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need an expert reply on this one

by Ankittalwar » Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:16 am
Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842 and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.

(1) Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world,
(2) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that
(3) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of the most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that
(4) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that
(5) Originally a trading port estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world, Hong-Kong

the OA is C, but i think answer should be B
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by CappyAA » Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:58 am
The problem I see with B is the part where it says:

"currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world.."

This is awkward as written and would be better if it said:

"currently estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world.."

As written, C is correct and not awkward IMO.
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by GmatKiss » Thu Sep 22, 2011 7:18 am
CappyAA wrote:The problem I see with B is the part where it says:

"currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world.."

This is awkward as written and would be better if it said:

"currently estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world.."

As written, C is correct and not awkward IMO.
Absolutely, "THE" is the catch here!!

IMO:C
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by aspirant2011 » Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:42 am
Ankittalwar wrote:Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, turned into a dependent territory of Great Britain in 1842 and was transferred to China on July 1st, 1997.

(1) Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world,
(2) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth most densely-populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that
(3) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of the most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that
(4) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the list of most densely-populated regions in the world, was originally a trading port that
(5) Originally a trading port estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world, Hong-Kong

the OA is C, but i think answer should be B
B would have been better if it would have been

Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be the fourth most densely-populated region in the world, was originally a trading port that
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by Brian@VeritasPrep » Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:57 am
Hey guys,

"the" is definitely a problem in A and B, but actually if we were to fix that (and missing an article like "a" or "the" seems like more of a broken-English type problem than a true GMAT decision point), I'd argue hard that A is a much, much better choice than C.

The meaning of C is off... it's saying that Hong Kong "was originally a trading port that turned into a dependent territory in 1842". And given China's long and storied history dating back millenia through famous dynasties and eras...I don't think that Hong Kong was ORIGINALLY anything in and around 1842.

So I think the better lesson here is related to meaning. If A correctly had that "the" in front of "fourth most densely-populated", A is correct. And the meaning in C (and B and D) just doesn't hold up to that scrutiny. It puts the last 170 years of Hong Kong's several-thousand-year history all under the term "Originally", which is logically incorrect.
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by mad2011 » Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:50 pm
Brian

MGMAT Says its when sentence has two modifiers its better convert one modifier into a clause
C does exactly the same.I agree "THE" is deciding factor here but if we go by you logic and ADD
THE in option A
shouldn't C still be THE preferred choice
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by gunjan1208 » Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:35 am
It has to be C:

Did any one notice this:

3) Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be fourth in the ---
  • ------ in the world, was originally a trading port that

    I think this is the make/Break point here.....If "regions" is used in A, A would make most of the sense. But here this brings A down.

    let me know if it is right way to think!!!!
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by Nidhi4mba » Fri Sep 23, 2011 4:07 am
You're absolutely wrong Gunjan.."region" is absolutely fine in A. HongKong is a singular & required a singular ( region & not regions)...Look closely at A...If A were like " Originally a trading port, Hong-Kong, currently estimated to be among the four most densely-populated regions in the world" ,they your region/regions concept would hold true...Try to read the sentence before reaching to some conclusion..
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by Brian@VeritasPrep » Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:54 am
Hey mad2011,

A few things here related to your question:

1) That "2 modifiers ---> convert one to a clause" rule is not absolute. Maybe it's a preference to some but it's not a definite, binary, right-vs.-wrong situation so I wouldn't ever use that as a GMAT decision point. Here's an example of an Official Guide question in which the correct answer (E) uses two modifiers:
Having the right hand and arm being crippled by a sniper's bullet during the First World War, Horace Pippin, a Black American painter, worked by holding the brush in his right hand and guiding its movements with his left


(A) Having the right hand and arm being crippled by a sniper's bullet during the First World War

(B) In spite of his right hand and arm being crippled by a sniper's bullet during the First World War

(C) Because there had been a sniper's bullet during the First World War that crippled his right hand and arm

(D) The right hand and arm being crippled by a sniper's bullet during the First World War

(E) His right hand and arm crippled by a sniper's bullet during the First World War


2) For those more-obscure grammar rules (or in this case, preferences...that's definitely not a "rule"), know that LOGIC is a much more reliable way to look at problems. By far, most modifier errors you'll see on the GMAT violate logic, not just "grammar".

As someone who is struggling with GMAT Sentence Correction, I think you should focus more on logic than on memorizing grammar rules.

Is an incorrect sentence, not really because of "grammar" ("I" theoretically could be someone struggling with SC) but because the meaning is wrong (I'm not...the modifier should apply to you).

Similarly, "I hope that you had studied the logical elements of Sentence Correction before you take the GMAT next month" is also wrong because of the logic/meaning - those actions cannot take place in that order. Your text is next month; I can't say that you previously studied when I'm talking about the future...it just doesn't make sense.

The GMAT has to test absolute answers, not preferences or "you either heard that before and you get it right or you didn't and you get it wrong" items. The latter items are invalid as predictors of your ability level...they're trivia questions, essentially. The former assesses your ability to THINK, much like Critical Reasoning, Data Sufficiency...the rest of the exam. Logic can't fail you if you use it properly - if something is illogical there's no "I before E except after C when sound is long E" English language weirdness to it - it's just wrong. And that's what the GMAT has to test (and will explicitly state that it tests...it's a REASONING test, not a knowledge test).


3) This question is flawed - you simply cannot have an illogical meaning like the one in choice C in a correct answer on an official question. And I'm not attacking the question at all...I just noticed the logical flaw and, since I know that's been a point of much consternation on the boards this week, I thought it was a good opportunity to point that out, that that's the kind of thing you want to start looking for (if you're not already).
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