electricity

[ankurbansal84]

Hi All

Below is my query from GMATprep

3. In the major cities of industrialized countries at the end of the nineteenth century, important public places such as theaters, restaurants, shops and banks had installed electric lighting, but electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still provided mainly by candles or gas.
a. Electricity was in less than one percent of homes, where lighting was still
b. Electricity was in less than one percent of homes and lighting still
c. There were less than one percent of homes with electricity, where lighting was still being
d. There was less than one percent of homes that had electricity, having lighting that was still
e. Less than one percent of homes had electricity, where lighting had still been

The OA is A. I marked E. why is E wrong?

[2amitprakash]

E is wrong because of the placement of modifier "where lighting ..". This modifier modifies "homes" and must touch the noun. Currently it is nonsensical as the modifier is trying to modify "Electricity".

There can be other reasons too: I suspect for usage of past perfect (lighting had still been) but left it to dissect once found one reason to prove "E" is inferior to "A".

[agha79]

I thought i read in MGMAT guide that "Where" reffers to actuall place. is this true in the corrct answer?

[2amitprakash]

I thought i read in MGMAT guide that "Where" reffers to actuall place. is this true in the corrct answer?

Not only the actual place but a noun place, such as area, site, country, home. Also where should not be used for metaphorical place, such as meeting.

[ankurbansal84]

the OA is A

[RonPurewal]

I thought i read in MGMAT guide that "Where" reffers to actuall place. is this true in the corrct answer?

Not only the actual place but a noun place, such as area, site, country, home. Also where should not be used for metaphorical place, such as meeting.

this is accurate.

you should only use "where" for a NOUN that represents a PHYSICAL PLACE.

[SC312]

Ron,

What does "where" in A) refer to ?
"one percent of homes" or just "homes" and how does it refer to homes which doesn't have lighting.

Thanks

[RonPurewal]

Ron,

What does "where" in A) refer to ?
"one percent of homes" or just "homes"

The following context describes non-electric methods that were still used to light houses, so, logically, it must be "homes" in general.

[RonPurewal]

and how does it refer to homes which doesn't have lighting.

Thanks

- Electricity was only in 1% of homes.
- In homes in general"”clearly not in the ones that had electricity!"”lighting was provided by other means.

Did you think about the context before posting this question?

There's no other reasonable interpretation here. If you read these sentences as though you were encountering them in a book or magazine, you should be able to figure this stuff out very quickly and without any trouble.

[SC312]

Thanks Ron..

I now get your point.

[RonPurewal]

Excellent.