Sentence Correction

50) Selling two hundred thousand copies in its first month, the publication of The Audacity of Hope in 2006 was an instant hit, helping to establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president.


Selling two hundred thousand copies in its first month, the publication of The Audacity of Hope in 2006 was an instant hit, helping to establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president.


The publication in 2006 of The Audacity of Hope was an instant hit: in its first month it sold two hundred thousand copies and it helped establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president.


Helping to establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president was the publication of The Audacity of Hope in 2006, which as an instant hit: it sold two hundred thousand copies in its first month.


The Audacity of Hope was an instant hit: it helped establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president, selling two hundred thousand copies in its first month and published in 2006.


The Audacity of Hope, published in 2006, was an instant hit: in its first month, it sold two hundred thousand copies and helped establish its author, Barack Obama, as a viable candidate for president.


The last option says: in its first month, it sold two hundred thousand copies and helped establish its author, Barack Obama, my question is doesn't it mean that the book established Barack Obama, as a viable candidate in its first month?

Ans-E

what is the source of this question?
E seems wrong to me for the following reason
E says: The Audacity of Hope, published in 2006, was an instant hit: in its first month, it sold two hundred thousand copies and helped establish its author, Barack Obama, as a viable candidate for president

by sheer parallelism "it" seems to refer to the "book", after all the expression "helped establish its author" refers to "the book" .now how can "book" sell its own "two hundred thousand copies"?

aditya8062 wrote:how can "book" sell its own "two hundred thousand copies"?

To sell can serve to refer to the SELLER:
The stores sells many books.

To sell can also serve to refer to the ITEM BEING SOLD:
The books in the store sell well.
The conveyed meaning here is that many people purchase the books.
In this context, to sell means to be purchased.
SC91 in the OG13 employs this latter definition of to sell:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/italian-vint ... 14304.html

(D) The Audacity of Hope was an instant hit: it helped establish Barack
Obama as a viable candidate for president, selling two hundred
thousand copies in its first month and published in 2006.

Hi Mitch,

Can you please comment on D. The book says "it needs a verb - was published and had been published." If it needs verb, then it is parallel to what ? I was thinking selling and published.

(2). Is there any other error in the (D)?

Thanks

Hello,

Can anyone please help me in clearing my doubt on D ?

Thanks

GMATGuruNY wrote:

aditya8062 wrote:how can "book" sell its own "two hundred thousand copies"?

To sell can serve to refer to the SELLER:
The stores sells many books.

To sell can also serve to refer to the ITEM BEING SOLD:
The books in the store sell well.
The conveyed meaning here is that many people purchase the books.
In this context, to sell means to be purchased.
SC91 in the OG13 employs this latter definition of to sell:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/italian-vint ... 14304.html

Dear GMATGuru,

Can you please shed light on choices C & D? Why are they incorrect?

Is 'which' in choice C correct? My understanding is that which does not refer 2006 and may refer to noun before 2006. Here the noun is 'Audacity of Hope'.


In Choice D, Is there any problem in the modifiers 'selling.......and published......'. I think they all goo and refer correctly to 'it' which refers to 'Audacity of Hope'.

Thanks

[email protected] wrote:
50) Selling two hundred thousand copies in its first month, the publication of The Audacity of Hope in 2006 was an instant hit, helping to establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president.


Selling two hundred thousand copies in its first month, the publication of The Audacity of Hope in 2006 was an instant hit, helping to establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president.


The publication in 2006 of The Audacity of Hope was an instant hit: in its first month it sold two hundred thousand copies and it helped establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president.


Helping to establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president was the publication of The Audacity of Hope in 2006, which as an instant hit: it sold two hundred thousand copies in its first month.


The Audacity of Hope was an instant hit: it helped establish Barack Obama as a viable candidate for president, selling two hundred thousand copies in its first month and published in 2006.


The Audacity of Hope, published in 2006, was an instant hit: in its first month, it sold two hundred thousand copies and helped establish its author, Barack Obama, as a viable candidate for president.


The last option says: in its first month, it sold two hundred thousand copies and helped establish its author, Barack Obama, my question is doesn't it mean that the book established Barack Obama, as a viable candidate in its first month?

A: Selling two hundred thousand copies in its first month, the publication
Here, selling seems to refer the publication, implying that the PUBLICATION of the book was SELLING.
This meaning is illogical.
The intended meaning is that the BOOK itself was selling.
Eliminate A.

B: The publication...was an instant hit.
This meaning is illogical.
The intended meaning is that the BOOK was an instant hit.
Eliminate B.

COMMA + which + SINGULAR VERB must serve to refer to the NEAREST PRECEDING SINGULAR NOUN.
C: 2006, which was an instant hit
Here, which was seems to refer to 2006 -- the nearest preceding singular noun -- implying that 2006 was an instant hit.
This meaning is nonsensical.
The intended meaning is that the BOOK was an instant hit.
Eliminate C.

Mary opened the door and entered the room.
Here, the usage of and implies the following sequence:
FIRST Mary OPENED.
THEN Mary ENTERED.

D: selling...and published
Here, the usage of and implies the following sequence:
FIRST the book was SELLING.
THEN the book was PUBLISHED.
This sequence is nonsensical.
Eliminate D.

The correct answer is E.