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In assessing the problems!

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by gmat_perfect » Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:10 am
In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(A) In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(B) The question of whether the rural migrant worker is better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant in assessing the problems that they face.

(C) A question that is irrelevant in assessing the problems that rural migrant workers face is whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor.

(D) In an assessment of the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(E) The question of whether the rural migrant worker is better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant in an assessment of the problems that they face.

[spoiler]OA: D[/spoiler]

In an assessment of X and Y, Z ...

=> Here, does it mean that assessment is done by Z?

Thanks.
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by gmatmachoman » Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:36 am
gmat_perfect wrote:In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(A) In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(B) The question of whether the rural migrant worker is better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant in assessing the problems that they face.

(C) A question that is irrelevant in assessing the problems that rural migrant workers face is whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor.

(D) In an assessment of the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(E) The question of whether the rural migrant worker is better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant in an assessment of the problems that they face.

[spoiler]OA: D[/spoiler]

In an assessment of X and Y, Z ...

=> Here, does it mean that assessment is done by Z?

Thanks.
D is better than A becox in a prepositional phrase ; preposition +noun is preferred over preposition + gerund
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by pnk » Sun Jul 11, 2010 5:05 am
gmatmachoman wrote:
gmat_perfect wrote:In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(A) In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(D) In an assessment of the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

[spoiler]OA: D[/spoiler]
D is better than A becox in a prepositional phrase ; preposition +noun is preferred over preposition + gerund
Additionally, boz of the constructions..they in A cud refer to both problems & workers. While in D...problems is part of prep phrase...so they has only one logical reference.
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by tomada » Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:23 pm
Can someone indicate the source of this question? Was this taken from the OG?
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by adi_800 » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:47 am
went for A.
Can anyone tell why A is wrong?
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by kvcpk » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:53 am
pnk wrote:
gmatmachoman wrote:
gmat_perfect wrote:In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(A) In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(D) In an assessment of the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

[spoiler]OA: D[/spoiler]
D is better than A becox in a prepositional phrase ; preposition +noun is preferred over preposition + gerund
Additionally, boz of the constructions..they in A cud refer to both problems & workers. While in D...problems is part of prep phrase...so they has only one logical reference.
I thought "they" could refer only to people. Can it refer to "problems" also?
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by pnk » Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:18 am
kvcpk wrote:
pnk wrote:
gmatmachoman wrote:
gmat_perfect wrote:In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(A) In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(D) In an assessment of the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

[spoiler]OA: D[/spoiler]
D is better than A becox in a prepositional phrase ; preposition +noun is preferred over preposition + gerund
Additionally, boz of the constructions..they in A cud refer to both problems & workers. While in D...problems is part of prep phrase...so they has only one logical reference.
I thought "they" could refer only to people. Can it refer to "problems" also?
Yes 'they' can refer to both living and non-living things' eg:

Non-livings things do not exhibit any characteristics of life. They do not grow, respire, need energy, move, reproduce, evolve, or maintain homeostasis (here 'they' refers to 'things')

source: https://www.differencebetween.net/scienc ... z0ta0iIHar
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by kvcpk » Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:23 am
pnk wrote:Yes 'they' can refer to both living and non-living things' eg:

Non-livings things do not exhibit any characteristics of life. They do not grow, respire, need energy, move, reproduce, evolve, or maintain homeostasis (here 'they' refers to 'things')

source: https://www.differencebetween.net/scienc ... z0ta0iIHar
Thanks for the confirmation Pnk.. :)
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by GMATGuruNY » Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:30 am
gmat_perfect wrote:In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(A) In assessing the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(B) The question of whether the rural migrant worker is better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant in assessing the problems that they face.

(C) A question that is irrelevant in assessing the problems that rural migrant workers face is whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor.

(D) In an assessment of the problems faced by rural migrant workers, the question of whether they are better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant.

(E) The question of whether the rural migrant worker is better off materially than the urban working poor is irrelevant in an assessment of the problems that they face.

[spoiler]OA: D[/spoiler]

In an assessment of X and Y, Z ...

=> Here, does it mean that assessment is done by Z?

Thanks.
Quickest approach:

In A, the phrase in assessing is incorrectly modifying the noun question. The question is not assessing. Eliminate A.

In B and E, the pronoun they seems to refer both to the rural migrant worker and to the urban working poor, changing the meaning. The intended meaning is to discuss problems that only the rural migrant workers face. Eliminate B and E.

Between C and D, C is wordier and more awkward, so D is better.

The correct answer is D.

Side note: the pronoun they can refer to people or to things.
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