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lukaswelker: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 65; Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 6:56 am; Followed by:1 members

sentence correction

by lukaswelker » Tue Apr 01, 2014 2:14 am

Hey Guys, here is the question;

Section 301 of the 1988 Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act enables the United States Trade Representative to single out a country as an unfair trader, begin trade negotiation with that country, and, if the negotiations do not conclude by the United States government's being satisfied, to impose sanctions.

"¢by the United States government's being satisfied, to impose
"¢by the United States government's satisfaction, impose
"¢with the United States government's being satisfied, imposing
"¢to the United States government's satisfaction, impose
"¢to the United States government's satisfaction, imposing

Can you explain me why the fourth option is the correct one?
Many thanks
Lukas

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Tue Apr 01, 2014 2:14 am

GMAT/MBA Expert

ceilidh.erickson: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 2095; Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:22 pm; Thanked: 1443 times; Followed by:247 members

by ceilidh.erickson » Tue Apr 01, 2014 7:47 am

This question is testing PARALLELISM.

We have a list structure, so we need to make sure all of the elements in our list are parallel. Whenever we have a list with infinitives, we have two options:

1) Use the "to" every time: I like to dance, to sing, and to paint

2) Use the "to" only for the first list element. It is implied that it will apply to all other list elements: I like to dance, sing, and paint.

We are NOT allowed to drop the "to" for the 2nd element, then bring it back for the third:
I like to dance, sing, and to paint.

In this sentence, our list is:
Section 301 of the 1988 Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act enables the United States Trade Representative to:
a) single out a country as an unfair trader,
b) begin trade negotiation with that country, and, (if the negotiations do not conclude by the United States government's being satisfied,)
c) to impose sanctions.

The third list item does not match. We cannot use the "to" again, since we didn't use it with "begin."

A. by the United States government's being satisfied, to impose
We can't use "to." Incorrect.

B. by the United States government's satisfaction, impose
Correct continuation of "to single..., begin..., and impose," but wrong idiom usage. We can't say "by one's satisfaction." We say "to one's satisfaction."

C. with the United States government's being satisfied, imposing
Not parallel

D. to the United States government's satisfaction, impose
Correct parallelism, correct idiom.

E. to the United States government's satisfaction, imposing
Not parallel

The answer is D.

Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education