897. Unlike Schoenberg’s twelve-tone system that dominated the music of the postwar period, Bartok founded no school and left behind only a handful of disciples.
(A) Schoenberg’s twelve-tone system that dominated
(B) Schoenberg and his twelve-tone system which dominated
(C) Schoenberg, whose twelve-tone system dominated
(D) the twelve-tone system of Schoenberg that has dominated
(E) Schoenberg and the twelve-tone system, dominating
Solution:
OG Solution:
C, the best answer, is the only choice that makes a logical comparison: Unlike Schoenberg, .. . Bartok. In A, B, and D, Bartok, a person, is compared either to Schoenberg's twelve-tone system or to Schoenberg and his twelve-tone system as a unit. Such comparisons are neither logically sound nor semantically parallel. Consequently, A and D illogically suggest that Schoenberg's twelve-tone system founded a school and left behind many disciples. Choice B suggests that Schoenberg and his twelve-tone system together accomplished these feats. In E, the comparison is illogical and the modification is ambiguous. Schoenberg and his system, as a unit, are not only compared to Bartok, an individual, but also credited with having formed a school. The verb phrase dominating ... is called a "squinting modifier" because it looks in both directions: given the structure of the sentence, it could be meant to modify either Schoenberg and the twelve-tone system or Bartok.
Sentence Correction - 1000 Questions with Solution:
(A) Schoenberg’s twelve-tone system that dominated
(B) Schoenberg and his twelve-tone system which dominated
(C) Schoenberg, whose twelve-tone system dominated
(D) the twelve-tone system of Schoenberg that has dominated
(E) Schoenberg and the twelve-tone system, dominating
Solution:
OG Solution:
C, the best answer, is the only choice that makes a logical comparison: Unlike Schoenberg, .. . Bartok. In A, B, and D, Bartok, a person, is compared either to Schoenberg's twelve-tone system or to Schoenberg and his twelve-tone system as a unit. Such comparisons are neither logically sound nor semantically parallel. Consequently, A and D illogically suggest that Schoenberg's twelve-tone system founded a school and left behind many disciples. Choice B suggests that Schoenberg and his twelve-tone system together accomplished these feats. In E, the comparison is illogical and the modification is ambiguous. Schoenberg and his system, as a unit, are not only compared to Bartok, an individual, but also credited with having formed a school. The verb phrase dominating ... is called a "squinting modifier" because it looks in both directions: given the structure of the sentence, it could be meant to modify either Schoenberg and the twelve-tone system or Bartok.
Sentence Correction - 1000 Questions with Solution: