Trans World Entertainment Corporation(Totally clueless)

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Trans World Entertainment Corporation, which owns the RecordTown and Saturday Matinee retail chains, announced that since sales of up to one-fourth of its stores are poor, they will be closed
A. that since sales of up to one-fourth of its stores are poor, they will be closed
B. it is closing up to one-fourth of its stores, which accounted for its poor sales
C. it was closing up to one fourth of its stores because of poor sales
D. to be closing, on account of poor sales, up to one-fourth of its stores
E. having poor sales, such that up to one-fourth of its stores will be closed

OA is C.

Totally clueless.More importantly I want to know how to attempt these kind of questions.
Experts please help.

I picked A.
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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:27 am
prabsahi wrote:Trans World Entertainment Corporation, which owns the RecordTown and Saturday Matinee retail chains, announced that since sales of up to one-fourth of its stores are poor, they will be closed
A. that since sales of up to one-fourth of its stores are poor, they will be closed
B. it is closing up to one-fourth of its stores, which accounted for its poor sales
C. it was closing up to one fourth of its stores because of poor sales
D. to be closing, on account of poor sales, up to one-fourth of its stores
E. having poor sales, such that up to one-fourth of its stores will be closed
The default referent for a subject pronoun is the SUBJECT OF THE PRECEDING CLAUSE.
In A, they (subject pronoun) seems to refer to sales (the subject of the preceding clause), implying that SALES will be closed.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that the unsuccessful STORES will be closed.
Eliminate A.

B: its stores, which accounted for its poor sales
Here, which seems to refer to its stores, implying that ALL of Trans World's stores were responsible for the company's poor sales.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that only ONE-FOURTH of the stores were unsuccessful.
Eliminate B.

Generally, an infinitive modifier serves to refer to the PRECEDING SUBJECT.
D: Trans World Entertainment Corporation...announced to be closing.
Here, announced to be closing is unidiomatic.
Worse, the implication of to be closing is that Trans World Entertainment Corporation (the preceding subject) is about TO BE CLOSING.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that UP TO ONE-FOURTH OF THE STORES will be closing.
Eliminate D.

E: announced having poor sales
Here, having seems to serve as the direct object of announced, implying that Trans World announced the ACT OF HAVING POOR SALES.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that the company announced IT WAS CLOSING UP TO ONE-FOURTH OF ITS STORES.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

In most cases on the GMAT, a reporting verb such as announced will be followed by that.
This SC -- which is from GMATPrep -- illustrates an important exception to this rule:
When a subject is reporting information about ITSELF, the GMAT may omit that from the noun-clause serving as the direct object of the reporting verb.
The typical construction is as follows:
SUBJECT + REPORTING VERB + it + VERB.

OA: Trans World Entertainment Corporation announced it was closing up to one fourth of its stores.
Here, Trans World is reporting information about itself.
As a result, it is permissible to omit that after the reporting verb announced.

SC48 in the OG for Verbal:
The seven-store retailer said it would start a three-month liquidation sale.
Here, the seven-store retailer is reporting information about itself.
As a result, it is permissible to omit that after the reporting verb said.

In some cases, the GMAT will INCLUDE that when the subject is reporting information about itself.
SC79 in the OG for Verbal:
The computer company has announced that it will purchase the color-printing division of a rival company.
Here, even though the computer company is reporting information about itself, the reporting verb has announced is followed by that.

Bottom line:
If a subject is reporting information about itself, a reporting verb such as announced may or may not be followed by that.
Thus, do not eliminate an answer choice solely because it includes or omits that after the reporting verb.
Instead, look for other reasons to eliminate answer choices.
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by prabsahi » Mon Jan 22, 2018 6:05 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
prabsahi wrote:Trans World Entertainment Corporation, which owns the RecordTown and Saturday Matinee retail chains, announced that since sales of up to one-fourth of its stores are poor, they will be closed
A. that since sales of up to one-fourth of its stores are poor, they will be closed
B. it is closing up to one-fourth of its stores, which accounted for its poor sales
C. it was closing up to one fourth of its stores because of poor sales
D. to be closing, on account of poor sales, up to one-fourth of its stores
E. having poor sales, such that up to one-fourth of its stores will be closed
The default referent for a subject pronoun is the SUBJECT OF THE PRECEDING CLAUSE.
In A, they (subject pronoun) seems to refer to sales (the subject of the preceding clause), implying that SALES will be closed.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that the unsuccessful STORES will be closed.
Eliminate A.

B: its stores, which accounted for its poor sales
Here, which seems to refer to its stores, implying that ALL of Trans World's stores were responsible for the company's poor sales.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that only ONE-FOURTH of the stores were unsuccessful.
Eliminate B.

Generally, an infinitive modifier serves to refer to the PRECEDING SUBJECT.
D: Trans World Entertainment Corporation...announced to be closing.
Here, announced to be closing is unidiomatic.
Worse, the implication of to be closing is that Trans World Entertainment Corporation (the preceding subject) is about TO BE CLOSING.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that UP TO ONE-FOURTH OF THE STORES will be closing.
Eliminate D.

E: announced having poor sales
Here, having seems to serve as the direct object of announced, implying that Trans World announced the ACT OF HAVING POOR SALES.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that the company announced IT WAS CLOSING UP TO ONE-FOURTH OF ITS STORES.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

In most cases on the GMAT, a reporting verb such as announced will be followed by that.
This SC -- which is from GMATPrep -- illustrates an important exception to this rule:
When a subject is reporting information about ITSELF, the GMAT may omit that from the noun-clause serving as the direct object of the reporting verb.
The typical construction is as follows:
SUBJECT + REPORTING VERB + it + VERB.

OA: Trans World Entertainment Corporation announced it was closing up to one fourth of its stores.
Here, Trans World is reporting information about itself.
As a result, it is permissible to omit that after the reporting verb announced.

SC48 in the OG for Verbal:
The seven-store retailer said it would start a three-month liquidation sale.
Here, the seven-store retailer is reporting information about itself.
As a result, it is permissible to omit that after the reporting verb said.

In some cases, the GMAT will INCLUDE that when the subject is reporting information about itself.
SC79 in the OG for Verbal:
The computer company has announced that it will purchase the color-printing division of a rival company.
Here, even though the computer company is reporting information about itself, the reporting verb has announced is followed by that.

Bottom line:
If a subject is reporting information about itself, a reporting verb such as announced may or may not be followed by that.
Thus, do not eliminate an answer choice solely because it includes or omits that after the reporting verb.
Instead, look for other reasons to eliminate answer choices.




You are just the best Mitch!!.I am glad you replied.This was troubling for a longer time.

I wanted to know a couple more points regarding this:

Option B: announced is past participle..and "is closing" is present..isn't that too a pitfall here apart from
From your explanation can I generalise ...X of Y ,Which implies which will refer to Y and Not X of Y.

Option D: to be closing...to be plus VERed is normal passive construction.
to be plus VERBing incorrect form
Example you have to be tested on english grammar.

Option E: announced having
seems announce is modifying having..which is not possible since only adverb can modify another verb.

Your points have already given me a lot of learning.Can you please shed some light if my thinking /approach for above options is correct.
I am a novice.Pardon me for mistakes :) and once again thank you so much.
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