Modifer Confusion

[gmatwork]

This one is from GMAT Prep -


"Initiated five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World on Columbus Day 1992, Project SETI pledged a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence."

"(A) Initiated five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World on Columbus Day 1992, Project SETI pledged a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

"(B) Initiated on Columbus Day 1992, five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World, a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence was pledged by Project SETI.

"(C) Initiated on Columbus Day 1992, five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World, Project SETI pledged a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

"(D) Pledging a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, the initiation of Project SETI five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World on Columbus Day 1992.

"(E) Pledging a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World, on Columbus Day 1992, the initiation of Project SETI took place."

OA: C

This question was discussed by Stacey in one of her blog posts. I have a question, both B and C have juxtaposed modifiers

Past participle modifier + appositive modifier + independent clause

Now wouldn't having two modifiers in a row create a confusion as tow what the second modifier is modifying.

Say, modifier "five centuries after" can modify Columbus Day 1992 OR it can modify the noun that comes after the comma. Wouldn't that create ambiguity. The correct answer uses this structure so I am not sure why is this structure considered correct and why does it not introduce any ambiguity?

[tim]

why ask if this introduces confusion? are you honestly confused? are you legitimately having trouble determining what is supposed to modify what? don't introduce trouble to sentences that are otherwise fine.. :)

and BTW, since i know you post a lot, please make sure to be careful about which forum you're posting in; this one for instance would have been more appropriate in the GMAT Prep forum, not the general forum..

[Willy]

This one is from GMAT Prep -


"Initiated five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World on Columbus Day 1992, Project SETI pledged a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence."

"(A) Initiated five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World on Columbus Day 1992, Project SETI pledged a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

"(B) Initiated on Columbus Day 1992, five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World, a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence was pledged by Project SETI.

"(C) Initiated on Columbus Day 1992, five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World, Project SETI pledged a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

"(D) Pledging a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, the initiation of Project SETI five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World on Columbus Day 1992.

"(E) Pledging a $100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World, on Columbus Day 1992, the initiation of Project SETI took place."

OA: C

This question was discussed by Stacey in one of her blog posts. I have a question, both B and C have juxtaposed modifiers

Past participle modifier + appositive modifier + independent clause

Now wouldn't having two modifiers in a row create a confusion as tow what the second modifier is modifying.

Say, modifier "five centuries after" can modify Columbus Day 1992 OR it can modify the noun that comes after the comma. Wouldn't that create ambiguity. The correct answer uses this structure so I am not sure why is this structure considered correct and why does it not introduce any ambiguity?

One way, I look at such questions is by even not looking at the content which is set of commas (especially when the content is shared by almost all the choices)

Initiated on Columbus Day 1992 is Project SETI not a $100 million investment SO choice C is correct and B is out.

Also, logically, "five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World" CAN'T modify Project SETI. It doesn't make any sense. It can only modify "Initiated on Columbus Day 1992"

[RonPurewal]

One way, I look at such questions is by even not looking at the content which is set of commas (especially when the content is shared by almost all the choices)

that's not a good strategy, because "the content between the commas" is often the main clause of the sentence.
e.g.
During her senior year of high school, Rowena met Geoff, whom she would later marry.
--> in this sentence, you'll be in a serious pickle if you try to ignore the part between the commas.

as usual, you need the meaning of the sentence before you can make decisions like this. if, in context, the information between two commas is just a descriptor of something else in the sentence, then you can ignore it; otherwise, you can't.

[Willy]

One way, I look at such questions is by even not looking at the content which is set of commas (especially when the content is shared by almost all the choices)

that's not a good strategy, because "the content between the commas" is often the main clause of the sentence.
e.g.
During her senior year of high school, Rowena met Geoff, whom she would later marry.
--> in this sentence, you'll be in a serious pickle if you try to ignore the part between the commas.

as usual, you need the meaning of the sentence before you can make decisions like this. if, in context, the information between two commas is just a descriptor of something else in the sentence, then you can ignore it; otherwise, you can't.

Thanks Ron, I wanted to say the same but couldn't convey correctly i.e. about descriptor thing. Thank you once again.

[tim]

:)

[ZoeZ42]

Dear instructors,
i have a question about the a modifier between initial modifier and main clause,
see answer C,
C. Initiated on Columbus Day 1992，five centuries after Europeans arrived in the New World, Project SETI pledged a$100 million investment in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence． --- > acceptable
here, a noun + prep modifier is btw initial modifier and main clause, it obviously modifies "Columbus day 1992",

while another example:
Like the grassy fields and old pastures that the upland sandpiper needs for feeding and nesting when it returns in May after wintering in the Argentine Pampas, in the northeastern United States, sandpipers' vanishing is due to residential and industrial development and to changes in --- >unacceptable (i know there are some issues here, please focus on the modifier issue here )
here , prep modifier is btw initial modifier and main clause. obviously, the prep modifier modifier sandpipers' vanishing.

my question,
Can any modifier btw initial modifier and main clause exist if as a part of initial modifier (like anser choice C ),
Cann't any modifier exist if as a part of the main clause (like the 2nd sentence)

in a short word, what kind of modifier can exist btw the initial modifier and main clause?
what scenarios , it is acceptalbe a modifier btw initial modifier and main clause.

please clarify, hope won't wait a long time

thanks a lot.

have a nice day
>_~

[RonPurewal]

i don't think anything like this issue has ever been tested on this exam. (in the sandpiper problem, the choice you've cited is a straightforward elimination, because it compares the wrong things.)

if you can cite a problem that actually depends on this issue, then, it's worth discussing. otherwise, it isn't. have you ever actually seen such a problem?