Four Challenge Problems and Explanations

3. Traveling through Yosemite, the scenery of waterfalls and granite peaks, which we photographed, was beautiful.
(A) the scenery of waterfalls and granite peaks, which we photographed, was beautiful
(B) the waterfalls and granite peaks were the beautiful scenery we photographed
(C) we photographed the beautiful scenery of waterfalls and granite peaks
(D) we photographed the scenery of waterfalls and granite peaks, being beautiful
(E) what we photographed was the beautiful scenery of waterfalls and granite peaks

Answer and explanation (highlight): Who travel's through Yosemite? We travel through Yosemite. So, cross out (A), (B), and (E). (D) should be crossed out because of the awkward phrase "being beautiful". (C) is the answer.


4. The poet Firdawsi composed the Iranian national epic Shah-nameh in 1010 with his purpose being to recount the history of the Persian kings.
(A) with his purpose being to recount
(B) and his purpose was recounting
(C) to recount
(D) thus recounted
(E) he recounted

Answer and explanation: Again, we have the annoying and cumbersome "being" in the stimulus. What's another way to say "his purpose being"? Think about it this way. Is it simpler to say "I went to the grocery store for the purpose of buying apples", "I went to the grocery store for my purpose was to buy apples", or "I went to the grocery store to buy apples?" The last one is the best right? So, pick (C).

16. One (A) subject of Felipe Alfau's second novel, published (B) more than 40 years after it (C) has been (D) written, is the illusory nature of the passage of time. (E) No error

Answer and explanation: (C) is the answer. We want to use "was". First, not only is there no need to use the perfect tense, but it doesn't make sense at all. However, the big giveaway is not just that the sentence is in the perfect tense, but that it is in the present perfect. The book was written more than 40 years ago! So, use "was".

17. Joining a grassroots movement against inhumane working conditions, some consumers in the United States (A) have stopped buying products from countries (B) in which workers are (C) essentially (D) a slave laborer. (E) No error

Answer and explanation: (D). There are many workers, so they are essentially slave laborers (plural).