new style of aircraft

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gibran: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 42; Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:51 am; Thanked: 1 times

by gibran » Tue May 20, 2008 9:22 am

According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

A. According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.
B. By skimming along the top of the atmosphere, proponents of a proposed new style of aircraft say it could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.
C. A proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours, according to its proponents, with it skimming along the top of the atmosphere.
D. A proposed new style of aircraft, say its proponents, could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours because of its skimming along the top of the atmosphere.
E. According to its proponents, skimming along the top of the atmosphere makes it possible that a proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

IMO, it is B. But OA says A.

A - incorrect because of incorrect referrent "its proponents".
B - correctly refers to "proponents of a proposed new style of aircraft"
C - same error as 'A' and "its" does not refer correctly to the aircraft
D - same error as C
E - wordy

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Tue May 20, 2008 9:22 am

s_raizada: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 146; Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:13 pm; Thanked: 1 times

by s_raizada » Tue May 20, 2008 1:04 pm

B - run on sentecne. no conjunction betweeen 'proponents ....say' and 'it could fly'

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VP_Jim: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1223; Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 3:29 pmFollowed by: 15 members; Location: Los Angeles, CA; Thanked: 185 times

by VP_Jim » Tue May 20, 2008 1:51 pm

Hi gibran,

Here's another reason B is incorrect:

Remember the rule: when a sentence begins with a modifying phrase followed by a comma, the noun after the comma must be the logical subject of that phrase.

B violates this rule because the subject of the modifying phrase "By skimming along the top of the atmosphere" doesn't make sense. The sentence makes it sound as if the proponents are things that are skimming along the top of the atmosphere, because "proponents" is the next word after the phrase. However, the word(s) after the phrase should be "a new style of aircraft", to show that the aircraft is the thing that is skimming.

Hope this helps!

Jim S. | GMAT Instructor | Veritas Prep

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netigen: Legendary Member; Posts: 631; Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:57 pmFollowed by: 3 members; Thanked: 29 times

by netigen » Tue May 20, 2008 1:52 pm

D is correct because in D first its is correctly qualified to Aircraft. So the second will refer to the same noun in same sentence.

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tar.goyal: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 50; Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:38 am; Thanked: 1 times

by tar.goyal » Wed May 21, 2008 1:11 am

D is incorrect IMO. D uses 'its skimming'.
I think C is the correct answer. its here refers to the new style of aircraft. I dont see a problem in C.

Please suggest!

I have started to realize that I am the one!!!

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VP_Jim: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1223; Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 3:29 pmFollowed by: 15 members; Location: Los Angeles, CA; Thanked: 185 times

by VP_Jim » Wed May 21, 2008 6:12 am

tar.goyal,

Regarding D, what about the second "its"? To me, that pronoun is ambiguous. It might refer to the plane, or it might refer to the Earth.

Jim S. | GMAT Instructor | Veritas Prep

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tar.goyal: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 50; Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:38 am; Thanked: 1 times

by tar.goyal » Wed May 21, 2008 7:05 am

Hi Jim,

I never said that D is correct!

I have started to realize that I am the one!!!

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VP_Jim: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1223; Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 3:29 pmFollowed by: 15 members; Location: Los Angeles, CA; Thanked: 185 times

by VP_Jim » Wed May 21, 2008 10:22 am

Whoops, you're right - that's what I get for posting early in the morning!

Jim S. | GMAT Instructor | Veritas Prep

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veenu08: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 106; Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 11:55 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 1 times

by veenu08 » Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:53 am

gibran wrote:According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

A. According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.
B. By skimming along the top of the atmosphere, proponents of a proposed new style of aircraft say it could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.
C. A proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours, according to its proponents, with it skimming along the top of the atmosphere.
D. A proposed new style of aircraft, say its proponents, could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours because of its skimming along the top of the atmosphere.
E. According to its proponents, skimming along the top of the atmosphere makes it possible that a proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

Can someone please help me to understand the structure, as per my understanding--

According to its proponents-- modifier
by skimming along the top of the atmosphere-- additional info
The main clause is-- a proposed new style of aircraft could fly between most points on Earth in under two hours., here then what is the subject ?

Regards,
Veenu

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