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D
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Difficulty:
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48%
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A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(A) A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(B) After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(C) After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(D) Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(E) The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
SC43561.01
(A) A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(B) After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(C) After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(D) Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(E) The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
SC43561.01
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Preamble:
1. The pronoun's first prerogative is to refer to the subject of the sentence, and if the subject does not suit, then it might antecede mostly a nearby noun that may be an object of the verb or object of the preposition. Perhaps even a third one might suit better than the subject or the object, in which case that will become the eligible referent. Logic and nothing but logic is the decider of the pronoun eligibility.
2. The adverbial modifiers modify the subject and the action of the previous clause and one must be adept at spotting the previous clause.
This is a crafty issue. Now let's move on to the question.
A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(A) A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.-- The pronoun refers to the star and the adverbial modifier ",depending" modifies the previous clause namely' after it(the star) passes through a red giant stage. The slip here is to mistake the previous clause as ' a star will compress', which is the first clause or the main clause but not the previous clause.
(B) After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. --- No issue about 'its'. However, when you have two back to back modifiers that both modify a common noun, both the modifiers will be required to be intercepted by a conjunction 'and'. Otherwise, there is the risk of the second modifier modifying the first as do nested modifiers do
(C) After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. -- Instant misfit since the initial modifier illogically modifies the mass rather than the star.
(D) Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. --- No issues with this choice.
(E) The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. ---absolutely out because of the distortion that the mass passes through the red giant stage.
Vanam
As far as the referents for the pronoun 'it' in A and 'its' in B are concerned, I appreciate you are on the dot.
Can you please also see my comment on choice A especially with regard to the adverbial modifier? That is a sly pitfall.
1. The pronoun's first prerogative is to refer to the subject of the sentence, and if the subject does not suit, then it might antecede mostly a nearby noun that may be an object of the verb or object of the preposition. Perhaps even a third one might suit better than the subject or the object, in which case that will become the eligible referent. Logic and nothing but logic is the decider of the pronoun eligibility.
2. The adverbial modifiers modify the subject and the action of the previous clause and one must be adept at spotting the previous clause.
This is a crafty issue. Now let's move on to the question.
A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(A) A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.-- The pronoun refers to the star and the adverbial modifier ",depending" modifies the previous clause namely' after it(the star) passes through a red giant stage. The slip here is to mistake the previous clause as ' a star will compress', which is the first clause or the main clause but not the previous clause.
(B) After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. --- No issue about 'its'. However, when you have two back to back modifiers that both modify a common noun, both the modifiers will be required to be intercepted by a conjunction 'and'. Otherwise, there is the risk of the second modifier modifying the first as do nested modifiers do
(C) After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. -- Instant misfit since the initial modifier illogically modifies the mass rather than the star.
(D) Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. --- No issues with this choice.
(E) The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. ---absolutely out because of the distortion that the mass passes through the red giant stage.
Vanam
As far as the referents for the pronoun 'it' in A and 'its' in B are concerned, I appreciate you are on the dot.
Can you please also see my comment on choice A especially with regard to the adverbial modifier? That is a sly pitfall.
09 Jan 2020, 17:11
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hello Everyone!
Let's tackle this question, one thing at a time, and narrow down our options quickly so we know how to answer questions like this when they pop up on the GMAT! To begin, let's take a quick look at the question and highlight any major differences between the options in orange:
A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(A) A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(B) After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(C) After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(D) Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(E) The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
Whenever you see an entire sentence highlighted like this, and each option is organized very differently, there is one grammar issue you can typically count on to be the problem:
MODIFIERS!
We need to make sure that modifier phrases, such as "after passing through a red giant stage" and "depending on its mass" are organized clearly and convey the correct meaning. Let's see how each option handles this:
(A) A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
This is INCORRECT because the phrase "depending on mass" is supposed to modify "star," and not "a red giant stage." It's not 100% clear to readers what that phrase should modify because it's in the wrong place. Let's rule this one out.
(B) After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
This is INCORRECT for a couple reasons. First, the phrase "depending on its mass" should only refer to "a star," but this placement makes it ambiguous. It could modify either "a star" or " a red giant stage." Second, the pronoun "its" is unclear - is it referring back to "a red giant stage" or "a star?" It's unclear, so let's rule this one out too.
(C) After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
This is INCORRECT because "a star's mass" doesn't pass through a red giant stage - a star does. The pronoun "it" is also too vague - it's not clear if "it" is referring to "a red giant stage" or "a star's mass." Either way, it would be wrong anyway. The modifier and antecedent don't make logical sense, so let's rule this one out also.
(D) Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
This is OKAY for now. By rewriting it a little, we've gotten rid of the "determined by mass" modifier altogether - so we don't have to worry about that. The modifier "after passing through the red giant stage" is located directly after its antecedent "a star," which is clear and logical. Let's keep this one for now.
(E) The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
This one is INCORRECT because "the mass of a star" doesn't pass through the red giant stage - the star itself does. Since this doesn't make logical sense as written, let's rule this one out.
There you have it - option D is our correct choice! The modifiers and antecedents are logical and located clearly to show the intended meaning.
Don't study for the GMAT. Train for it.
Let's tackle this question, one thing at a time, and narrow down our options quickly so we know how to answer questions like this when they pop up on the GMAT! To begin, let's take a quick look at the question and highlight any major differences between the options in orange:
A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(A) A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
(B) After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(C) After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(D) Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
(E) The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
Whenever you see an entire sentence highlighted like this, and each option is organized very differently, there is one grammar issue you can typically count on to be the problem:
MODIFIERS!
We need to make sure that modifier phrases, such as "after passing through a red giant stage" and "depending on its mass" are organized clearly and convey the correct meaning. Let's see how each option handles this:
(A) A star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole after it passes through a red giant stage, depending on mass.
This is INCORRECT because the phrase "depending on mass" is supposed to modify "star," and not "a red giant stage." It's not 100% clear to readers what that phrase should modify because it's in the wrong place. Let's rule this one out.
(B) After passing through a red giant stage, depending on its mass, a star will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
This is INCORRECT for a couple reasons. First, the phrase "depending on its mass" should only refer to "a star," but this placement makes it ambiguous. It could modify either "a star" or " a red giant stage." Second, the pronoun "its" is unclear - is it referring back to "a red giant stage" or "a star?" It's unclear, so let's rule this one out too.
(C) After passing through a red giant stage, a star’s mass will determine if it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
This is INCORRECT because "a star's mass" doesn't pass through a red giant stage - a star does. The pronoun "it" is also too vague - it's not clear if "it" is referring to "a red giant stage" or "a star's mass." Either way, it would be wrong anyway. The modifier and antecedent don't make logical sense, so let's rule this one out also.
(D) Mass determines whether a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will compress itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
This is OKAY for now. By rewriting it a little, we've gotten rid of the "determined by mass" modifier altogether - so we don't have to worry about that. The modifier "after passing through the red giant stage" is located directly after its antecedent "a star," which is clear and logical. Let's keep this one for now.
(E) The mass of a star, after passing through the red giant stage, will determine whether it compresses itself into a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.
This one is INCORRECT because "the mass of a star" doesn't pass through the red giant stage - the star itself does. Since this doesn't make logical sense as written, let's rule this one out.
There you have it - option D is our correct choice! The modifiers and antecedents are logical and located clearly to show the intended meaning.
Don't study for the GMAT. Train for it.
22 Sep 2019, 08:57
Kudos
Bookmarks
noboru
Official Explanation
Logical predication; Rhetorical construction
The sentence attempts to convey the idea that a star will compress itself into one of three forms after it passes through the red giant stage: a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole. The sentence also indicates that which one of these three forms the star will compress itself into is determined by the star's mass. As worded, these ideas are not clearly and unambiguously conveyed. For example, it is not clear what the modifying phrase depending on mass is supposed to modify. Because of its placement, it appears to modify red giant stage; it should, however, modify star. Given this problem, the sentence fails to convey its intended meaning clearly.
A. As indicated above, this version fails to convey its intended meaning clearly.
B. The referent of the pronoun its is unclear. Given that red giant stage is the only noun before its, the sentence would seem to indicate that red giant stage is the referent, but the meaning would be correct only if its refers to star. Furthermore, the modifying statement depending on its mass appears to modify red giant stage rather than star.
C. The modifying phrase After passing through a red giant stage modifies a star's mass but it should describe the star itself. Given that the mass is not what passes through the red giant stage, this is incorrect.
D. Correct. In this version, it is clear that the sentence is saying that the star itself passes through the red giant stage and that the star will ultimately compress itself into one of the three listed options: white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole.
E. The pronoun it refers to the mass of a star, rather than a star, as intended. Likewise, the star itself passes through the red giant stage, not its mass.
The correct answer is D.
