A new questions

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A new questions

by steven7dong » Tue Oct 01, 2013 6:10 pm
Hello, I got so many helpful answers here and thank you all for the discussion.

Here comes another question.

While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the gross domestic product of the state of New Jersey in the United States is roughly equivalent to the entire country of Pakistan.


A)While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the gross domestic product of the state of New Jersey in the United States is roughly equivalent to the entire country of Pakistan.
B)While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the gross domestic product of the state of New Jersey in the United States is roughly equivalent to that of the entire country of Pakistan.
C)While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the state of New Jersey in the United States has a gross domestic product roughly equivalent to the entire country of Pakistan.
D)While they differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the state of New Jersey in the United States has a gross domestic product roughly equivalent to the entire country of Pakistan.
E)While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the state of New Jersey in the United States and the country of Pakistan have gross domestic products that are roughly equivalent.

I chose B but the correct answer is E.
And here's the explanation of the correct answer in Princeton Review:

In the sentence, the gross domestic products of the two entities are being compared, and that comparison must be parallel. In the original version, the gross domestic product is literally being compared to the actual country(not the GDP of that country). Eliminate choice A, C and D repeat that same parallelism error. Choice B corrects the parallelism error but contains a misplaced modifier error that existed in the original sentence. Choice E corrects both errors and is the best answer.

I looked the original sentence and choice B over, over, over and over and over... again. I just couldn't find the misplaced modifier. Where is it? Which word is it? Please help me to point out and tell me why.

Appreciate your help!
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by [email protected] » Tue Oct 01, 2013 7:06 pm
Hi steven7dong,

The "misplaced modifier" is this...

The opening part of the sentence: "While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography," is supposed to describe/modify New Jersey and Pakistan.

Answer B uses to opening phrase to modify "the gross domestic product"; this is NOT proper modification.

Answer E uses the opening phrase to modify "the state of New Jersey"; this IS proper modification.

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by vinay1983 » Tue Oct 01, 2013 7:19 pm
steven7dong wrote:Hello, I got so many helpful answers here and thank you all for the discussion.

Here comes another question.

While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the gross domestic product of the state of New Jersey in the United States is roughly equivalent to the entire country of Pakistan.


A)While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the gross domestic product of the state of New Jersey in the United States is roughly equivalent to the entire country of Pakistan.
B)While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the gross domestic product of the state of New Jersey in the United States is roughly equivalent to that of the entire country of Pakistan.
C)While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the state of New Jersey in the United States has a gross domestic product roughly equivalent to the entire country of Pakistan.
D)While they differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the state of New Jersey in the United States has a gross domestic product roughly equivalent to the entire country of Pakistan.
E)While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography, the state of New Jersey in the United States and the country of Pakistan have gross domestic products that are roughly equivalent.

I chose B but the correct answer is E.
And here's the explanation of the correct answer in Princeton Review:

In the sentence, the gross domestic products of the two entities are being compared, and that comparison must be parallel. In the original version, the gross domestic product is literally being compared to the actual country(not the GDP of that country). Eliminate choice A, C and D repeat that same parallelism error. Choice B corrects the parallelism error but contains a misplaced modifier error that existed in the original sentence. Choice E corrects both errors and is the best answer.

I looked the original sentence and choice B over, over, over and over and over... again. I just couldn't find the misplaced modifier. Where is it? Which word is it? Please help me to point out and tell me why.

Appreciate your help!

Hmmm here the author intents to show the difference between new jersey and pakistan and not the GDP per se. So any option that gives us the comparison is the correct option. Let us have a look

Option A is wrong as it is because GDP of New Jersey is compared to Pakistan. Wrong

Option B While the two differ is the opening phrase of the option. Question is who?Who/what is two here? Incorrect

Option C Same error as of option A

Option D rightly incorrect as it uses "they"

Option E Correct comparison between state of new jersey and pakistan and also original meaning is carried forward, that the GDP is equivalent

Hope I am of some help
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by theCodeToGMAT » Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:04 pm
{A} - Incorrect; "While the two differ greatly in size, population" is modifying "the GDP"
{B} - Incorrect; "While the two differ greatly in size, population" is modifying "the GDP"
{C} - Incorrect; "While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography" should modify both the entities and not only one.
{D} - Incorrect; "they" is incorrectly referring to "state of New Jersey"
{E} - Correct; "While the two differ greatly in size, population, and geography" modifies "he state of New Jersey in the United States and the country of Pakistan"

Answer [spoiler]{E}[/spoiler]
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