While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving

Question

While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

A. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

B. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

C. Even though religious practices and beliefs involving individuals that communicate with the spirit world and cure disease have been documented all over the world, but the term Shamanism was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

D. Although the term Shamanism has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans, religious practices and beliefs involving individuals, who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, are documented all over the world

E. Documented all over the world, the term Shamanism, referring to a system of religious practices and belief that involves individuals communicating with the spirit world and curing disease, was being derived from the tribal culture of Siberia, where the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

A. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

Incorrect.

This answer choice is grammatically incorrect. The Present Perfect verb  has been derived  is used to describe an action that occurred in the past (the derivation of the term Shamanism occurred in the past, but is already in established usage in English, and does not continue to be derived in the present).

B. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

This answer choice corrects the tense mistake in the original question, by changing the Present Perfect tense ( has been derived ) to the Past Simple ( was derived ).

C. Even though religious practices and beliefs involving individuals that communicate with the spirit world and cure disease have been documented all over the world, but the term Shamanism was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

Incorrect.

While this answer choice corrects the tense mistake in the original question, it is stylistically flawed. Using two opposition conjunctions when referring to the same relation is redundant. Double conjunctions is one of the specific redundancies that should always be eliminated.

Stop Sign: Though/Although/Even though/Despite/In spite of... later followed by but/yet/however/still/nevertheless

D. Although the term Shamanism has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans, religious practices and beliefs involving individuals, who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, are documented all over the world

Incorrect.

This answer choice repeats the tense mistake in the original question: it uses the Present Perfect  has been derived  to describe something that occurred in the past. The derivation of the term Shamanism occurred in the past, but is already in established usage in English, and does not continue to be derived in the present.

In addition, this answer choice incorrectly places a comma before the defining relative pronoun  who . The information in the relative clause  who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease  is crucial for understanding the meaning of the sentence - if this information were left out the sentence would not make sense. The relative clause defines precisely what type of individuals are involved in Shamanistic religion.

E. Documented all over the world, the term Shamanism, referring to a system of religious practices and belief that involves individuals communicating with the spirit world and curing disease, was being derived from the tribal culture of Siberia, where the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

Incorrect.

This answer choice is grammatically incorrect. It uses the Past Progressive ( was being derived ) to describe an action that occurred in the past and ended (the deriving of the term Shamanism), but this tense is used to describe continuous actions in the past.

In addition, the dangling modifier  Documented all over the world , at the beginning of the sentence describes what immediately follows it -  the term Shamanism  - but  the term Shamanism  has not been documented all over the world - the religious system Shamanism has.

What helps us identify this question as a Dangling Modifier question as well as identify the mistake is the following Stop Sign:

A modifier, characterized by all of the following:
1. Verb+ing or Verb in 3rd form
2. Separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma
3. Appears at the very beginning of the sentence

Whenever you see this Stop Sign, focus on the modifier: check whether the noun right after the modifier is indeed the noun that the modifier describes. If it isn't - you've found your mistake.

zhanbo · Answer

My answer is  (B) . It took me 02:03.

(A) "Has been derived“ is inappropriate because the action "derive" happened in the past. A simple past tense suffice. I did not realize this error right away. I only saw the problem after I read option (B).

(B) Very much the same as "A" with the appropriate modification to the verb tense.

(C) "Even though...but..." can never be correct. We may say their concurrent use is redundant, or we can say the sentence is not well constructed: "even though..." should work with a main clause, but "but" is used before an independent clause of a coordinating sentence.

(D) " who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease" should be restrictive relative clause.

(E) "Documented all over the world" modifies "the term Shamanism", but it is insensible to claim a term is documented all over the world.

100mitra · Answer

Correct Option B

A. While Shamanism, 
a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals 
who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, 
 has been  documented all over the world,
the term  has been  derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which 
the human intermediaries  were  known as Shamans.
Flaw: 
The term  has been   derived 
Has been - form of present perfect continuous tense, makes tense error with " derived " past tense and " were  know as shamans."

B. While Shamanism, 
a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals 
who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, 
 has been documented  all over the world,
the term  was derived  from Siberian tribal culture, 
in which the human intermediaries  were known  as Shamans.
 Correct  : No tense error and intended meaning correct

Option C, and D can be eliminated by use of even though and although, which try to give contrast meaning in the sentence and has intended meaning flaw .

C.  Even though  religious practices and beliefs involving individuals 
that communicate with the spirit world and cure disease  have been documented  all over the world, 
 but  the term Shamanism was derived from Siberian tribal culture, 
in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

D.  Although  the term Shamanism has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, 
in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans, 
religious practices and beliefs involving individuals, 
who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, 
are documented all over the world

E. Documented all over the world, 
the term Shamanism, 
referring to a system of religious practices and 
belief that involves individuals communicating with the spirit world and curing disease, 
was being derived from the tribal culture of Siberia, 
where the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.
 Wrong : Intended meaning and sentence structure error.

Posted from my mobile device

asishron29181 · Answer

While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

A. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term  has been  derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans. - Incorrect. Tense error.

B. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.  - Correct. Provides the accurate meaning of the sentence and uses the correct tense as well.

C. Even though religious practices and beliefs involving individuals that communicate with the spirit world and cure disease have been documented all over the world, but the term Shamanism was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans. - Incorrect. Meaning issue.

D. Although the term Shamanism has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans, religious practices and beliefs involving individuals, who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, are documented all over the world- Incorrect. Meaning issue.  Although X, Y is the correct form of idiom.

E. Documented all over the world, the term Shamanism, referring to a system of religious practices and belief that involves individuals communicating with the spirit world and curing disease, was being derived from the tribal culture of Siberia, where the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.- Incorrect. Passive construction is not generally preferable on GMAT.

IMO B

Crytiocanalyst · Answer

A. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.
has been isn't the right usage since the name is derived in the past , was is the right usage therefore out

B. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.
was usage is perfect and the meaning too therefore let us hang on to it

C. Even though religious practices and beliefs involving individuals that communicate with the spirit world and cure disease have been documented all over the world, but the term Shamanism was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.
Evan though is brought to showcase contrast which is absolutely unnecessary and distorts the meaning therefore out

D. Although the term Shamanism has been derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans, religious practices and beliefs involving individuals, who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, are documented all over the world

E. Documented all over the world, the term Shamanism, referring to a system of religious practices and belief that involves individuals communicating with the spirit world and curing disease, was being derived from the tribal culture of Siberia, where the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.
Being is always a huge red flag here too it's the wrong answer along with that the meaning isn't perfect since the term was never documentation isn't making sense therefore out

Therefore IMO B

sivatx2 · Answer

A. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term  has been  derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

Slash & burn: While shamanism has been documented, the term has been derived from x culture.
  The term "has been" derived(present perfect)? Documentation can happen for longer period of time, but the term derivation should have happened in the past, only then it could be documented. Eliminate

B. While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving individuals who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, has been documented all over the world, the term  was  derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans. 
 This fixes the option A with simple past and there is no grammatical error. Keep

C.  Even though  religious practices and beliefs involving individuals that communicate with the spirit world and cure disease have been documented all over the world,  but  the term Shamanism was derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans. 
 Even though and but usage causes redundancy. Eliminate

D. Although the term Shamanism  has been  derived from Siberian tribal culture, in which the human intermediaries were known as Shamans, religious practices and beliefs involving individuals, who communicate with the spirit world and cure disease, are documented all over the world 
 Same issue with tense as in Option A. Eliminate.

E.  Documented  all over the world, the  term  Shamanism, referring to a system of religious practices and belief that involves individuals communicating with the spirit world and curing disease, was  being  derived from the tribal culture of Siberia, where the human intermediaries were known as Shamans.

Modifier error, with the phrase "Documented all over the word". Documented modifies the noun 'the term'. It is Shamanism which is documented all over the world. Also, "was being derived" causes tense error. Eliminate

Hence B is the best answer choice.

While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

While Shamanism, a system of religious practices and beliefs involving

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