Question
In some types of pine tree, a thick layer of needles protects the buds from which new growth proceeds; consequently they are able to withstand forest fires relatively well.
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
Option E
(This question is from Official Guide. Therefore, because of copyrights, the complete question cannot be copied here. The question can be accessed at GMAT Club)
Solution
Sentence Analysis
The sentence structure is:
- In some types of pine tree, (prepositional phrase modifying the subsequent clause)
- a thick layer of needles protects the buds (layer – subject; protects – verb)
- from which new growth proceeds; (clause with subject ‘growth’ and verb ‘proceeds’. This clause modifies “buds”. What kinds of buds? New growth proceeds from these buds. Such kind of buds)
- consequently they are able to withstand forest fires relatively well. (Second independent clause joined correctly with a semi-colon with the first independent clause. As a result of the previous clause, the buds can withstand forest fires quite well)
The sentence is logical. All subject-verb pairs agree in number. However, there is a pronoun ambiguity: ‘they’ can grammatically refer to ‘buds’, ‘needles’, or ‘types of pine tree’. Logically, ‘they’ should refer to ‘buds’.
However, pronoun ambiguity is not a significant error on GMAT. Therefore, we should keep option A on hold and evaluate other options to see whether there is any better option. If no better option is found, it is fine to choose an option with pronoun ambiguity.
Option Analysis
(A) Correct. No better option found!
(B) Incorrect. For the following reasons:
- “a thick layer of needles” is a clearer expression than “a thick needle layer”. The second expression could also mean a layer comprising of only one needle.
- “where” should refer to a place. Since “buds” is not a place, the use of “where” is incorrect. OG17 explanation seems to indicate that we can never use “from where” together. However, “from where” can be used, as in the below sentences from WSJ.com, when we want “where” to refer to a place.
- Some of its products have warranties that are specific to the country from where they were originally purchased
- The Gorkha region, from where the Gurkhas get their name, was one of the worst affected by the 2015 earthquakes
- In this option, “so that” has been used in the sense “with the result that”. Even though “so that” can be used to mean “with the result that”, such use is quite uncommon. Even though the use is not an error here, we need to be careful with such ‘uncommon’ usages and prefer less such kind of options since they are easier to misinterpret.
(C) Incorrect. For the following reasons:
- The plural verb “protect” doesn’t agree with the singular subject “layer”.
- The adverbial phrase “relatively well” should have been placed after the direct object “forest fires” for better clarity.
(D) Incorrect. For the following reasons:
- The use of “since”, “consequently”, and “therefore” together is OVERLY redundant.
- “thick layer of needles” is preferred over “thick needle layer”, as explained in option B.
(E) Incorrect. For the following reasons:
- Error no. 2 of option B
- The use of “as a result” is redundant since the causality is already expressed through the use of “because”.
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Hi CJ,
In the option B “a thick needle layer protects buds from where new growth proceeds, so that they can withstand forest fires relatively well” doesn’t “from where” change the meaning of the option?
It conveys that “layer protects buds from something” – something here refers to “where the new growth happen” – which isn’t the original intended meaning?
Please let me know if this is the correct thought process?
There are, many times, different ways to read a sentence. We have to go with the way that makes the most sense within the context.
I’ll protect his academic career from which his new life will sprout.
In the above sentence, do you think I’m protecting somebody’s academic career from “which…”?
Hi CJ,
(D) since the buds from which new growth proceeds are protected by a thick needle layer, consequently they can therefore withstand forest fires relatively well
“From which new growth proceeds” is an essential modifier – isnt this an error? This would mean that only the buds that allows growth are protected by needle layer?
Not necessarily. We could be focusing on only these buds. Option A has the same construction.
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