Question on Parallelism (SC) from OG

[ani781]

14) Sunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong electromagnetic activity, are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on the Sun's poles or equator.

A) are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on : Correct

I don't disagree with this . But the option E)appear as dark spots on the Sun's surface, which have never been sighted on .... why is not this correct ? IMO this seems to be more precise, without trimming anything from the meaning ....

Can someone please explain... The OG explains as "This phrase makes the sentence somewhat awkward and unclear" , but I am not being able to realize that... Any help will be much appreciated.

Regards,
Ani781

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

14) Sunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong electromagnetic activity, are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on the Sun's poles or equator.

A) are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on : Correct

I don't disagree with this . But the option E)appear as dark spots on the Sun's surface, which have never been sighted on .... why is not this correct ? IMO this seems to be more precise, without trimming anything from the meaning ....

Can someone please explain... The OG explains as "This phrase makes the sentence somewhat awkward and unclear" , but I am not being able to realize that... Any help will be much appreciated.

Regards,
Ani781

Here's the complete sentence with answer choice E:

Sunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong electromagnetic activity, appear as dark spots on the Sun's surface, which have never been sighted on the Sun's poles or equator.

What does which refer to? At first, it appears to refer to "surface" since it's closest to that word, but then there's a problem with the plural "have". So, assuming that "have" is correct, which could refer to "sunspots" or "dark spots." Too much ambiguity.

Cheers,
Brent

[GMATGuruNY]

Since SCs are as much about COMPARING answer choices as about eliminating errors, please post the ENTIRE SC, along with the answer choices:

Sunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong
electromagnetic activity, are visible as dark spots on
the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on
the Sun's poles or equator.
(A) are visible as dark spots on the surface of the
Sun but have never been sighted on
(B) are visible as dark spots that never have been
sighted on the surface of the Sun
(C) appear on the surface of the Sun as dark spots
although never sighted at
(D) appear as dark spots on the surface of the Sun,
although never having been sighted at
(E) appear as dark spots on the Sun's surface,
which have never been sighted on

In C and D, sighted AT the Sun's poles implies that no one located AT the Sun's poles has ever seen sunspots -- not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that sunspots have never been sighted ON the Sun's poles.
Eliminate C and D.

In B, dark spots that never have been sighted on the surface of the Sun changes the meaning.
The intended meaning is that SUNSPOTS (not dark spots) have never been sighted on THE SUN'S POLE OR EQUATOR (not the surface of the sun).
Eliminate B.

In E, which have (plural) seems to refer to dark spots -- the nearest plural antecedent -- implying that dark spots have never been sighted on the Sun's poles or equator.
The intended meaning is that SUNSPOTS have never been sighted on the Sun's poles or equator.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is A.

[jack.daniel]

I would like to add information about 'ALTHOUGH'

Although is used in the clause that has both subject and verb.

In C and D, clause containing 'although' misses subject.

[jack.daniel]

Since SCs are as much about COMPARING answer choices as about eliminating errors, please post the ENTIRE SC, along with the answer choices:

Sunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong
electromagnetic activity, are visible as dark spots on
the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on
the Sun's poles or equator.
(A) are visible as dark spots on the surface of the
Sun but have never been sighted on
(B) are visible as dark spots that never have been
sighted on the surface of the Sun
(C) appear on the surface of the Sun as dark spots
although never sighted at
(D) appear as dark spots on the surface of the Sun,
although never having been sighted at
(E) appear as dark spots on the Sun's surface,
which have never been sighted on

In C and D, sighted AT the Sun's poles implies that no one located AT the Sun's poles has ever seen sunspots -- not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that sunspots have never been sighted ON the Sun's poles.
Eliminate C and D.

In B, dark spots that never have been sighted on the surface of the Sun changes the meaning.
The intended meaning is that SUNSPOTS (not dark spots) have never been sighted on THE SUN'S POLE OR EQUATOR (not the surface of the sun).
Eliminate B.

In E, which have (plural) seems to refer to dark spots -- the nearest plural antecedent -- implying that dark spots have never been sighted on the Sun's poles or equator.
The intended meaning is that SUNSPOTS have never been sighted on the Sun's poles or equator.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is A.

Hello sir,

this is regarding WHICH.

I have read that WHICH refers to the noun located closest to it.

In option E, isn't WHICH refering to Sun's surface?

Hence it is not in agreement with HAVE.
Also meaning of the sentence is illogical. Sun's surface has/have never been sighted on the Sun's poles or equator.

Please provide your valuable comments...
thanks...

[vishugogo]

Hi jack.daniel

In 99% cases which refers to the noun just before the comma but there is an exception to this rule.

Refer to OG 13 question no29.

Just as in this question in option E... which has a plural noun to it so it cannot refer to surface but to sunspots or darkspots so ambuguity.

[GMATGuruNY]

I would like to add information about 'ALTHOUGH'

Although is used in the clause that has both subject and verb.

In C and D, clause containing 'although' misses subject.

Sometimes an although-clause will correctly omit the subject and the verb.
Please check my explanations here:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/q17-og13-res ... 63164.html
https://www.beatthegmat.com/conjunction- ... 18203.html

[jack.daniel]

Hi jack.daniel

In 99% cases which refers to the noun just before the comma but there is an exception to this rule.

Refer to OG 13 question no29.

Just as in this question in option E... which has a plural noun to it so it cannot refer to surface but to sunspots or darkspots so ambuguity.

Why WHICH refers to plural noun in option E?
Is it because of the original meaning of sentence (option A)?
Sunspots is main subject so which is plural. Is that so?