Electronics company: Quesion on choice E

[This topic has 2 expert replies and 4 member replies]
Forum Index GMAT Verbal & Essays Sentence Correction
Free $100 Amazon.com Gift Card - Buy a GMAT course using a Beat The GMAT discount code between Mar 8-22 and get a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card. Learn more!
Post New Topic   Post Reply

vittalgmat
Moderator

Default Avatar

Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 616

Thanks given: 28
Thanked 22 times in 22 posts
Topic: Electronics company: Quesion on choice E
PostSun Oct 25, 2009 12:37 pm
Elapsed Time:
00:00
 Lap   Why a timer is critical to improving your score
The electronics company has unveiled what it claims to be the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, and it weighs less than 11 ounces.

A. to be the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, and it weighs
B. to be the smallest network digital camcorder in the world, which is as long as a handheld computer, weighing
C. is the smallest network digital camcorder in the world, which is as long as a handheld computer, and it weighs
D. is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, which is as long as a handheld computer and weighs
E. is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder, the length of which is that of a handheld computer, weighing

In the sentence above, I have a question on choice E.
Which clause does weighing modify?
'That of a handheld computer" ie
'length of a handheld computer' ?

Ron, Stuart, Stewart?

thanks a lot
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NikolayZ
Really wants to Beat The GMAT!

Default Avatar

Joined: 18 Jun 2009
Posts: 124

Thanks given: 3
Thanked 16 times in 14 posts
PostSun Oct 25, 2009 2:05 pm
Hey mate, I am not an expert but i'll try to answer your questions.
First of all, i believe that the right answer is D.
A,B - Claim to be - is incorrect
C - pronoun "it" has two possible antecedents.
E - weighing is the present participle and can not modify a noun. Moreover it is unclear what exactly "weighing" modifies - length, computer or camcorder.

D - has parallel and clear structure and meaning. Camcorder IS the longest ... and weighs....

2) That of a handheld computer really means length of the handheld computer.

Hope it helped.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
vittalgmat
Moderator

Default Avatar

Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 616

Thanks given: 28
Thanked 22 times in 22 posts
PostSun Oct 25, 2009 3:03 pm
NikolayZ wrote:
Hey mate, I am not an expert but i'll try to answer your questions.
First of all, i believe that the right answer is D.
A,B - Claim to be - is incorrect
C - pronoun "it" has two possible antecedents.
E - weighing is the present participle and can not modify a noun. Moreover it is unclear what exactly "weighing" modifies - length, computer or camcorder.

D - has parallel and clear structure and meaning. Camcorder IS the longest ... and weighs....

2) That of a handheld computer really means length of the handheld computer.

Hope it helped.
Thanks.. I know D is the OA Smile
Also "claim(s) to be" can be correct.. check this link.

http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/uses-of-which-t1766.html?hilit=the%20electronics%20company%20has%20unveiled
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Reply from GMAT/MBA Admissions Expert
See All Featured Experts
lunarpower
GMAT Instructor

Most Active Expert Most Thanked Expert
Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Posts: 1197

Thanks given: 0
Thanked 213 times in 186 posts

GMAT Score: 800
PostMon Nov 16, 2009 3:33 am
vittalgmat wrote:
In the sentence above, I have a question on choice E.
Which clause does weighing modify?
'That of a handheld computer" ie
'length of a handheld computer' ?

Ron, Stuart, Stewart?

thanks a lot
when you have a COMMA + -ING modifier, two things apply:
* the modifier itself MODIFIES THE PRECEDING CLAUSE (not just the noun that precedes the comma);
and
* the SUBJECT of the preceding clause is the IMPLIED SUBJECT of the -ING word.

the above 2 principles explain what is wrong with (e): the nearest clause has "the length of which" as its subject. therefore, "..., weighing" is making the ludicrous proposition that the length weighs about 11 ounces.
_________________
ron purewal

instructor, mgmat

Learn more about me
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Thanked by: vittalgmat, OGMATTERS
vittalgmat
Moderator

Default Avatar

Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 616

Thanks given: 28
Thanked 22 times in 22 posts
PostMon Nov 16, 2009 10:56 am
lunarpower wrote:
vittalgmat wrote:
In the sentence above, I have a question on choice E.
Which clause does weighing modify?
'That of a handheld computer" ie
'length of a handheld computer' ?

Ron, Stuart, Stewart?

thanks a lot
when you have a COMMA + -ING modifier, two things apply:
* the modifier itself MODIFIES THE PRECEDING CLAUSE (not just the noun that precedes the comma);
and
* the SUBJECT of the preceding clause is the IMPLIED SUBJECT of the -ING word.

the above 2 principles explain what is wrong with (e): the nearest clause has "the length of which" as its subject. therefore, "..., weighing" is making the ludicrous proposition that the length weighs about 11 ounces.
Thanks Ron,
As always, U are the GOD!!!.

rgds
-V
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
hk_4u
Rising GMAT Star

Default Avatar

Joined: 23 Oct 2007
Posts: 79

Thanks given: 14
Thanked 0 times in 0 posts
PostSat Jan 30, 2010 12:18 am
Hi Ron

Quote:
the modifier itself MODIFIES THE PRECEDING CLAUSE
I understand why option E is wrong as per your reasoning. But I thought

Quote:
the length of which is that of a handheld computer
is a modifier and the preceding clause in this case is
Quote:
what it claims is the world’s smallest network digital camcorder
Even with this reasoning, option E is incorrect (as camcorder is NOT the subject)

My question :

when looking back for the preceding clause, can we ignore the modifiers and the appositives ?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Reply from GMAT/MBA Admissions Expert
See All Featured Experts
lunarpower
GMAT Instructor

Most Active Expert Most Thanked Expert
Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Posts: 1197

Thanks given: 0
Thanked 213 times in 186 posts

GMAT Score: 800
PostSat Jan 30, 2010 4:10 am
hk_4u wrote:
My question :

when looking back for the preceding clause, can we ignore the modifiers and the appositives ?
hmm

from what i've seen, the COMMA -ING modifier usually modifies the closest clause.

so, if you have a clause inside a modifier (and that happens to be the nearest clause), then you're probably going to be modifying that clause.

viz.:
Joe laughed at his friend, who had knocked over the table, spilling things everywhere.
--> in this sentence, the COMMA -ING modifier (spilling) modifies the CLOSEST clause - i.e., "who had knocked over the table". this is a subordinate clause, but it's still a clause.
--> i think it's almost always going to be this way - it would be EXTREMELY awkward and unclear to use this sort of modifier to modify the main clause in this case. doing so wolud result in a sentence that would be, for all practical purposes, unreadable.

on the other hand, if the modifier is not a clause, then, yes, you can ignore it when you look for what is being modified by the COMMA -ING modifier.
_________________
ron purewal

instructor, mgmat

Learn more about me
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   

Post New Topic   Post Reply All times are GMT - 7 Hours
Page 1 of 1
 
Forum Index GMAT Verbal & Essays Sentence Correction
Most Active Members in Last 30 Days
1. harsh.champ 617 posts
2. shashank.ism 493 posts
3. money9111 445 posts
4. ajith 440 posts
5. thephoenix 378 posts
See More Top Beat The GMAT Members
Most Active Experts in Last 30 Days
1. Stuart Kovinsky
Kaplan GMAT Teacher 		82 posts
2. lunarpower
Manhattan GMAT Teacher 		69 posts
3. Testluv
Kaplan GMAT Teacher 		51 posts
4. Lisa Anderson
Stacy Blackman Consulting 		43 posts
5. Bryant@VeritasPrep
Veritas Prep 		41 posts
See More Top Beat The GMAT Experts