Please help me in solving these SC question taken from OG12

[nandy1984]

17. The commission has directed advertisers to
restrict the use of the word "natural" to foods that
do not contain color or flavor additives, chemical
preservatives, or nothing that has been synthesized.
(A) or nothing that has been
(B) or that has been
(C) and nothing that is
(D) or anything that has been
(E) and anything

31.Unlike the conviction held by many of her colleagues
that genes were relatively simple and static, Barbara
McClintock adhered to her own more complicated
ideas about how genes might operate, and in 1983,
at the age of 81, was awarded a Nobel Prize for her
discovery that the genes in corn are capable of
moving from one chromosomal site to another.
(A) Unlike the conviction held by many of her
colleagues that genes were
(B) Although many of her colleagues were of the
conviction of genes being
(C) Contrary to many of her colleagues being
convinced that genes were
(D) Even though many of her colleagues were
convinced that genes were
(E) Even with many of her colleagues convinced of
genes being

38)In 1850, Lucretia Mott published her Discourse on
Women, arguing in a treatise for women to have equal
political and legal rights and for changes in the
married women's property laws.
(A) arguing in a treatise for women to have equal
political and legal rights
(B) arguing in a treatise for equal political and legal
rights for women
(C) a treatise that advocates women's equal political
and legal rights
(D) a treatise advocating women's equal political
and legal rights
(E) a treatise that argued for equal political and
legal rights for women

Please help me how you have identified and eliminated the errors....Thank you...

[VivianKerr]

Hi Nandy!

If you do a google search first, you'll find most OG12 questions have already been discussed around the web, and/or here on Beat the GMAT. To get a greater response from the board, it's best to limit one question per post.

For #17:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/and-or-quest ... ent=Boston

https://www.beatthegmat.com/using-and-vs-or-t46248.html

https://www.urch.com/forums/gmat-sentenc ... isers.html

For #31:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/appropriate- ... t3938.html

https://www.urch.com/forums/gmat-sentenc ... ntock.html

For #38:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/women-rights-t15900.html

https://www.beatthegmat.com/in-1850-lucr ... 59869.html

Hope this helps!

[VINJAY]

Hi Vivian,

In the following question: why is option B wrong?

38)In 1850, Lucretia Mott published her Discourse on
Women, arguing in a treatise for women to have equal
political and legal rights and for changes in the
married women's property laws.
(A) arguing in a treatise for women to have equal
political and legal rights
(B) arguing in a treatise for equal political and legal
rights for women
(C) a treatise that advocates women's equal political
and legal rights
(D) a treatise advocating women's equal political
and legal rights
(E) a treatise that argued for equal political and
legal rights for women

Is it probably because it is wrong to introduce a prep. phrase "in a ..." within the idiom "argue for"

Otherwise, B can be correct given that the present participle arguing modifies the first clause to Lucretia...

Thanks in advance

[mundasingh123]

Hi Vivian , Although i agree that making use of threads already exiting on the forum will bring out the maximum response from people, i dont find any substantial reasons for eliminating the incorrect answers for the second question #31 . The only post that lists down the reasons for eliminating has been posted by one Komal and even she has eliminated most of the choices on grounds of awkwordness.

[mundasingh123]

Hi ,
Could an expert please explain why in the 3rd question ie 38 the OA is E
Though E is the best option available , the past tense "argued " seems to convey that the treatise argued way back in 1850 and has not argued since then .
Whats wrong with B.
The -ing modifier modifies the entire clause i.e subject and verb .Then why is B wrong . Is it because of "it says in the treatise "

[GMATGuruNY]

In 1850 Lucretia Mott published her Discourse on Women, arguing in a treatise for women to have equal political and legal rights and for changes in the married women's property laws.

A.arguing in a treatise for women to have equal political and legal rights
B.arguing in a treatise for equal political and legal rights for women
C.a treatise that advocates women's equal political and legal rights
D.a treatise advocating women's equal political and legal rights
E.a treatise that argued for equal political and legal rights for women

In A, it is unclear whether for women and for changes are adjectives modifying a treatise (a treatise for women...and for changes) or adverbs modifying arguing (arguing...for women...and for changes). It must be clear what a modifier is modifying. Eliminate A.

In B, it is unclear whether for equal political and legal rights for women and for changes are adjectives modifying a treatise (a treatise for equal political and legal rights for women and for changes) or adverbs modifying arguing (arguing...for equal political and legal rights for women and for changes). It must be clear what a modifier is modifying. Eliminate B.

In C, a treatise that advocates...rights...and for changes is not parallel. Eliminate C.

In D, a treatise advocating...rights and for changes is not parallel. Eliminate D.

The correct answer is E.

[mundasingh123]

thanks gmatguruny for pointing out my mistake . i didnt analyse options a.b wll

[Spidy001]

GMATGuruNY,

Good analysis on options A and B. Have a question for you.

E.a treatise that argued for equal political and legal rights for women

in option E, how can we be sure what prepositional phrase "for women " is modifying ? is this modifying equal political and legal rights or argued.

Please explain.

In 1850 Lucretia Mott published her Discourse on Women, arguing in a treatise for women to have equal political and legal rights and for changes in the married women's property laws.

A.arguing in a treatise for women to have equal political and legal rights
B.arguing in a treatise for equal political and legal rights for women
C.a treatise that advocates women's equal political and legal rights
D.a treatise advocating women's equal political and legal rights
E.a treatise that argued for equal political and legal rights for women

In A, it is unclear whether for women and for changes are adjectives modifying a treatise (a treatise for women...and for changes) or adverbs modifying arguing (arguing...for women...and for changes). It must be clear what a modifier is modifying. Eliminate A.

In B, it is unclear whether for equal political and legal rights for women and for changes are adjectives modifying a treatise (a treatise for equal political and legal rights for women and for changes) or adverbs modifying arguing (arguing...for equal political and legal rights for women and for changes). It must be clear what a modifier is modifying. Eliminate B.

In C, a treatise that advocates...rights...and for changes is not parallel. Eliminate C.

In D, a treatise advocating...rights and for changes is not parallel. Eliminate D.

The correct answer is E.

[Spidy001]

GMATGuruNY,

I think i got it now. for equal political ***** and for changes**** are acting as adverbs modifying argued.

Hence in phrase for equal political and legal rights for women ,

for women

is modifying

equal political and legal rights

, not

argued

.

correct me if am wrong.

Thanks