With an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a

Question

With an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles, proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads.

A. With an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles, proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads.

B. Proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries with an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads.

C. Meeting to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads with an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles were several Western bloc countries.

D. Proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads that can devastate life and property with an explosive capacity for a radius of hundreds of miles.

E. Proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads with an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles.

jugglerG2 · Answer

I got confused between D and E and eventually chose D.

Isn't "that" in option D appropriately refers to "Nuclear Warheads"?

In option E, "with" seem to me as squinting, could be referring to "Proponents of peace" or "Nuclear Warheads"?

Please provide OE to make it clear.

JarvisR · Answer

Between D and E.

D. Proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads that can devastate life and  property with an explosive capacity  for a radius of hundreds of miles.

E. Proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads with an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles.

War heads have explosive capacity and not property. So E.

Proponents of peace 
   from several Western bloc countries 
  met  to discuss 
the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear   warheads   
 with an explosive capacity 
   that   can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles.

KyleWiddison · Answer

Nice explanation above. In response to 'that' and 'with' questions, using 'that' does correctly refer to nuclear warheads, but the modifier after property is used incorrectly (as pointed out above).

The 'with' modifier is acting as a noun modifier. Noun modifiers need to sit next to or very close to the noun they modifier. In this case it's clear from a meaning and placement standpoint that warheads are being modified, not proponents of peace.

KW

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Konstantin1983 · Answer

With an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles, proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads.

A. With an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles, proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads.  "With an explosive capacity"...incorrectly modifies "proponents of peace from..."

B. Proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries with an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads.  Again. "Countries" or "nuclear heads" have explosive capacity that can devastate life?

C. Meeting to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads with an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles were several Western bloc countries.  Awkward constuction

D. Proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads that can devastate life and property with an explosive capacity for a radius of hundreds of miles. Property with explosive capacity? Haha

E. Proponents of peace from several Western bloc countries met to discuss the continuing manufacture and deployment of nuclear warheads with an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a radius of hundreds of miles. Correct

Humblebuggie · Answer

IMO E.
The question starts with a modifier+ comma+ main clause
To get the answer easy, just revert the sentence -->   +   since preposition 'with' nicely fit into the sentence without any changes.
all other options are having modifier issue.

sentence itself wrongly constructed since the initial modifier describes about a warhead but main clause starts with 'proponents'

Bunuel · Answer

Official Explanation

E. The introductory phrase in the original (preceding the comma) properly modifies warheads. Only choice E makes this necessary change while retaining the intended meaning of the original.

With an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a

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With an explosive capacity that can devastate life and property for a

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