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Confusing Dangling Modifier

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Confusing Dangling Modifier

by tacosychelas » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:40 pm
Hi,
If someone could expain why the answer is B over the others, spacially over C. Thanks in advance

Attaining a majesty that is rare among birds in flight, high in the sky, the condor soars over foothills that look like brushed brown suede on hot, dry days.
A) Attaining a majesty that is rare among birds in flight, high in the sky, the condor soars over foothills that look like brushed brown suede on hot, dry days.
B) High in the sky, soaring over foothills that on hot, dry days look like brushed brown suede, the condor attains a majesty that is rare among birds in flight.
C) The condor, when it is high in the sky and soars over foothills that on hot, dry days look like brushed brown suede, attains a majesty that is rare among birds in flight.
D) On hot, dry days, when the foothills look like brushed brown suede and the condor, high in the sky, soars over them, it attains a majesty that is rare among birds in flight.
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Re: Confusing Dangling Modifier

by Stuart@KaplanGMAT » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:14 pm
tacosychelas wrote:Hi,
If someone could expain why the answer is B over the others, spacially over C. Thanks in advance
Sure, I'll give it a go!

Attaining a majesty that is rare among birds in flight, high in the sky, the condor soars over foothills that look like brushed brown suede on hot, dry days.
A) Attaining a majesty that is rare among birds in flight, high in the sky, the condor soars over foothills that look like brushed brown suede on hot, dry days.
"on hot, dry days" modifies "looks like brushed brown suede", we want it to be a general reference to the conditions.
B) High in the sky, soaring over foothills that on hot, dry days look like brushed brown suede, the condor attains a majesty that is rare among birds in flight.
Not much to say - all the modifiers are in the right place and refer to the proper parts of the sentence.
C) The condor, when it is high in the sky and soars over foothills that on hot, dry days look like brushed brown suede, attains a majesty that is rare among birds in flight.
"soars" makes no sense in this sentence - we need "when it is high in the sky and soaring over foothills..."
D) On hot, dry days, when the foothills look like brushed brown suede and the condor, high in the sky, soars over them, it attains a majesty that is rare among birds in flight.
First, it just sounds clunkier than (b).

Second, "it attains a majesty that is rare among birds in flight" needs to be more clearly connected to the condor. The construction of the first parts of the sentence make the last part sound wrong.
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by kamalsinghy » Fri Jul 23, 2010 10:14 pm
I don't agree with Stuart on this question.

I think answer must be C.

I think the intended meaning is that the candor achieve the majesty when "it is high" and when " it soars on the foothill".
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by loveusonu » Sat Jul 24, 2010 2:59 am
Yep, Stuart is correct.

Starting "when it is high..." is a adjective clause. 'and Soars' just kills it, so you have half structure in one version and what follows after 'and' is in different version.
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by Onell » Wed Mar 30, 2011 6:17 am
loveusonu wrote:Yep, Stuart is correct.

Starting "when it is high..." is a adjective clause. 'and Soars' just kills it, so you have half structure in one version and what follows after 'and' is in different version.
I am bit confused....

1. Is soaring over foothills that on hot, dry days look like brushed brown suede, not a squinting modifier. I think it either modify the sky or the condor?
2. why are two adjective seperated by comma hot, dry?
Please smn help me to understand the str of this sentence
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by MAAJ » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:45 am
The two adjectives separated by COMMA makes the sentence a little confusing (like if "dry days" were a subject). Is this common/acceptable in the GMAT?

C) The condor, when it is high in the sky and soars over foothills that on hot, dry days look like brushed brown suede, attains a majesty that is rare among birds in flight.
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