Modifiers

[beater]

Created in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale where the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after he died in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.

a) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale where the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after he died in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.
b) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after his death in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.
c) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after he died in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.
d) by Anders Celsius in 1731, his original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; reversing the scale to its present form after his death in 1744.
e) by Anders Celsius in 1731, his original thermometer had a scale where the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after his death in 1744 the scale reversed to its present form.

[rahulakacyrus]

IMO E...Please post the OA along with the question.

[umaa]

IMO E. OA pls

[mals24]

a) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale where the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after he died in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.

Subject Pronoun 'he' cannot refer to possessive noun 'Anders Celcius''

b) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after his D€@th in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.

His correctly refers to Andres Celcius'.

c) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after he died in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.

d) by Anders Celsius in 1731, his original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; reversing the scale to its present form after his D€@th in 1744.

Semi colon separates 2 Independent clauses. The sentence after semi colon is not an independent clause.

e) by Anders Celsius in 1731, his original thermometer had a scale where the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after his D€@th in 1744 the scale reversed to its present form.

We need 'was' before reversed. The omission of was makes it sound as if the scale automatically (on its own) reversed to its present form, when in fact some one reversed it back. Plus I'm not too sure of this point but in D and E i think the modifier incorrectly modifies 'his' instead of thermometer. Im not sure of it so Ill keep this point open for debate.

Otherwise B sounds perfect, I choose B.

[rahulakacyrus]

I think mals24 is right...

The semicolon says the two statements are independent of each other.
So, it is not necessary to discuss about the thermometer in the statement after the semicolon.

[Bidisha800]

"Created by Anders Celsius in 1731" is wrong.

"was reversed" is also required. A scale can not reverse itself !

(B)

[lastgmat]

Created in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale where the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after he died in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.

a) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale where the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after he died in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.
--- where the value implies somewhere rather than "in"
b) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after his D€@th in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.
--- best option - c is second best
c) in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after he died in 1744 the scale was reversed to its present form.
--- between b and c, c says after he died... does not seem idiomatic, but this itself is a poor reason
d) by Anders Celsius in 1731, his original thermometer had a scale in which the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; reversing the scale to its present form after his D€@th in 1744.
--- who reversed the scale is unknown
e) by Anders Celsius in 1731, his original thermometer had a scale where the value of 0 corresponded to the boiling point of water; after his D€@th in 1744 the scale reversed to its present form.
-- this says that the scale reversed itself


IMO - B

OA?

[beater]

Thanks for all the input guys. OA - B

However, the part that is still unclear to me is the modifier.

Created in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer - the way this is written created in modifies Anders Celsius rather than the thermometer. Isnt that incorrect?

FYI....his death is correct because only a possessive pronoun can refer back to possessive noun (Anders Celsius')

[beater]

Could someone please clarify my understanding of the modifier? Thanks!

[James_83]

modifiers are the phrases that modifies or we can say refers to the immediate noun/pronoun.!

So, the modifiers should as close to the modifying noun.

"Created in 1731, Anders Celsius’ original thermometer "

Here, "created in 1731" is a modifier and it is modifying the immediate noun thermometer. In GMAT, generally the modifiers are misplaced ie they may point to the noun which they are not referring.
So, in that case, either we have to move the modifier closer to that noun or modify the sentence in such a way that the immediate noun would be the referred noun.