SC

[prachi18oct]

The artist Renoir's last word was "flowers", spoken as they arranged a bouquet of roses just picked from his garden in a vase on his windowsill

a. as they arranged a bouquet of roses just picked from his garden
b. as a bouquet of roses just had been picked from his garden and was being arranged.
c. as a bouquet of roses just picked from his garden was being arranged.
d. during the arrangement of bouquet of roses just picked from his garden.
e. while they arranged a bouquet of roses that had just been picked from his garden.

A,E => out due to 'they' has no 'referent'
B=> was being arranged-> passive

Is it not right that "being" is not preferred on GMAT. I have heard that option with being will always be wrong on GMAT. Please advise.

[GMATGuruNY]

Alternate version of this SC:

The artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir's last word was "flowers," spoken as a bouquet consisting of roses just picked from his garden were arranged in a vase on his bedroom window sill.

a. as a bouquet consisting of roses just picked from his garden were arranged

b. as a bouquet of roses, just picked from his garden, were arranged

c. as a bouquet of roses just picked from his garden was being arranged

d. during the arrangement of a bouquet of roses, just picked from his garden

e. while they arranged a bouquet of roses that had just been picked, from his garden

In A and B, were arranged (plural) does not agree with bouquet (singular).
Eliminate A and B.

D: the arrangement of a bouquet
A bouquet is an ARRANGEMENT of flowers.
Thus, the arrangement of a bouquet is redundant.
Eliminate D.

In E, they lacks a clear referent.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

Is it not right that "being" is not preferred on GMAT. I have heard that option with being will always be wrong on GMAT. Please advise.

In most cases, an answer choice that includes being will be incorrect, but there have been exceptions.
Here are two:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/heavy-commit ... 90616.html
https://www.beatthegmat.com/usage-of-inc ... 70986.html

[David@VeritasPrep]

Is it not right that "being" is not preferred on GMAT. I have heard that option with being will always be wrong on GMAT. Please advise.

This is one of my favorite sentence corrections myths!! My other favorite is that you cannot change the meaning of the sentence from what is stated in choice A.

Not only is "being" acceptable on the GMAT, the test makers know that people think it is unacceptable so they make sure that "being" is in the correct answer at times!

[Md Raihan Uddin]

The artist Renoir's last word was "flowers", spoken as they arranged a bouquet of roses just picked from his garden in a vase on his windowsill

a. as they arranged a bouquet of roses just picked from his garden
b. as a bouquet of roses just had been picked from his garden and was being arranged.
c. as a bouquet of roses just picked from his garden was being arranged.
d. during the arrangement of bouquet of roses just picked from his garden.
e. while they arranged a bouquet of roses that had just been picked from his garden.

What is wrong in B? Is it the use of 'had been'?

[GMATGuruNY]

What is wrong in B?

A bouquet is an ARRANGEMENT of flowers.
B: a bouquet...had been picked from his garden
This meaning is nonsensical:
It is not possible to pick an ARRANGEMENT of flowers.
The intended meaning is that ROSES had been picked from his garden.
Eliminate B.

[Md Raihan Uddin]

What is wrong in B?

A bouquet is an ARRANGEMENT of flowers.
B: a bouquet...had been picked from his garden
This meaning is nonsensical:
It is not possible to pick an ARRANGEMENT of flowers.
The intended meaning is that ROSES had been picked from his garden.
Eliminate B.

Thank you a lot. I also thought so in the first place but was little bit confused. Now it is clear to me.