Sentence Correction

During gladiator matches, the unfair match-up between a prisoner with a short sword and ten soldiers with horses and whips can drive the prisoner to a state of manic frenzy, like a rampaging bull whose rage increases when its hide is pierced with swords.

(A) like a rampaging bull whose rage increases when its hide is pierced with swords

(B) like the increased rage of a rampaging bull when its hide is pierced with swords

(C) like a rampaging bull that increases rage while rampaging with its hide pierced with swords

(D) just as a rampaging bull that increases rage by piercing its hide with swords

(E) just as a rampaging bull's rage increases when it is pierced with swords


I limited my choices to D & E. But 'it' is option E should logically refers to 'bull' but as far as i know pronoun can't refer to a noun in possessive form.

Can any expert clarify???

Mo2men wrote:During gladiator matches, the unfair match-up between a prisoner with a short sword and ten soldiers with horses and whips can drive the prisoner to a state of manic frenzy, like a rampaging bull whose rage increases when its hide is pierced with swords.

(A) like a rampaging bull whose rage increases when its hide is pierced with swords

(B) like the increased rage of a rampaging bull when its hide is pierced with swords

(C) like a rampaging bull that increases rage while rampaging with its hide pierced with swords

(D) just as a rampaging bull that increases rage by piercing its hide with swords

(E) just as a rampaging bull's rage increases when it is pierced with swords

Generally, COMMA + like serves to refer to the PRECEDING SUBJECT.

In A and C, like a rampaging bull seems to refer to the unfair match-up -- the preceding subject -- implying that THE MATCH-UP is similar to A BULL.
This comparison is illogical.
Eliminate A and C.

In B, like the increased rage seems to refer to the unfair match-up -- the preceding subject -- implying that THE MATCH-UP is similar to THE RAGE.
This comparison is illogical.
Eliminate B.

D: just as a rampaging bull increases rage by piercing its hide with swords
Here, by piercing seems to refer a rampaging bull, implying that the BULL is piercing its own hide with swords.
This meaning is nonsensical.
Eliminate D.

Generally, the default referent for a subject pronoun is the preceding subject.
E: just as a rampaging bull's rage increases when it is pierced
Here, it (subject pronoun) seems to refer to rage (the preceding subject), implying that the RAGE is pierced.
Not the intended meaning.

None of the answer choices seems viable.
I would ignore this SC.

Please note that a subject pronoun may serve to refer to a possessive.
For an official example, check here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/although-she ... 84514.html

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Mo2men wrote:During gladiator matches, the unfair match-up between a prisoner with a short sword and ten soldiers with horses and whips can drive the prisoner to a state of manic frenzy, like a rampaging bull whose rage increases when its hide is pierced with swords.

(A) like a rampaging bull whose rage increases when its hide is pierced with swords

(B) like the increased rage of a rampaging bull when its hide is pierced with swords

(C) like a rampaging bull that increases rage while rampaging with its hide pierced with swords

(D) just as a rampaging bull that increases rage by piercing its hide with swords

(E) just as a rampaging bull's rage increases when it is pierced with swords

Generally, COMMA + like serves to refer to the PRECEDING SUBJECT.

In A and C, like a rampaging bull seems to refer to the unfair match-up -- the preceding subject -- implying that THE MATCH-UP is similar to A BULL.
This comparison is illogical.
Eliminate A and C.

In B, like the increased rage seems to refer to the unfair match-up -- the preceding subject -- implying that THE MATCH-UP is similar to THE RAGE.
This comparison is illogical.
Eliminate B.

D: just as a rampaging bull increases rage by piercing its hide with swords
Here, by piercing seems to refer a rampaging bull, implying that the BULL is piercing its own hide with swords.
This meaning is nonsensical.
Eliminate D.

Generally, the default referent for a subject pronoun is the preceding subject.
E: just as a rampaging bull's rage increases when it is pierced
Here, it (subject pronoun) seems to refer to rage (the preceding subject), implying that the RAGE is pierced.
Not the intended meaning.

None of the answer choices seems viable.
I would ignore this SC.

Please note that a subject pronoun may serve to refer to a possessive.
For an official example, check here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/although-she ... 84514.html

Can we assume that Choice E is the same as choice D in OG2016??/So we can assume 'it' refers to 'bull' the same as 'she' (subject pronoun) to be Elizabeth Barrett Browning's (a possessive). ???

Mo2men wrote:

Generally, the default referent for a subject pronoun is the preceding subject.
E: just as a rampaging bull's rage increases when it is pierced
Here, it (subject pronoun) seems to refer to rage (the preceding subject), implying that the RAGE is pierced.
Not the intended meaning.

None of the answer choices seems viable.
I would ignore this SC.

Please note that a subject pronoun may serve to refer to a possessive.
For an official example, check here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/although-she ... 84514.html

Can we assume that Choice E is the same as choice D in OG2016??/So we can assume 'it' refers to 'bull' the same as 'she' (subject pronoun) to be Elizabeth Barrett Browning's (a possessive). ???

The two answer choices are not analogous.
In E, the default referent for it (subject pronoun) is rage (the preceding subject).
The result is a nonsensical meaning.
In the OA to the OG16 SC, the only viable referent for she is Elizabeth Barrett Browning, so the intended meaning is both crystal clear and logical.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Mo2men wrote:During gladiator matches, the unfair match-up between a prisoner with a short sword and ten soldiers with horses and whips can drive the prisoner to a state of manic frenzy, like a rampaging bull whose rage increases when its hide is pierced with swords.

(A) like a rampaging bull whose rage increases when its hide is pierced with swords

(B) like the increased rage of a rampaging bull when its hide is pierced with swords

(C) like a rampaging bull that increases rage while rampaging with its hide pierced with swords

(D) just as a rampaging bull that increases rage by piercing its hide with swords

(E) just as a rampaging bull's rage increases when it is pierced with swords

Generally, COMMA + like serves to refer to the PRECEDING SUBJECT.

In A and C, like a rampaging bull seems to refer to the unfair match-up -- the preceding subject -- implying that THE MATCH-UP is similar to A BULL.
This comparison is illogical.
Eliminate A and C.

In B, like the increased rage seems to refer to the unfair match-up -- the preceding subject -- implying that THE MATCH-UP is similar to THE RAGE.
This comparison is illogical.
Eliminate B.

D: just as a rampaging bull increases rage by piercing its hide with swords
Here, by piercing seems to refer a rampaging bull, implying that the BULL is piercing its own hide with swords.
This meaning is nonsensical.
Eliminate D.

Generally, the default referent for a subject pronoun is the preceding subject.
E: just as a rampaging bull's rage increases when it is pierced
Here, it (subject pronoun) seems to refer to rage (the preceding subject), implying that the RAGE is pierced.
Not the intended meaning.

None of the answer choices seems viable.
I would ignore this SC.

Please note that a subject pronoun may serve to refer to a possessive.
For an official example, check here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/although-she ... 84514.html

When you say the preceding subject, why is that the "match-up" and not "prisoner" ?

asdfghjklasdfghjkl wrote:When you say the preceding subject, why is that the "match-up" and not "prisoner" ?

The core of the sentence is as follows:
The unfair match-up can drive a prisoner to a state of manic frenzy.
Here, the subject of can drive is the unfair match-up.