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22 Dec 2021, 01:08
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C
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
45%
(medium)
Question Stats:
63% (01:44) correct
37%
(01:40)
wrong
based on 256
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
While the union finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to the imposition of a surcharge on their repayments to pay the outstanding amount, many members were so angered that they marched on its headquarters.
A) While the union finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to the imposition of a surcharge on their
B) Although the union finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to the imposition of a surcharge to
C) When the union finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to the imposition of a surcharge on the
D) If the union finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to the imposition of a surcharge on its
E) Despite the unions finally agreeing, albeit reluctantly, to the imposition of a surcharge in the
Edit: Some of the language in this question has been edited since original publication on this site.
22 Dec 2021, 01:11
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
• Meaning?
I have done too much labor union history and practiced too much civil rights law; the truncated meaning of this sentence did not strike me. (I do not write SC questions that I post.)
I have changed acquiesced to agreed and added some other language.
Nonetheless, you still should have chosen option C on the basis of logic and diction. [If you are reading this OE after Dec 23 2021, ignore any reference to "acquiesce."
In this context, the union acquiesced to a demand—by a company, labor board, or government—that the union impose a surcharge on the union members' repayments of some kind.
Or, in my edited version, the union agreed to the imposition of a surcharge on repayments it was making, a charge that presumably got passed on to union members.
In other words, the union (though not happily) agreed to impose a surcharge on some repayments, which upset the members so much that they marched in protest in front of headquarters.
• Split #1: Pronoun mismatch
The word “union” is a collective singular noun, which will take the singular pronoun its but not the plural pronoun their.
Option A incorrectly pairs singular union and plural pronoun their.
Eliminate A
• Split #2: Idioms and Diction
The word surcharge can be followed by on but not by to (option B) or in (option E).
Eliminate option E for other reasons, too: its phrasing in the first clause is clunky (the first part should state "the union's agreeing" to reflect whose agreeing we are talking about.
Second, in good formal writing, most of the time, we prefer verbs (agreed) to gerunds (agreeing).
Finally, avoid ___ING nouns when a dedicated noun such as agreement exists.
Eliminate options B and D.
• Split #3: Conjunctions
The sentence intends to convey that the reluctant agreement to a surcharge by the unions angered the members.
The actions happened in a similar time frame.
For such actions, the conjunction when is suitable to indicate that something happened at the time of (and probably as a result of) another action—when the union agreed to the imposition of a surcharge, the members were angered.
Using if is incorrect: if is used to denote condition and results of things yet to happen.
If the sentence were If the unions agree to the surcharge, the members will be angered, then the word if could have been used in what is called a Type 1 conditional. (IF simple present, THEN simple future.)
However, since the events are already in the past, using when is best.
Option D uses if incorrectly.
Eliminate option D.
The correct answer is option C.
COMMENTS
Well, this question underwent quite an evolution.
The replies are thoughtful and interesting.
Happy holidays, everyone. Stay safe.
Nicely done.
Quote:
• Meaning?
I have done too much labor union history and practiced too much civil rights law; the truncated meaning of this sentence did not strike me. (I do not write SC questions that I post.)
I have changed acquiesced to agreed and added some other language.
Nonetheless, you still should have chosen option C on the basis of logic and diction. [If you are reading this OE after Dec 23 2021, ignore any reference to "acquiesce."
In this context, the union acquiesced to a demand—by a company, labor board, or government—that the union impose a surcharge on the union members' repayments of some kind.
Or, in my edited version, the union agreed to the imposition of a surcharge on repayments it was making, a charge that presumably got passed on to union members.
In other words, the union (though not happily) agreed to impose a surcharge on some repayments, which upset the members so much that they marched in protest in front of headquarters.
• Split #1: Pronoun mismatch
The word “union” is a collective singular noun, which will take the singular pronoun its but not the plural pronoun their.
Option A incorrectly pairs singular union and plural pronoun their.
Eliminate A
• Split #2: Idioms and Diction
The word surcharge can be followed by on but not by to (option B) or in (option E).
Eliminate option E for other reasons, too: its phrasing in the first clause is clunky (the first part should state "the union's agreeing" to reflect whose agreeing we are talking about.
Second, in good formal writing, most of the time, we prefer verbs (agreed) to gerunds (agreeing).
Finally, avoid ___ING nouns when a dedicated noun such as agreement exists.
Eliminate options B and D.
• Split #3: Conjunctions
The sentence intends to convey that the reluctant agreement to a surcharge by the unions angered the members.
The actions happened in a similar time frame.
For such actions, the conjunction when is suitable to indicate that something happened at the time of (and probably as a result of) another action—when the union agreed to the imposition of a surcharge, the members were angered.
Using if is incorrect: if is used to denote condition and results of things yet to happen.
If the sentence were If the unions agree to the surcharge, the members will be angered, then the word if could have been used in what is called a Type 1 conditional. (IF simple present, THEN simple future.)
However, since the events are already in the past, using when is best.
Option D uses if incorrectly.
Eliminate option D.
The correct answer is option C.
COMMENTS
Well, this question underwent quite an evolution.
The replies are thoughtful and interesting.
Happy holidays, everyone. Stay safe.
Nicely done.
22 Dec 2021, 02:02
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My answer is (C). It took me 01:51.
(A) What is the antecedent of "their"? Maybe "many members" in the main clause? We do not know enough context to say for sure. But typically union works on behalf of all members, not some of them.
Also, definite article "the" in "the surcharge" suggests that the thing mentioned has already been mentioned, or is common knowledge, or is about to be defined, none of which aptly applies here.
(B) "Surcharge to" is not commonly used.
definite article "the" in "the surcharge" is not warranted.
(C) fixes issues identified in (A).
(D) The use of "if" requires "would be so angered" in the main clause.
Note that "its repayment" is used in this version. It is better than "their".
(E) "Surcharge in" is not commonly used.
Moreover, "unions" should be "union's".
Finally, when a clause such as "although..." can be properly used, it is a gimmick GMAT does not favor to use "despite..."
(A) What is the antecedent of "their"? Maybe "many members" in the main clause? We do not know enough context to say for sure. But typically union works on behalf of all members, not some of them.
Also, definite article "the" in "the surcharge" suggests that the thing mentioned has already been mentioned, or is common knowledge, or is about to be defined, none of which aptly applies here.
(B) "Surcharge to" is not commonly used.
definite article "the" in "the surcharge" is not warranted.
(C) fixes issues identified in (A).
(D) The use of "if" requires "would be so angered" in the main clause.
Note that "its repayment" is used in this version. It is better than "their".
(E) "Surcharge in" is not commonly used.
Moreover, "unions" should be "union's".
Finally, when a clause such as "although..." can be properly used, it is a gimmick GMAT does not favor to use "despite..."
. Lastly, the "unions acquiescing" is incorrect in (E). As "Despite" is a preposition, the "acquiescing" acts as a gerund, and therefore needs to be preceded by the 
