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Really Difficult One...Stuart? ;)

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Really Difficult One...Stuart? ;)

by cris » Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:01 pm
Recent indicators of weakness in the economy have led consumers to be more conservative with their purchases; [u]so depressed have sales figures been as a result that[/u] the goverment has launched several iniciatives to actively encourage consumer spending.

A) so depressed have sales figures been as a result that

B) the sales figures have been so depressed as result that


How do we choose from these two options?

One of them is the correct answer.

Thanks!
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antecedent

by resilient » Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:40 pm
Hello Cris,

B is the answer. The reason for this is that the modifying phrase starts the sentence off then comes a comma. After this point the antecedent or subject must come as close to the modifying phrase as physically possible. Hope that answers your question.
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by simplyjat » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:11 pm
Isn't it the case of active voice v/s passive voice ?
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passive voice

by resilient » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:33 pm
Indeed, A does look like its in passive voice and also the subject is so far away from the modifying phrase.
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by cris » Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:26 am
Nope, that is not the case simplyjak...why do you say that A is passive??

In fact A is the correct answer...

Anybody knows why?
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by frame » Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:20 am
to me when i look at answer A, "a result" refers to the sales figure being depressed by consumer conservatism.

While in answer B "result" seems ambiguous and just out of place
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by cris » Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:28 am
yes, I think is that frame :)
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Re: Really Difficult One...Stuart? ;)

by Stuart@KaplanGMAT » Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:10 am
cris wrote:Recent indicators of weakness in the economy have led consumers to be more conservative with their purchases; so depressed have sales figures been as a result that the goverment has launched several iniciatives to actively encourage consumer spending.

A) so depressed have sales figures been as a result that

B) the sales figures have been so depressed as result that


How do we choose from these two options?

One of them is the correct answer.

Thanks!
Neither of them is more passive than the other; they both contain "have been as a result", just moved around a bit.

The problem with (b) is that, by moving around the "so", we change the emphasis of the sentence. Changing the meaning is a no-no, so (b) is out.

Even though (a) may sound awkwark, it's a proper construction.

"So happy was I that I danced all night" may sound odd, but it's gramatically correct (just a bit stylistically advanced/poetic).
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by simplyjat » Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:18 pm
The problem with (b) is that, by moving around the "so", we change the emphasis of the sentence. Changing the meaning is a no-no, so (b) is out.
In both the sentence "so" is not moved, "so depressed" is moved.

And I see that in one of the sentences noun(sales figures) comes before verb (depressed). And AFAIK, the order of noun & verb differentiate active from passive. And "Have been" only specifies "present perfect tense"
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by tanviet » Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:40 am
Help, pls, Stuart

the question 153 in OG10(and another question in OG10-I do not remember)prefer normal order. So, B is correct.

Pls, review the question and explain, anyone, help
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