BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

SC|prep|account of and because

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 120
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2015 11:09 am

SC|prep|account of and because

by gocoder » Wed Sep 07, 2016 6:07 am
On account of a law passed in 1993, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold gold in the form of bullion or coins, immigrants found that on arrival in the United States they had to surrender all of the gold they had brought with them.

A. On account of a law passed in 1993, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold

B. With a law passed in 1933 that makes it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold
C. A law passed in 1933 that made it a crime punishable by imprisonment for a United States citizen holding
D. Because of a law passed in 1933 making it a crime punishable by imprisonment for a United States citizen to hold
E. Due to a law being passed in 1933 that makes it a crime punis


I'm actually torn apart among A, C and D.

B is wrong because 'with....., immigrants.....'-> C seems to suggest that immigrants passed the law, conveying the wrong meaning.
I also think present tense in B 'makes' is ok here because 'makes' conveys that the law is still valid.

E is wrong because 'being' is unnecessary
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Fri Sep 09, 2016 6:59 am
gocoder wrote:On account of a law passed in 1993, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold gold in the form of bullion or coins, immigrants found that on arrival in the United States they had to surrender all of the gold they had brought with them.

A. On account of a law passed in 1993, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold

B. With a law passed in 1933 that makes it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold
C. A law passed in 1933 that made it a crime punishable by imprisonment for a United States citizen holding
D. Because of a law passed in 1933 making it a crime punishable by imprisonment for a United States citizen to hold
E. Due to a law being passed in 1933 that makes it a crime punis
The agent of a COMMA + VERBing modifier must be a SUBJECT that precedes or follows the modifier.
In A, COMMA + making seems to refer to immigrants -- the following subject -- implying that IMMIGRANTS were MAKING something a crime.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that a LAW made something a crime.
Eliminate A.

B: With a law...immigrants found that...they had to surrender all of the gold...
Here, the modifier in red implies that immigrants USED a law to perform the action in blue.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that the action in blue was performed BECAUSE of the law.
Eliminate B.

In C, it lacks a clear antecedent.
Eliminate C.

due to is an ADJECTIVE.
It must serve to modify a NOUN.
E: Due to a law...immigrants
Here, due to seems to refer to immigrants, implying that IMMIGRANTS were DUE TO a law.
This meaning is nonsensical.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1