Doubt in MGMAT SC question: The governor’s team of advisors

[LEOSHUBHAM]

The governor’s team of advisors, including her education and political strategists, has not been available for comment since the release of her controversial education reform proposal.
a) has not been available for comment since the release of her controversial education reform proposal
b) have not been available for comment since the governor released her controversial education reform proposal
c) has not been available to make comments since releasing her proposal on controversial education reform
d) have not been available for comment since releasing her controversial education reform proposal
e) has not been available to make comments since the release of her proposal on controversial reform in education


Found this question in one of the MGMAT practise tests. OA is A.
Is this question even correct?? No antecedent for 'her' in choice A? I do understand the subject verb agreement error though. This question on other forums is modified and presented in a more correct form that takes care of the antecedent problem. just want to understand whether this form is correct as well and that if I am overlooking something important.
Please clarify.

Thank you
Shubham

[jnelson0612]

The governor’s team of advisors, including her education and political strategists, has not been available for comment since the release of her controversial education reform proposal.
a) has not been available for comment since the release of her controversial education reform proposal
b) have not been available for comment since the governor released her controversial education reform proposal
c) has not been available to make comments since releasing her proposal on controversial education reform
d) have not been available for comment since releasing her controversial education reform proposal
e) has not been available to make comments since the release of her proposal on controversial reform in education


Found this question in one of the MGMAT practise tests. OA is A.
Is this question even correct?? No antecedent for 'her' in choice A? I do understand the subject verb agreement error though. This question on other forums is modified and presented in a more correct form that takes care of the antecedent problem. just want to understand whether this form is correct as well and that if I am overlooking something important.
Please clarify.

Thank you
Shubham

Yes, tricky stuff! Here's the thing: "her" in the "her education and political strategists" is functioning as a possessive pronoun the same way that "governor's" is functioning as a possessive in "governor's team". Since "her" has the same function as "governor's" this is allowed.

For example:
"Jane's dress is red and her boots are green." This is okay since "her" is possessive and refers to a possessive, "Jane's".

Hope this helps!

[LEOSHUBHAM]

Wow..

Thank you Jamie..
Appreciate it.. :)

[jnelson0612]

Wow..

Thank you Jamie..
Appreciate it.. :)

My pleasure! Great question, by the way! :-)

[muskaan.swamy]

In A) we have " controversial education reform proposal " . The explanation provided says that controversial modifies the noun proposal. How so ?

Isn't 'controversial' an adjective modifying education reform. ?

In Manhattan SC, there is a similar example - supposedly Irish ancestor.

Please explain.

[tim]

no, because "education reform" is a modifier. if "controversial" were to modify this, it would have to be an adverb - "controversially"..

[HemalT607]

The governor’s team of advisors, including her education and political strategists, has not been available for comment since the release of her controversial education reform proposal.
a) has not been available for comment since the release of her controversial education reform proposal
b) have not been available for comment since the governor released her controversial education reform proposal
c) has not been available to make comments since releasing her proposal on controversial education reform
d) have not been available for comment since releasing her controversial education reform proposal
e) has not been available to make comments since the release of her proposal on controversial reform in education


Found this question in one of the MGMAT practise tests. OA is A.
Is this question even correct?? No antecedent for 'her' in choice A? I do understand the subject verb agreement error though. This question on other forums is modified and presented in a more correct form that takes care of the antecedent problem. just want to understand whether this form is correct as well and that if I am overlooking something important.
Please clarify.

Thank you
Shubham

Yes, tricky stuff! Here's the thing: "her" in the "her education and political strategists" is functioning as a possessive pronoun the same way that "governor's" is functioning as a possessive in "governor's team". Since "her" has the same function as "governor's" this is allowed.

For example:
"Jane's dress is red and her boots are green." This is okay since "her" is possessive and refers to a possessive, "Jane's".

Hope this helps!

I am confused.Can you please give me an example where pronoun cannot be used for a possessive noun?

[tim]

"Ron's posts are so great that he is a legend on the forums."

You cannot use "he" in the subjective case to point to "Ron's" in the possessive case. Fortunately this point seems to have been de-emphasized on the GMAT recently, so you probably will not have to deal with it.

[wangq684]

hi，ron
A) the usage of "since" is identical to "because" . I am confused that whether the usage "since+ noun phase" is right.
thank you in advance

[RonPurewal]

that's not how "since" is used there.

"the release of xxxx" represents a point in time, so this usage is the same as, e.g., "since 1975".

[AndyH539]

The governor’s team of advisors, including her education and political strategists, has not been available for comment since the release of her controversial education reform proposal.
a) has not been available for comment since the release of her controversial education reform proposal
b) have not been available for comment since the governor released her controversial education reform proposal
c) has not been available to make comments since releasing her proposal on controversial education reform
d) have not been available for comment since releasing her controversial education reform proposal
e) has not been available to make comments since the release of her proposal on controversial reform in education


Hi Ron,
I have a question about e). The official explanation says that “her proposal on controversial reform in education” changes the original meaning". I think in other posts, I read that the original meaning of the original sentence (i.e: a) is not always absolutely correct. Thus my questions is "her proposal on controversial reform in education" is absolutely awkward to make the e) incorrect answer? becuase there is possibility that it is the refrom is controversial.
Please shed some lights.
Always thank you

Andy

[QIAND24]

hi, Ron!
Is "the original meaning" the same as the meaning of option A as long as it is reasonable?
Can you please clarify how to find the "original meaning" of the sentence? since in this context, it seems that "the proposal is controversial" is the original meaning. However, i think we can also say "the reform is controversial".
Thanks!

[Su214]

Sorry that I have replied the wrong ID....My question is below.

[Su214]

that's not how "since" is used there.

"the release of xxxx" represents a point in time, so this usage is the same as, e.g., "since 1975".

Hi, Ron.
I was confused why the phrase"controversial education reform proposal" is correct. I choose the answer E because I can't determine what the "controversial" in A is describing, "reform" or "proposal"? And I found that the modifier is clearer in the answer E.

Moreover, one of the reasons that the explanation gives is

The phrase “her proposal on controversial reform in education” changes the original meaning. This phrasing implies that the education reform is controversial; however, it is clear from the original sentence that the governor’s proposal, not education reform itself, is controversial.

I was puzzled by the explanation since I thought we can't determine the intended meaning only by the original answer, and I also can't determine by myself which one, "education reform" or " governor’s proposal", should be "controversial"?

Thanks a lot for reading my question and I will be grateful for your reply!
Wish you a good day.

[RonPurewal]

it should be clear in context that the proposal is controversial.

since she is proposing educational reforms, the two interpretations you're describing are not significantly different from each other anyway—in both cases, the controversy is about the proposed educational reforms.