the phrase "overlooking that" as "overlooking" can also mean to physically overlook something. Thus, Option C is incorrect
Choice D: Option D also suffers from the meaning-related errors found in Options A and B. Thus, Option D is incorrect.
Choice E: Option E suffers from no modifier errors and clearly conveys the intended meaning of the sentence. Thus, Option E is correct.
Hence, E is the best answer choice.
To understand the concept of “Avoiding Pronoun Ambiguity” on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
_________________
General Discussion
help151
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The problem with this question could also be solved by looking at the meaning and removing the useless parts in the answer choices (an approached highlighted by e-GMAT).
Take a look at
A) overlooking the possibility that the forcesthat caused it could be repeated. - forces could be repeated?? doesnt make sense
B) overlooking the possibility that the forcescausing it could be repeated. - Again similar error as A
D) without considering that the forcescausing the disaster could be repeated. - Again similar error as A
As for C, overlooking "that the" is wrong, one always overlooks something. Essentially "that" is not needed here.
Therefore. E is correct answer.
Hope this helps.
Take a look at
A) overlooking the possibility that the forces
B) overlooking the possibility that the forces
D) without considering that the forces
As for C, overlooking "that the" is wrong, one always overlooks something. Essentially "that" is not needed here.
Therefore. E is correct answer.
Hope this helps.
sayantanc2k
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Expert reply
usaidmandvia
No, this is not a solid reason to eliminate C. That "something" you mentioned could as well be a "that" clause. I do not see any solid reason to eliminate C. (The pronoun "one" correctly refers to "disaster" by virtue of parallelism.)
This question does not seem to be from an authentic source.
help151
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sayantanc2k
Actually what i meant to say was that C sounds awkward. And even if this doesn't convince, then we should follow the above mentioned approach (removing the useless parts in the answer)
C) overlooking that the forces
Also this question is from the old paper format GMAT.
sayantanc2k
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Expert reply
usaidmandvia
A Pronoun may refer to an antecedent which is within a modifier - removing the modifier and then reasoning that the pronoun does not have an antecedent is not logical.
Moreover, if a pronoun is a subject or an object of a clause, by virtue of parallelism it can refer to an antecedent which is a subject or an object of another clause in the sentence. Therefore "one" refers to "disasters" without ambiguity (Objects of two clauses).
It is true that we MUST align our reasoning with the reasoning of official questions, but there are a few (rare) old official questions which do not match with reasoning of the current ones. This is possibly such a question.
misterJJ2u
Official Explanation
Rhetorical construction; Logical predication
Communities hit by an earthquake or a flood naturally desire to rebuild in the same place, yet sometimes fail to consider that the forces that caused the disaster could cause another, similar disaster.
A. In this choice, possibility is redundant with could. Furthermore, this statement incorrectly suggests that the forces . . . could be repeated rather than that the disaster itself could be repeated. Note also that the pronoun it has no clear referent.
B. This statement incorrectly suggests that the forces . . . could be repeated rather than that the disaster itself could be repeated.
C. This choice uses the idiomatically incorrect form overlooking that. This choice is confusing also because overlooking has a physical meaning that can apply, for example, to a site but does not fit with overlooking that.
D. This statement incorrectly suggests that the forces . . . could be repeated rather than that the disaster itself could be repeated.
E. Correct. This choice clearly conveys the meaning of the sentence and has none of the flaws mentioned above.
The correct answer is E.
MikeScarn
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misterJJ2u
1. Meaning Error - This answer makes it seem like the forces that caused the disaster could be repeated. Illogical! The intended meaning is that the forces that caused the disaster could cause a repeat disaster.
2. Pronoun Error - What does 'it' refer to? There is no crystal clear referent.
misterJJ2u
Exact same errors as in (A).
This answer choice just changes the past tense verb 'caused' to present tense 'causing'.
misterJJ2u
'overlooking that' is idiomatically incorrect.
This is the runner-up answer in my opinion. Probably not worth beating yourself up if you missed this question.
misterJJ2u
1. Meaning Error - This answer makes it seem like the forces that caused the disaster could be repeated. Illogical! The intended meaning is that the forces that caused the disaster could cause a repeat disaster.
misterJJ2u
(E) Clears up that meaning error in the previous answers. It's a long sentence, and usually we like brevity, but this is a difficult question.
Definition of the adverbial modifier: The adverbial modifier with the structure of comma plus verbing modifies the subject and the action of the previous clause.
If overlooking cannot modify the subject "the natural response" and the response's act "to rebuild", 'without considering' also cannot consider. All five choices suffer from the same misplaced modification. In E, yet again, the 'also' and 'another' are redundant.
Are GMAT Advanced questions really from GMAC or are they outsourced?
_________________
If overlooking cannot modify the subject "the natural response" and the response's act "to rebuild", 'without considering' also cannot consider. All five choices suffer from the same misplaced modification. In E, yet again, the 'also' and 'another' are redundant.
Are GMAT Advanced questions really from GMAC or are they outsourced?
_________________
Thank you Daagh for your time on GMAT Club and all your contributions! Thank you for everything you did!
Your work will remain a great tribute to you here on GMAT Club!
-bb
Your work will remain a great tribute to you here on GMAT Club!
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Cant seem to decipher why C is incorrect?
Moreover, the answers from other experts are favoring both C & E.
Moreover, the answers from other experts are favoring both C & E.
RaunaqSinghPunn
Here's the full sentence using choice (C):
- "A natural response of communities devastated by earthquake or flood is to rebuild on the same site, (C) overlooking that the forces that caused the disaster could also cause another one."
Part of the problem is that, at first glance, "overlooking" seems to modify "site". This is a confusing, since we commonly use "site" and "overlooking" together, but in a totally different context: "The billionaire wants to build his next mansion on a site overlooking the Malibu coastline." But in this case, it doesn't make sense to say that the site itself is overlooking anything.
The other issue is idiomatic. "Overlooking" is generally followed by a noun. For example, "I blamed my failure on my boss, overlooking the possibility that it was my own fault."
Choice (E) avoids both of these issues, and that's why it's the correct answer.
daagh
Brother daagh, I wouldn't be surprised if you've already looked into this, but the GMAT Advanced Questions really are from the GMAT. The explanations in the book were definitely outsourced, though, and so was the categorization of the questions. So if, for example, an SC question in that book is labeled as "communication", that label didn't come directly from GMAC.
Strange, but apparently true.
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Jon, do you mean that the participles (, overlooking) and (, without considering) modify the subject of the previous clause, (namely the response) rather than the subject and the action of the subject (namely the response and its action to rebuild)?
Then don't you think that it would be a misnomer to call them adverbial modifiers?
If one really meant to modifiers to modify the subject, then one would change the word order as ---
_________________
Then don't you think that it would be a misnomer to call them adverbial modifiers?
If one really meant to modifiers to modify the subject, then one would change the word order as ---
Quote:
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Thank you Daagh for your time on GMAT Club and all your contributions! Thank you for everything you did!
Your work will remain a great tribute to you here on GMAT Club!
-bb
Your work will remain a great tribute to you here on GMAT Club!
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JonShukhrat
We need to be a bit nimble with these kind of iron clad rules and add the word generally.
For example, in the following correct sentence:
The colorization of black-and-white films by computers is defended by those who own the film rights, for the process can mean increased revenues for them; many others in the film industry, however, contend that the technique degrades major works of art, likening it to putting lipstick on a Greek statue.
likening is clearly not modifying techniques, the performer of the nearest action degrades; likening is modifying many others in the film industry.
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Ashish
MBA-ISB Hyderabad, GMAT-99th percentile
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MBA-ISB Hyderabad, GMAT-99th percentile
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EducationAisle
Sure Ashish. Thank you very much for taking the time and pointing this out. Actually, I’ve been rewriting my above post, completely changing some of its key points. There is actually a good explanation to the example you have provided.
In some cases, a noun clause may come in between COMMA + VERBING and the action it modifies. In other words, an action is followed by two modifiers as below:
Action + modifier 1 (a noun clause) + modifier 2 (COMMA + VERBING)
Here, both modifiers refer to a single action and also make sense with the performer of that action. Generally, such actions are transitive verbs that demand an object. And here, that object is a noun clause (modifier 1). Such noun clauses are easy to spot because they usually start with such pronouns as that, what, whatever, when, where, and so on. For example:
- She didn't realize that the directions were wrong.
- He didn't know why the microwave wasn't working.
Here, “realize” and “know” are transitive verbs that don’t make sense without an object. So, we need to say “she didn’t realize something” or “he didn’t know something”. When we want to attach modifier 2 (COMMA + VERBING) to “realize” or “know”, it has to come second because those verbs don’t make sense without their objects (modifier 1 or noun clauses):
- She didn't realize that the directions were wrong, confusing the real streets with the ones on photo.
- He didn't know why the microwave wasn't working, pushing every button it had.
In order to realize what COMMA + VERING modifies, we can just replace noun clauses with “something”. In the example you have provided, that’s precisely why “likening” modifies a transitive verb contend, not “degrades”:
- Many others in the film industry contend that the technique degrades major works of art, likening it to putting lipstick on a Greek statue.
- Many others in the film industry contend something, likening it to putting lipstick on a Greek statue. (without something contend doesn’t make sense)
Another official example:
- Insurance companies in California were free to charge whatever rates the market would bear, needing no approval from regulators.
- Insurance companies in California were free to charge something, needing no approval from regulators.
Note that questions with such structure are quite rare. In most other cases, “nearest preceding action” rule holds true and can indeed rescue us when we are between two contenders. Below are A and B choices of 85% difficulty official question:
- (A) A herbaceous plant from Eurasia with milky sap that gives mouth sores to cattle, displacing grasses and other cattle food and rendering rangeland worthless.
- (B) A herbaceous plant from Eurasia, with milky sap, that gives mouth sores to cattle and displaces grasses and other cattle food, rendering rangeland worthless.
In A, it’s clear that “displacing” and “rendering” try to illogically modify “gives”. So, A is out. But when it comes to B, one may become confused, not knowing what “rendering” modifies – “gives” or “displaces”. If (s)he decides both are modified because of the parallelism maker “and” in between, then (s)he can wrongly cross off the correct answer choice. However, in B, “rendering” modifies only the nearest verb “displaces”, and there is a good explanation for this either.
“Any reader's natural instinct is to try to apply modifiers to nearby stuff. so, when there are two actions that a modifier could potentially modify, a well-written sentence will, if at all possible, place the modifier next to the thing it's describing” - RonPurewal
_________________
Mission complete.
JonShukhrat
Hi JonShukhrat, OG drops us a clue that there might be yet another exception to this rule.
Following is an incorrect official answer choice:
Many house builders offer rent-to-buy programs, which enable a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to be able to move into new housing, applying part of the rent to a purchase later.
What is specifically interesting, is the official explanation:
"applying" following a nonrestrictive clause suggests incorrectly that the "builders", not the "family", are applying the rent.
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Ashish
MBA-ISB Hyderabad, GMAT-99th percentile
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Updated on: 18 Jun 2022, 04:24
Originally posted by JonShukhrat on 10 Jan 2020, 05:14.
Last edited by JonShukhrat on 18 Jun 2022, 04:24, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by JonShukhrat on 18 Jun 2022, 04:24, edited 1 time in total.
EducationAisle
Dear Ashish,
Many thanks for bringing up another good official example that is perfectly in line with what I said earlier – the piece you have quoted. Initially, I was about to add this example to my earlier post, but refrained from making it any longer. So, better late than never:
- E. Many house builders offer rent-to-buy programs, which enable a family with insufficient savings for a conventional down payment to be able to move into new housing, applying part of the rent to a purchase later. (incorrect)
Question: what does “applying” modify here – “offer” or “to move” ?
As I’ve already said, in such cases, it seems to modify the closest action “to move”. In other words, it’s impossible for it to jump over “which clause” and modify “offer”. Hence, not house builders but a family is applying the rent. E is incorrect not for the reason provided by the official explanation, but because “to move” and “applying” happen in different timeframes. It’s a general rule that "comma + verbing" and the action it modifies be contemporaneous. Examples from Ron:
- Tyler was struck by a bus, dying instantly.
(correct because “was struck” and “dying” happens in the same timeframe)
- Tyler was struck by a bus, dying in the hospital a few hours later.
(incorrect because “dying” happens later. For more check the LINK 1)
- E: programs enable families to move into new housing, applying the rent later.
(incorrect because “applying” happens later)
Both RonPurewal and GMATGuruNY confirm that “applying” modifies the closest action “to move”, not “offer”. (check the LINK 2, LINK 3, and LINK 4). So, the exception you have provided actually isn’t an exception. What was exceptional in that post, though, is exceptionally misleading official explanation. It seems to be written by people even dumber than me. I didn’t know that such people existed :-D
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation:
Actually, there is a good explanation of why “comma + verbing” can’t jump over “which clause”, and instead has to modify the closest action in that “which clause”. It’s customary, if possible, to put a modifier as close as possible to the thing it modifies. However, when there is more than one modifier, usually the essential one comes first. So:
Observation 1: An essential modifier can come before “comma + verbing”. In such cases, “comma + verb” can jump over and modify the action standing before the essential modifier. An example from Ron (LINK 5):
- I dropped a bag containing six incubators that enclosed baby chicks, breaking two of them and endangering the chicks' lives.
The whole phrase “containing six incubators that enclosed baby chicks” is an essential modifier describing “a bag”. For this reason it precedes another modifier “breaking”. In such cases, “breaking” isn’t obliged to modify the closest action “enclosed”, but can jump over and modify “dropped”.
Observation 2: however, nothing keeps “comma + verbing” from modifying the closest action in a preceding essential modifier if the meaning requires this. An example from Ron (LINK 5 above):
- I dropped a bag containing six incubators that enclosed baby chicks, supporting them with nutrients and heat.
(“supporting” modifies “enclosed”)
Observation 3: When “which clause” comes before “comma + verbing” – as in E above, the latter can’t jump over the former and modify the preceding action. That’s because “which clause” is NOT an essential modifier. Thus “comma + verbing” will have to modify the action in “which clause”, not the action before it. Example from Ron:
- The truck spilled a tank full of gasoline, some of which spilled into the river, killing a large number of fish.
(“killing” modifies closest action “spilled”, not "spilled" at the beginning. LINK 6)
- I lost my grip on the discus, which then flew backward out of my hand, almost smashing into a spectator's head.
(“smashing” modifies closest action “flew”, not "lost". LINK 7)
______________________________________________________________________________________
Here are two incorrect answer choices (from official question) similar to the incorrect answer choice E above:
- B. The electronics company has unveiled what it claims to be the smallest network digital camcorder in the world, which is as long as a handheld computer, weighing less than 11 ounces. (incorrect)
- E. The electronics company has unveiled what it claims is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, weighing less than 11 ounces. (incorrect)
Question: What does “weighing” modify here – “is” or “to be” or “claims” or “unveiled”?
It’s the closest one - “is” in the “which clause”. We can’t just cross of “which clause” and attach “weighing” to the main clause here. Read explanations from Ron and Mitch: LINK 8, LINK 9, and LINK 10.
Conclusion: when we have main clause + which clause + comma verbing, we can’t just cross of “which clause” and append “verbing” to the main clause.
I am 98.13% sure that, in no correct answer choice “comma + verbing” jumps over “which clause”. And I would be happy to be proven wrong. It's always pleasure to learn something new. Your comments are very welcome.
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