The federal immigration station on Ellis Island - GMATPrep

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The federal immigration station on Ellis Island, which was first opened in 1892, then rebuilt in 1900, processing nearly three quarters of all immigrants entering the United States in the first quarter of the twentieth century.

(A) The federal immigration station on Ellis Island, which was first opened in 1892, then rebuilt in 1900, processing nearly three quarters of all immigrants entering the United States in the first quarter of the twentieth century.
(B) Having processed nearly three quarters of all immigrants who enter the United States in the first quarter of the twentieth century, the federal immigration station on Ellis Island first opened in 1892 and then was rebuilt in 1900.
(C) Processing nearly three quarters of all immigrants to enter the United States in the first quarter of the twentieth century, the federal immigration station on Ellis Island first opened in 1892, being rebuilt in 1900.
(D) First opened in 1892, then rebuilt in 1900, the federal immigration station on Ellis Island processed nearly three quarters of all immigrants entering the United States in the first quarter of the twentieth century.
(E) Of all immigrants to enter the United States in the first quarter of the twentieth century, the federal immigration station on Ellis Island processed nearly three quarters of them, having first opened in 1892 and rebuilt in 1900.

OA: D

Dear GMAtGuru,

In Choice E,

1- is it 'of them' redundant?

2- does the modifier "having first opened in 1892 and rebuilt in 1900." modifies the the preceding clause? Does it mean this modifier precedes the clause and functions the same as it comes in the beginning of sentence?

3- Is the structure of the modifier 'having first opened in 1892 and rebuilt in 1900'? or should be as follows:
having first opened in 1892 and been rebuilt in 1900

4- Is the meaning of choice C correct? I think it is nonsensical to say that Processing the immigrants in same time of opining the station. Am I correct?

Thanks in advance

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by deloitte247 » Wed May 15, 2019 1:03 am

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Option A - Incorrect
This choice of fragment with no finite verb. Also, there is no Main verb

Option B - Incorrect
This option gives an impression that because it processed so many numbers of immigrants, the office was opened in 1892 and rebuilt in 1900 -- altered intent. In addition, the station was opened and not that station opened something.

Option C - Incorrect
To enter is an abuse of the infinitive. The station opened is wrong just as in option B. being rebuilt in 1900, an adverbial modifier does not fit in with the station's opening in 1892.

Option D - Correct
This sentence clearly separates the non essential modifiers from the main clause.

Option E - Incorrect
Having first opened in 1892 and rebuilt in 1900 gives a wrong picture of cause and effect.

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federal immigration station

by GMATGuruNY » Wed May 15, 2019 12:42 pm

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Mo2men wrote:Dear GMAtGuru,

In Choice E,

1- is it 'of them' redundant?
Yes.
E: Of all immigrants...the station processed nearly three quarters of them.
Here, the red modifier is redundant with the blue modifier.
2- does the modifier "having first opened in 1892 and rebuilt in 1900."

modifies the the preceding clause? Does it mean this modifier precedes the clause and functions the same as it comes in the beginning of sentence?
Generally, COMMA + having + VERBed serves to express an action that happens before the action in the preceding clause.
E: The federal immigration station on Ellis Island processed nearly three quarters of them, having first opened in 1892.
Here, the usage of COMMA + having opened conveys that the red action happens before the blue action.
The two colored actions are both performed by the federal immigration station (the subject in the main clause).
3- Is the structure of the modifier 'having first opened in 1892 and rebuilt in 1900'? or should be as follows:
having first opened in 1892 and been rebuilt in 1900
Correct.
4- Is the meaning of choice C correct? I think it is nonsensical to say that Processing the immigrants in same time of opining the station. Am I correct?
This line of reasoning is valid.
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