The first commercially successful drama

Question

The first commercially successful drama to depict Black family life sympathetically and the first play by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway, it was Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun that won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award in 1959, and was later made into both a film and a musical.

A. it was Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun that won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award in 1959, and was later made
B. in 1959 A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award and was later made
C. Lorraine Hansberry won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for A Raisin in the Sun in 1959, and it was later made
D. Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award in 1959 and was later made
E. A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award in 1959, and later made it
My question is about choice B. I do not think it has problem. in 1959 is a prep phrase to express time and it can be placed anywhere. Can someone explain this one?
Thanks in advance!

GMATGuruNY · Answer

Crystal W wrote:My question is about choice B. I do not think it has problem. in 1959 is a prep phrase to express time and it can be placed anywhere. Can someone explain this one?
Thanks in advance!

B: In 1959 "A Raisin in the Sun"...won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award and was later made into both a film and a musical.
Here, in 1959 is an adverb serving to modify BOTH VERBS in the following clause -- won and made -- implying that "A Raisin in the Sun" was MADE into a film and musical IN 1959, as follows:
In 1959 "A Raisin in the Sun"...was later made into both a film and a musical.
But the usage of later conveys that the play was made into a film and musical NOT in 1959 but sometime LATER.
Since in 1959 and later convey contradictory meanings, eliminate B.

Another reason to eliminate B:

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that serves to explain or define another noun or noun phrase.
RULE:
The referent for an introductory appositive must IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW the comma.

The first commercially successful drama to depict Black family life sympathetically, in 1959 "A Raisin in the Sun"...won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award.
Here, the first commercially successful drama is an appositive serving to define "A Raisin in the Sun."
Since the referent for this introductory appositive does not immediately follow the comma, eliminate B.

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prata · Answer

What is the OA?

GMATGuruNY · Answer

prata wrote:What is the OA?

B and be eliminated for the reasons stated in my post above.

As noted in my original post, the referent for an introductory appositive must IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW the comma.
A: The first commercially successful drama to depict Black family life sympathetically, it
C: The first commercially successful drama to depict Black family life sympathetically, Lorraine Hansberry
In these options, the intended referent for the first commercially successful drama -- "A Raisin in the Sun" -- does not immediately follow the comma.
Eliminate A and C.

E: "A Raisin in the Sun"...later made it into a movie.
Here, it is intended to stand in for A Raisin in the Sun.
The result is a nonsensical meaning:
"A Raisin in the Sun"...later made "A Raisin in the Sun" into a movie.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.

Crystal W · Answer

GMATGuruNY wrote:Crystal W wrote:My question is about choice B. I do not think it has problem. in 1959 is a prep phrase to express time and it can be placed anywhere. Can someone explain this one? Thanks in advance! B: In 1959 "A Raisin in the Sun"...won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award and was later made into both a film and a musical. Here, in 1959 is an adverb serving to modify BOTH VERBS in the following clause -- won and made -- implying that "A Raisin in the Sun" was MADE into a film and musical IN 1959, as follows: In 1959 "A Raisin in the Sun"...was later made into both a film and a musical. But the usage of later conveys that the play was made into a film and musical NOT in 1959 but sometime LATER. Since in 1959 and later convey contradictory meanings, eliminate B. Another reason to eliminate B: An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that serves to explain or define another noun or noun phrase. RULE: The referent for an introductory appositive must IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW the comma. The first commercially successful drama to depict Black family life sympathetically, in 1959 "A Raisin in the Sun"...won the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award. Here, the first commercially successful drama is an appositive serving to define "A Raisin in the Sun." Since the referent for this introductory appositive does not immediately follow the comma, eliminate B. Thank you so much! About the RULE, do you mean the structure should be referent(noun or noun phrase)+ comma + introductory appositive (noun or noun phrase)?

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