When a ton of wheat was being moved from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100, but when the canal was used, it took less than eight days and cost less than $6.

A. When a ton of wheat was being moved from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100, but when the canal was used, it

B. Moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100; using the canal, it

C. Before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks and cost $100; on the canal the move

D. In 1825, before opening the Erie Canal, to move a ton of wheat took three weeks from Buffalo to New York City, which cost $100; moving it on the canal

E. To move a ton of wheat in 1825 from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks before the opening of the Erie Canal, costing $100, but in using the canal, the move

A and B: it took three weeks
Here, it lacks a clear antecedent.
Eliminate A and B.

D: before opening the Erie Canal, to move a ton of wheat took 3 weeks
Here, it is unclear who or what is opening the Erie Canal.
Eliminate D.

E: in using the canal, the move took less than eight days
Here, using seems to refer to the move, implying that THE MOVE was USING the canal.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

When a ton of wheat was being moved from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100, but when the canal was used, it took less than eight days and cost less than $6.

A. When a ton of wheat was being moved from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100, but when the canal was used, it

B. Moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100; using the canal, it

C. Before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks and cost $100; on the canal the move

D. In 1825, before opening the Erie Canal, to move a ton of wheat took three weeks from Buffalo to New York City, which cost $100; moving it on the canal

E. To move a ton of wheat in 1825 from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks before the opening of the Erie Canal, costing $100, but in using the canal, the move

A and B: it took three weeks
Here, it lacks a clear antecedent.
Eliminate A and B.

D: before opening the Erie Canal, to move a ton of wheat took 3 weeks
Here, it is unclear who or what is opening the Erie Canal.
Eliminate D.

E: in using the canal, the move took less than eight days
Here, using seems to refer to the move, implying that THE MOVE was USING the canal.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

I ruled E because, the option is using THE MOVE. My reasoning is THE being the definite article refers to the same move that was mentioned in previous sentence. Is my reasoning valid ?

GMATGuruNY wrote:

When a ton of wheat was being moved from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100, but when the canal was used, it took less than eight days and cost less than $6.

A. When a ton of wheat was being moved from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100, but when the canal was used, it

B. Moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, it took three weeks and cost $100; using the canal, it

C. Before the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks and cost $100; on the canal the move

D. In 1825, before opening the Erie Canal, to move a ton of wheat took three weeks from Buffalo to New York City, which cost $100; moving it on the canal

E. To move a ton of wheat in 1825 from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks before the opening of the Erie Canal, costing $100, but in using the canal, the move

A and B: it took three weeks
Here, it lacks a clear antecedent.
Eliminate A and B.

D: before opening the Erie Canal, to move a ton of wheat took 3 weeks
Here, it is unclear who or what is opening the Erie Canal.
Eliminate D.

E: in using the canal, the move took less than eight days
Here, using seems to refer to the move, implying that THE MOVE was USING the canal.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

Mitch, can you tell the difference between before opening and before the opening?
Is this a genuine split?
Will it be ok to replace before the opening with before opening in OA?
Best,

aflaam wrote: Mitch, can you tell the difference between before opening and before the opening?
Is this a genuine split?
Will it be ok to replace before the opening with before opening in OA?
Best,

Before attending law school, John studied at the local college.
Here, before attending serves to refer to John -- the subject of the following clause -- conveying that JOHN was ATTENDING law school.

If in the OA we replace before the opening of the Erie Canal with before opening the Erie Canal, we get:
Before opening the Erie Canal in 1825, moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks.
Here, before opening seems to refer to moving a ton of wheat -- the subject of the following clause -- implying that MOVING A TON OF WHEAT was OPENING the Erie Canal.
This meaning is nonsensical.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

aflaam wrote: Mitch, can you tell the difference between before opening and before the opening?
Is this a genuine split?
Will it be ok to replace before the opening with before opening in OA?
Best,

Before attending law school, John studied at the local college.
Here, before attending serves to refer to John -- the subject of the following clause -- conveying that JOHN was ATTENDING law school.

If in the OA we replace before the opening of the Erie Canal with before opening the Erie Canal, we get:
Before opening the Erie Canal in 1825, moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks.
Here, before opening seems to refer to moving a ton of wheat -- the subject of the following clause -- implying that MOVING A TON OF WHEAT was OPENING the Erie Canal.
This meaning is nonsensical.

Dear Mitch,
Can you please shed light about problems in choice E?
Thanks

Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,
Can you please shed light about problems in choice E?
Thanks

E: To move a ton of wheat in 1825
Here, in 1825 seems to be an adverb modifying to move, conveying that TO MOVE A TON OF WHEAT took place in 1825.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning of the original sentence is that the OPENING OF THE ERIE CANAL took place in 1825.

E: three weeks before the opening of the Erie Canal
Here, before the opening seems to be an adjective modifying three weeks, conveying that THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE OPENING OF THE ERIE CANAL the act of moving took place.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning of the original sentence is to express HOW LONG it took to move the wheat, as conveyed by the OA:
Before the opening of the Erie Canal, moving a ton of wheat took three weeks.

E: To move a ton of wheat took three weeks, costing $100.
Here, the conveyed meaning is that the action in red CAUSED the action in blue.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning of the original sentence is that the two actions were DISTINCT, as conveyed by the OA:
Moving a ton of wheat from Buffalo to New York City took three weeks AND cost $100.

As noted in my post above:
E: in using the canal, the move took less than eight days
Here, using seems to refer to the move, implying that THE MOVE was USING the canal.
This meaning is nonsensical.