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by gmat740 » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:09 am
yep,that was the case, sorry I just over-looked

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Re: 632

by walker » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:23 am
vaivish wrote:632. Selling several hundred thousand copies in six months, the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899 was an instant hit, helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

(A) Selling several hundred thousand copies in six months, the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899 was an instant hit, helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

Passive voice, tense issue, selling, helping and was

(B) The publication in 1899 of “Maple Leaf Rag” was an instant hit: in six months they sold several hundred thousand copies and it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

pronoun error, this sentence makes :publication as a subject, which is changing the meaning


(C) Helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer was the publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899, which was an instant hit: it sold several hundred thousand copies in six months.

Passive, 'it' pronoun is wrongly referring to subject 'helping''


(D) “Maple Leaf Rag” was an instant hit: it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer, published in 1899 and selling several hundred thousand copies in six months.

parellism issue

(E) Published in 1899, “Maple Leaf Rag” was an instant hit, selling several hundred thousand copies in six months: it helped establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

proper modifier, proper subject, proper use of :

OA is E .

pl explain
SO E wins!!

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by wishkaro » Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:35 am
Can anybody pls expalin me the use of colon in Option E.

since colon generally used to give example (same as use of 'such as')
e.g., He purchased all brand shirts: Arrow, Lee etc.

Semi colon indicate both sides sentences are balance e.g. A;B
A and B are balance sentences.

Thanks in advance.

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by tanviet » Tue Dec 13, 2011 7:35 pm
pls, help
I am not satisfied with the explanation of why A is wrong.

pls, explain, why A is wrong?

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by tuanquang269 » Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:37 am
IMO E

in choice A: Selling several hundred thousand copies in six months, the publication of "Maple Leaf Rag" in 1899 was an instant hit, helping to establish Scott Joplin as the preeminent ragtime composer.

Phrase "helping to establish" is used to modify the main clause is wrong in the meaning. That is why I cross off this choice.