Performing a risky maneuver that required precision flying

[subhojyoti.it]

Hi Ron

Performing a risky maneuver that required precision flying, not only did space shuttle astronauts retrieve an orbiting satellite, it was done simultaneously while avoiding being rear-ended by a passing ultraviolet telescope.

A. not only did space shuttle astronauts retrieve an orbiting satellite, it was done simultaneously while avoiding

B. not only was an orbiting satellite retrieved by space shuttle astronauts, but they also simultaneously avoided

C. an orbiting satellite was retrieved by space shuttle astronauts who also avoided simultaneously

D. space shuttle astronauts retrieved an orbiting satellite, simultaneously while avoiding

E. space shuttle astronauts retrieved an orbiting satellite and simultaneously avoided

A,B and C are not a concern
OA: E
why is D incorrect?
I have seen the usage of "while" with "at the same time" in an official question( people denounce the government bla bla). In this context are 'while" and "simultaneously" redundant?

[RonPurewal]

the placement of "simultaneously" is problematic. it describes "avoid"... so it should appear directly next to "avoid", as it does in the correct answer.

[RonPurewal]

incidentally, if "simultaneously" and "while" were reversed, then D would become a respectable sentence (which would work much like the "while at the same time..." sentence you mentioned).

[tim60288]

incidentally, if "simultaneously" and "while" were reversed, then D would become a respectable sentence (which would work much like the "while at the same time..." sentence you mentioned).

Hi instructors, please help 2 queries below : )

1.
(D) space shuttle astronauts retrieved an orbiting satellite, while simultaneously avoiding
So while & simultaneously have no redundancy issue if writing in 1 sentence ?

2. Which one would be more preferable for below 2 type of good answers (Understand E is correct one)

(D) space shuttle astronauts retrieved an orbiting satellite, while simultaneously avoiding (S+V+O, Ving...)
(E) space shuttle astronauts retrieved an orbiting satellite and simultaneously avoided (S+V+O and V+O)

Thank you !!

[RonPurewal]

So while & simultaneously have no redundancy issue if writing in 1 sentence ?

each word contributes something that the other doesn't, so there is no redundancy.
• "while" implies a contrast between the 2 actions (each makes the other one harder)
• "while" merely implies overlapping timelines, but "simultaneously" clarifies that those timeframes are exactly the same

[RonPurewal]

2. Which one would be more preferable for below 2 type of good answers (Understand E is correct one)

"preferable" is not a thing. if you introduce the idea of "preferable", you're making SC a thousand times more complicated than it actually is.

there will NEVER be two correct answers.
there will ALWAYS be one correct answer and four wrong answers.

[subhojyoti.it]

incidentally, if "simultaneously" and "while" were reversed, then D would become a respectable sentence (which would work much like the "while at the same time..." sentence you mentioned).

Ron

Much thanks for your reply.
As per my understanding "Simultenously" is an adverb , and adverbs are a little flexible in terms of modification. So in option D can we not go by that notion?
I am still not very sure why to discard the choice.
thanks a lot for your reply in advance.

[RonPurewal]

placement is relative. DO NOT judge placement in individual choices! instead, make RELATIVE judgments!

i.e., you have a "beauty contest" among the choices.

E has objectively better placement; D has objectively worse placement. so, D is gone and E stays.

[subhojyoti.it]

Ron

Just to make sure that i am learning from my mistakes, can you please say whether there is meaning-wise difference in between choice D and E? If there is will you kindly elaborate on the meaning of both the sentences.
Thanks so much for your time and guidance.

[RonPurewal]

well, choice D doesn't really mean anything, since the placement of "simultaneously" results in nonsense.

consider these examples (both of which are sensible):

I stuttered briefly while talking to my boss.
(while talking to my boss—perhaps for a long time, perhaps for a short time—i stuttered for a brief moment.)

I stuttered while briefly talking to my boss.
(while talking to my boss for just a moment, i had a hard time getting the words out of my mouth.)

the take-home point here, i guess, is that modifiers can't 'jump over' connecting words (such as while—also and, but, and so on). so, in the first sentence, 'briefly' describes 'stuttered'; in the second, it describes 'talking'.

--

if you apply this line of reasoning to choice D, you'll see the problem: it says that the astronauts did one thing 'simultaneously'.
huh?
'simultaneously' makes no sense unless two or more things have been mentioned. (if 'simultaneously' is stuck on the second thing, then 'simultaneously with the first thing is implied.)

[RonPurewal]

choice E is the correct answer, so it means exactly what common sense (in context) says that it should mean.

if there is anything specifically unclear about the meaning of choice E, feel free to ask. since it's the correct answer, though, its meaning should be largely self-explanatory.

[aflaamM589]

Hello Ron,
Can you help me a little in understanding the concept of placement of adverbs?
Is placement of an adverb before the verb same as after the verb?
i.e
astronauts avoided simultaneously
vs
astronauts simultaneously avoided
Is there any difference viz-a-viz grammar, meaning, or style?
Thanks in advance.
Have a cheerful day

[RonPurewal]

Hello Ron,
Can you help me a little in understanding the concept of placement of adverbs?
Is placement of an adverb before the verb same as after the verb?
i.e
astronauts avoided simultaneously
vs
astronauts simultaneously avoided
Is there any difference viz-a-viz grammar, meaning, or style?
Thanks in advance.
Have a cheerful day

the stuff directly AFTER those words ("being rear-ended...") is the object of "avoided", so, the construction ENDING with "avoided" is better placement.

[NicoleT643]

Hi Ron, sorry to reopen this thread. I am not a native English speaker. When I ran into this question I eliminated D because I thought simultaneously and while are redundant. But you said not in this case.

#1, Is choice D wrong because simultaneously can not modify avoiding?
#2, The placement of simultaneously before while avoiding does not make sense?

Thank you.

[RonPurewal]

#1, Is choice D wrong because simultaneously can not modify avoiding?
#2, The placement of simultaneously before while avoiding does not make sense?

Thank you.

correct. ("...while simultaneously avoiding..." would be acceptable.)