Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
gkslko101 wrote:
Minnesota is the only one of the contiguous forty-eight states that still has a sizable wolf population, and where this predator remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep.
(A) that still has a sizable wolf population, and where
(B) that still has a sizable wolf population, where
(C) that still has a sizable population of wolves, and where
(D) where the population of wolves is still sizable;
(E) where there is still a sizable population of wolves and where
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that Minnesota is the only one of the contiguous forty-eight states where there is still a sizable population of wolves and where the wolf remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep.
Concepts tested here: Parallelism + Meaning + Modifiers + Pronouns + Grammatical Construction• Any elements linked by a conjunction (“and” in this sentence) must be parallel.
• Semicolons and the “comma + conjunction” construction are used to link two independent clauses; commas are used to link an independent clause with a dependent one; comma cannot be used to join two independent clauses.
• “where” is only to refer to a physical location.
A: Trap. This answer choice fails to maintain parallelism between “that still has a sizable wolf population” and “where this predator remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep”; please remember that any elements linked by a conjunction (“and” in this sentence) must be parallel. Further, Option A incorrectly uses the “comma + conjunction (“and” in this sentence)” construction to join the independent clause “Minnesota is the only…population” and the dependent clause “where this predator remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep”; remember, semicolons and the “comma + conjunction” construction are used to link two independent clauses; commas are used to link an independent clause with a dependent one.
B: This answer choice incorrectly and illogically uses the pronoun “where” to refer to the noun “wolf population”; please remember, “where” is only used to refer to a physical location.
C: Trap. This answer choice fails to maintain parallelism between “that still has a sizable population of wolves” and “where this predator remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep”; please remember that any elements linked by a conjunction (“and” in this sentence) must be parallel. Further, Option C incorrectly uses the “comma + conjunction (“and” in this sentence)” construction to join the independent clause “Minnesota is the only…wolves” and the dependent clause “where this predator remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep”; remember, semicolons and the “comma + conjunction” construction are used to link two independent clauses; commas are used to link an independent clause with a dependent one.
D: Trap. This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence by using a semicolon to join the independent clauses “Minnesota is the only...still sizable” and “this predator remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep”; the use of the semicolon incorrectly implies that the wolf remaining the archenemy of cattle and sheep is a fact separate from the fact that Minnesota is the only one of the contiguous forty-eight states where there is still a sizable wolf population; the intended meaning of the sentence is that Minnesota is the only one of the contiguous forty-eight states where there is still a sizable population of wolves
and where the wolf remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep.
E: Correct. This answer choice maintains parallelism between the phrases “where there is still a sizable population of wolves” and “where this predator remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep”. Further, Option D correctly uses the pronoun “where” to refer to the noun “one of the contiguous forty-eight states”, conveying the intended meaning of the sentence- that Minnesota is the only one of the contiguous forty-eight states where there is still a sizable population of wolves
and where the wolf remains the archenemy of cattle and sheep.
Hence, E is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Punctuations" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~9 minutes):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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