A controversial figure

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A controversial figure

by vaibhav.iit2002 » Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:18 am
26. A controversial figure throughout most of his public life, the Black leader Marcus Garvey advocated that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that, to him, symbolized the possibility of freedom.
(A) that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that, to him, symbolized the possibility of freedom
(B) that some Blacks return to the African land symbolizing the possibility of freedom to him
(C) that some Blacks return to Africa which was the land which symbolized the possibility of freedom to him
(D) some Black's returning to Africa which was the land that to him symbolized the possibility of freedom
(E) some Black's return to the land symbolizing the possibility of freedom to him, Africa


My ques is do we always require comma before which[when which can be used as an alternative to a modifier] as we do before a modifier?[e.g. options c and d]

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Re: A controversial figure

by umaa » Fri Oct 02, 2009 8:23 am
vaibhav.iit2002 wrote:26. A controversial figure throughout most of his public life, the Black leader Marcus Garvey advocated that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that, to him, symbolized the possibility of freedom.
(A) that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that, to him, symbolized the possibility of freedom
(B) that some Blacks return to the African land symbolizing the possibility of freedom to him
(C) that some Blacks return to Africa which was the land which symbolized the possibility of freedom to him
(D) some Black's returning to Africa which was the land that to him symbolized the possibility of freedom
(E) some Black's return to the land symbolizing the possibility of freedom to him, Africa


My ques is do we always require comma before which[when which can be used as an alternative to a modifier] as we do before a modifier?[e.g. options c and d]
I think it should.

By the way, IMO the answer is A.

OA pls.
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by Karen » Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:15 am
It's A.

One problem with B and C -- aside from their being awkward -- is that the modifiers are used restrictively: that is, they sound as if they're saying that he advocated that Blacks go to just the African land that symbolized freedom to him, not some other African land.

D and E say that he wanted just one Black person to go. They're awkward too, but you can eliminate them on the most obvious grounds right away.
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by rainmaker » Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:18 am
A seems correct

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by vaibhav.iit2002 » Fri Oct 02, 2009 9:53 am
Karen wrote:It's A.

One problem with B and C -- aside from their being awkward -- is that the modifiers are used restrictively: that is, they sound as if they're saying that he advocated that Blacks go to just the African land that symbolized freedom to him, not some other African land.

D and E say that he wanted just one Black person to go. They're awkward too, but you can eliminate them on the most obvious grounds right away.
Karen, Thanks for your reply.
You are right as A is correct and we can eliminate b,c,d,e.
My doubt is still the same.

(A) that some Blacks return to Africa, the land that, to him, symbolized the possibility of freedom
In this sentence comma is needed after Africa to separate the modifier "the land that"

(D) some Black's returning to Africa which was the land that to him symbolized the possibility of freedom

Now can we have similar rule here - can we eliminate D because comma should appear between Africa and which ?
or comma isn't needed?

Thanks.
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by punitkaur » Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:08 am
One reason why the option D seems incorrect to me and IMO cannot be compared to C is because of the idiom usage "advocated that". Its missing "that"

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by vaibhav.iit2002 » Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:28 am
punitkaur wrote:One reason why the option D seems incorrect to me and IMO cannot be compared to C is because of the idiom usage "advocated that". Its missing "that"
You are right. Definitely "that" is needed in D. A is clear winner here but I am more interested in learning the rule of comma with which.