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

Redeem

sc - misplaced modifier?

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 118
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:44 pm
Location: Canada
Followed by:2 members
GMAT Score:530

sc - misplaced modifier?

by ccassel » Fri Apr 08, 2011 2:55 pm
Hi.

How would you explain the answer to this question?

In ancient times, Nubia was the principal corridor where there were cultural influences transmitted between Black Africa and the Mediterranean basin.

(A) where there were cultural influences transmitted
(B) through which cultural influences were transmitted
(C) where there was a transmission of cultural influences
(D) for the transmitting of cultural influences
(E) which was transmitting cultural influences

Cheers,
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 Apr 08, 2011 3:22 pm
ccassel wrote:Hi.

How would you explain the answer to this question?

In ancient times, Nubia was the principal corridor where there were cultural influences transmitted between Black Africa and the Mediterranean basin.

(A) where there were cultural influences transmitted
(B) through which cultural influences were transmitted
(C) where there was a transmission of cultural influences
(D) for the transmitting of cultural influences
(E) which was transmitting cultural influences

Cheers,
In C, D and E, it is unclear whether between is modifying influences or transmission/transmitting. Eliminate C, D and E.

In A, where there were cultural influences does not convey the intended meaning. The cultural influences were not in the corridor; they were transmitted through the corridor. Eliminate A.

The correct answer is B.
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
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

by atulmangal » Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:24 pm
@Mitch

I tried to understand your approach but i have some confusions...Please clear.

first doubt..u said that
In C, D and E, it is unclear whether between is modifying influences or transmission/transmitting. Eliminate C, D and E.
Is it because in Op C and Op D, we have
X of Y between construction and we don't know between is modifying X or Y ???? Please confirm.

If yes then why Op E is unclear in same way...as in Op E, we have "was transmitting" verb and left with only "cultural influences" before Between.

Second doubt

If i'm correct about this X of Y between construction thing..then can we apply this same concept in case of X of Y THAT...constructions...for example i recently put a question in sc forum...the correct answer option is given below

Books in European libraries last longer than books in libraries in the United States because, although the climate in Europe is fairly humid, libraries there are not subjected to the extremes of temperature and humidity that damage collections in the United States.

Here also THAT can refer to "extremes" or "temperature and humidity"...but the sentence is correct.

So should we say that both the constructions: X of Y between and X of Y THAT are different??? should we say that X of Y THAT construction is okay...and THAT refer to X or Y depends on the context or the verb following THAT
While X of Y between construction is unclear..???

Please clear, i tried my level best to put my confusion clearly...

Thanks a lot

Atul




[/i]
Top
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 Apr 08, 2011 6:25 pm
atulmangal wrote:@Mitch

I tried to understand your approach but i have some confusions...Please clear.

first doubt..u said that
In C, D and E, it is unclear whether between is modifying influences or transmission/transmitting. Eliminate C, D and E.
Is it because in Op C and Op D, we have
X of Y between construction and we don't know between is modifying X or Y ???? Please confirm.

If yes then why Op E is unclear in same way...as in Op E, we have "was transmitting" verb and left with only "cultural influences" before Between.

Second doubt

If i'm correct about this X of Y between construction thing..then can we apply this same concept in case of X of Y THAT...constructions...for example i recently put a question in sc forum...the correct answer option is given below

Books in European libraries last longer than books in libraries in the United States because, although the climate in Europe is fairly humid, libraries there are not subjected to the extremes of temperature and humidity that damage collections in the United States.

Here also THAT can refer to "extremes" or "temperature and humidity"...but the sentence is correct.

So should we say that both the constructions: X of Y between and X of Y THAT are different??? should we say that X of Y THAT construction is okay...and THAT refer to X or Y depends on the context or the verb following THAT
While X of Y between construction is unclear..???

Please clear, i tried my level best to put my confusion clearly...

Thanks a lot

Atul

[/i]
A prepositional phrase can function as an adjective or as an adverb. Thus, placing the prepositional phrase between Black Africa and the Mediterranean Basin next to the noun influences creates confusion. The phrase could be functioning as an adjective (influences between Black Africa and the Mediterranean Basin) or as an adverb (influences transmitted between Black Africa and the Mediterranean Basin).

Two rules:

-- It must be clear what a modifier is modifying.
-- A modifier should be as close as possible to what it's modifying.

Since A and B correctly place between next to the verb transmitted -- making it clear that the influences are being transmitted between Black Africa and the Mediterranean Basin -- we should eliminate C, D, and E.

There is no such confusion in the example that you cited:

....the extremes of temperature and humidity that damage collections in the United States.

In the phrase above, the subject of the verb damage clearly is extremes: the extremes...that damage collections.

For the subject to be temperature and humidity, each of these nouns would need to be preceded by the direct article the:

...the extremes of the temperature and the humidity that damage collections in the United States.
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
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 » Tue Sep 20, 2011 2:13 pm
edirik wrote:Hi Mitch,

Just stuck on your explanation below:
For the subject to be temperature and humidity, each of these nouns would need to be preceded by the direct article the:

...the extremes of the temperature and the humidity that damage collections in the United States.
Is this a rule,which I need to keep in mind, implying that if you use articles such as "the, an, a" then it separates each noun and make the verb form plural?

Is this sentence correct? extreme without "s"
...the extreme of the temperature and the humidity that damage collections in the United States.
The inclusion -- or omission -- of THE can change the meaning.
Note the different meanings conveyed by the phrases below:

THE BURST of color filling the screen.

In the phrase above, THE BURST is filling the screen.
Replace color with THE COLOR, and the meaning changes:

The burst of THE COLOR filling the screen.

In the phrase above, THE COLOR is filling the screen.

Thus, in the SC above:

THE EXTREMES of temperature and humidity that damage collections implies that THE EXTREMES damage collections.
The extremes of THE TEMPERATURE AND THE HUMIDITY that damage collections implies that THE TEMPERATURE AND THE HUMIDITY damage collections.
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