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OG 12 -107

by aaggar7 » Mon Apr 15, 2013 7:10 pm
Originally developed for detecting air pollutants, a technique called proton-induced X-ray emission, which can quickly analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance without destroying it, is finding uses in medicine, archaeology, and criminology.

(A) Originally developed for detecting air pollutants,a technique called proton-induced X-ray
emission, which can quickly analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance
without destroying it,

(B) Originally developed for detecting air pollutants,having the ability to analyze the chemical
elements in almost any substance without destroying it, a technique called proton-induced
X-ray emission

(C) A technique originally developed for detecting air pollutants, called proton-induced X-ray
emission, which can quickly analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance
without destroying it,

(D) A technique originally developed for detecting air pollutants, called proton-induced X-ray
emission, which has the ability to analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance
quickly and without destroying it,

(E) A technique that was originally developed for detecting air pollutants and has the ability to
analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance quickly and without destroying the
substance, called proton-induced X-ray emission,
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by Gowri@CrackVerbal » Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:31 pm
What is your question, aaggar?
Please tell us how you approached this problem and where you got stuck. Then we can give some specific inputs that will help you out.
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by aaggar7 » Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:03 pm
Sorry for not explaining the issue correctly.

I have no idea how to move ahead with this kind of question.

B - can be incorrect as GMAT often avoids use of HAVING
E - looks awkward

Please explain how to spot errors and move ahead.Is there any particular rule applicable to this problem
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by Gowri@CrackVerbal » Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:14 am
aaggar7 wrote:Originally developed for detecting air pollutants, a technique called proton-induced X-ray emission, which can quickly analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance without destroying it, is finding uses in medicine, archaeology, and criminology.

(A) Originally developed for detecting air pollutants,a technique called proton-induced X-ray
emission, which can quickly analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance
without destroying it,

(B) Originally developed for detecting air pollutants,having the ability to analyze the chemical
elements in almost any substance without destroying it, a technique called proton-induced
X-ray emission

(C) A technique originally developed for detecting air pollutants, called proton-induced X-ray
emission, which can quickly analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance
without destroying it,

(D) A technique originally developed for detecting air pollutants, called proton-induced X-ray
emission, which has the ability to analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance
quickly and without destroying it,

(E) A technique that was originally developed for detecting air pollutants and has the ability to
analyze the chemical elements in almost any substance quickly and without destroying the
substance, called proton-induced X-ray emission,
This is a modifiers question and A is the OA.

The modifier phrase 'originally developed...pollutants' refers to the 'technique called proton-induced X-ray emission'. Therefore, this subject should immediately follow the comma after the modifier. This rule is violated in option B.

The second point of note here is that the phrase 'called proton-induced X-ray emission' refers to 'a technique' and must be placed as close to it as possible. In options C, D and E, the two are separated, making the sentence construction awkward.

Thus, A is the best answer choice.
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by CSASHISHPANDAY » Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:43 am
When dealing with modifiers, be careful to identify what modifiers the sentence is throwing at you, and make sure they are placed properly. If you're choosing between two options that seem to shuffle modifying clauses or phrases around, think to yourself: What is the clearest and most logical sequence of modifiers?

In the sentence above, the most important point is the placement of the participial phrase "called proton-induced X-ray emission." Normally, participial phrases set off by commas are very flexible modifiers. However, when a participial phrase NAMES the noun it describes, it must directly follow that noun (much like an appositive must directly follow the noun that it renames).

For example:

A boy ran down the street, named John.

This is incorrect, even though participial phrases set off by commas at the end of sentences can usually refer back to the subject of the sentence. Because "named John" NAMES the noun "boy," it must follow directly after "boy," as in:

A boy named John ran down the street.

We have the same situation in this SC problem. "Called proton-induced X-ray emission" is a participial phrase that NAMES the noun "a technique," so it must directly follow "technique." In C, D, and E, it does not follow "a technique," so we can eliminate these answer choices. This leaves choices B and A.

A is preferable to B because it is poor style to stack two modifiers before the noun that they both modify. For example, "Exhausted from the hike, covered in dirt, John couldn't wait to get home and take a shower" should be rewritten as "Exhausted from the hike, John, who was covered in dirt, couldn't wait to get home and take a shower." In the same way, "Originally developed for detecting air pollutants, a technique..." is a clearer option than the one in B. Additionally, the adjective clause beginning with "which" correctly describes the noun idea immediately before it.

Choice A is correct.
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by Gowri@CrackVerbal » Tue Apr 16, 2013 8:56 pm
CSASHISHPANDAY wrote:When dealing with modifiers, be careful to identify what modifiers the sentence is throwing at you, and make sure they are placed properly. If you're choosing between two options that seem to shuffle modifying clauses or phrases around, think to yourself: What is the clearest and most logical sequence of modifiers?

In the sentence above, the most important point is the placement of the participial phrase "called proton-induced X-ray emission." Normally, participial phrases set off by commas are very flexible modifiers. However, when a participial phrase NAMES the noun it describes, it must directly follow that noun (much like an appositive must directly follow the noun that it renames).

For example:

A boy ran down the street, named John.

This is incorrect, even though participial phrases set off by commas at the end of sentences can usually refer back to the subject of the sentence. Because "named John" NAMES the noun "boy," it must follow directly after "boy," as in:

A boy named John ran down the street.

We have the same situation in this SC problem. "Called proton-induced X-ray emission" is a participial phrase that NAMES the noun "a technique," so it must directly follow "technique." In C, D, and E, it does not follow "a technique," so we can eliminate these answer choices. This leaves choices B and A.

A is preferable to B because it is poor style to stack two modifiers before the noun that they both modify. For example, "Exhausted from the hike, covered in dirt, John couldn't wait to get home and take a shower" should be rewritten as "Exhausted from the hike, John, who was covered in dirt, couldn't wait to get home and take a shower." In the same way, "Originally developed for detecting air pollutants, a technique..." is a clearer option than the one in B. Additionally, the adjective clause beginning with "which" correctly describes the noun idea immediately before it.

Choice A is correct.
This post has been copied word for word from this Knewton article: https://www.knewton.com/blog/gmat/2010/1 ... l-phrases/
If you are sharing someone else's answers, please give them due credit. :)
Gowri N Kishore
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