Sentence Correction

The fight over the speed limit---that's a measure

I think E is the right answer

As per my understanding of this question. It talks about speed limit is the fight between opponents and supporters. So, B clearly states that fight continues over in legislatures , and speed limit correctly modifies conserver of life and energy .

E.

It is the only one which clearly states what it is that the opponents and supporters are opinionated about.

IMO E

very ambiguous one. I chose E.

I think E is the correct option as it is clear in meaning.

I think it should be B.

ArunangsuSahu wrote:The fight over the speed limit---that's a measure

Hi, How can that be a measure? I felt like I was doing logical reasoning while doing this SC. But in the context of this sentence can 'the fight over speed limit' be a measure? A measure is as I understand a preventive action or an reactive action. How can an argument be a measure. Hopefully 'the fight' itself will not harm more people than 'the speed limit'. .

Please help me understand, anyone!

E...

Honestly I cannot believe that this question took a lot of posts. I cannot see a reason why the answer chosen is E. I strongly feel that Knewton experts are right and the answer to the question should be B. E does not use the right modifier.


Regarded by opponents as ineffective and meddlesome and by supporters as a conserver of life and energy, the fight over the speed limit continues in our legislatures and on our freeways.

A. Regarded by opponents as ineffective and meddlesome and by supporters as a conserver of life and energy, the fight over the speed limit continues in our legislatures and on our freeways.
B. Regarded by opponents as ineffective and meddlesome and by supporters as a conserver of life and energy, the speed limit continues to be fought over in our legislatures and on our freeways.
C. Regarded by opponents as ineffective meddling and by supporters as the conservation of life and energy, the speed limit continues to be fought over in our legislatures and on our freeways.
D. The fight over the speed limit, regarded by opponents as ineffective and meddlesome and by supporters as a conserver of life and energy, continues in our legislatures and on our freeways.
E. The fight over the speed limit, a measure regarded by opponents as ineffective and meddlesome and by supporters as a conserver of life and energy, continues in our legislatures and on our freeways.

See the option E carefully. 'The fight over the speed limit' and then a , when you associate a comma the modifier modifies the whole thing i.e 'The fight over the speed limt'. How can the fight over the speed limit be the measure of something. The modifier should only modify speed limit. Even 'fight over speed limit' cannot be the subject to which any modifier should be associated.

So how can the answer be E. So the options B and C are strong contenders. But option C breaks the parallelism in the sentence. Hence B....

[email protected] wrote:Honestly I cannot believe that this question took a lot of posts. I cannot see a reason why the answer chosen is E. I strongly feel that Knewton experts are right and the answer to the question should be B. E does not use the right modifier.

B. Regarded by opponents as ineffective and meddlesome and by supporters as a conserver of life and energy, the speed limit continues to be fought over in our legislatures and on our freeways.

E. The fight over the speed limit, a measure regarded by opponents as ineffective and meddlesome and by supporters as a conserver of life and energy, continues in our legislatures and on our freeways.

See the option E carefully. 'The fight over the speed limit' and then a , when you associate a comma the modifier modifies the whole thing i.e 'The fight over the speed limt'. How can the fight over the speed limit be the measure of something. The modifier should only modify speed limit. Even 'fight over speed limit' cannot be the subject to which any modifier should be associated.

So how can the answer be E.

The presumption is that an APPOSITIVE (such as a measure in E) refers to the IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING NOUN:

The new film by Steven Spielberg, a director known for producing epic movies, topped the box office last week.

In the sentence above, a DIRECTOR is in apposition to STEVEN SPIELBERG. Two nouns are in apposition when they appear SIDE-BY-SIDE, with the second serving to explain or define the first. Would any reader think that a director refers to the new film?

Answer choice E follows this same structure:

The fight over the speed limit, a measure regarded by opponents as ineffective and meddlesome and by supporters as a conserver of life and energy, continues...

In E, a MEASURE is in apposition to the SPEED LIMIT -- the IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING NOUN. Would any reader really think that a measure refers to the fight? Such an interpretation makes no sense.

There is good reason, however, to eliminate B: in the speed limit continues to be fought OVER IN our legislators, the preposition OVER is not followed by its object, and the juxtaposition of the two prepositions (OVER IN) is needlessly awkward.

All this being said, any SC that inspires this much controversy is best ignored.

(D)

I think the answer must be E. When do we know the right answer? I am so curious

E should be the correct answer