求教GMATPrep中一道题：Jupiter

abigchoice

In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets, most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle other stars.

A. most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle

B. most of them as large or larger than Jupiter and circling

C. most of them at least as large as Jupiter, circling

D. mostly at least as large as Jupiter, which circle

E. mostly as large or larger than Jupiter, circling

正确答案是C。

关于C和D：C中的circling存在修饰astronomers或者planets或者jupiter的歧义；D中的which circle同样存在修饰planets或者jupiter的歧义，但通过circle（动词原形）可排除修饰jupiter的可能，应该比C更为准确。为何正确答案选C？

谢谢各位！

[此贴子已经被作者于2006-10-17 8:52:39编辑过]

lazyrat

D中WHICH CIRCLE 只能修饰前面的  JUPITER　，和原意不符合；且ｍｏｓｔｌｙ修饰了所有的ａｔｒｏｎｏｍｅｒｓ与愿意不符合；

新手个人意见，请各位牛人指导

abigchoice

以下是引用lazyrat在2006-10-17 5:40:00的发言：

D中WHICH CIRCLE 只能修饰前面的  JUPITER　，和原意不符合；且ｍｏｓｔｌｙ修饰了所有的ａｔｒｏｎｏｍｅｒｓ与愿意不符合；

新手个人意见，请各位牛人指导

我认为：D中的which circle可以跳跃修饰planets（虽然跳跃的距离有点长）。问题倒是有可能出在mostly的副词词性上。

继续请教大家！

abigchoice

up up

abigchoice

好象有点冷清

swiss0204

我不是牛人, 不过我很乐意参与讨论~~~~

In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets,
                

most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle other stars.

A. most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle

B. most of them as large or larger than Jupiter and circling

C. most of them at least as large as Jupiter, circling

D. mostly at least as large as Jupiter, which circle

E. mostly as large or larger than Jupiter, circling

1) 个人认为 choice C 的 circling 是修饰
            detecting more than 80 massive planets这整件事时,
                

这些massive planets circle other stars 同时发生的伴随作用,

修饰的是astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets　这整句话.

2) D的
            which 在这里修饰noun 有修饰对象不清之嫌, 此外, 根据题意这里的circle 是修饰前面整个句子,

which 只能修饰
            noun, 无法修饰
            clause.
                

 

Ref: OG 10^th Q49,
                

49. The cameras of the Voyager II spacecraft detected six small, previously unseen moons circling Uranus,
                

which doubles to twelve the number of satellites now known as orbiting the distant planet.
(A) which doubles to twelve the number of satellites now known as orbiting
(B) doubling to twelve the number of satellites now known to orbit
(C) which doubles to twelve the number of satellites now known in orbit around
(D) doubling to twelve the number of satellites now known as orbiting
(E) which doubles to twelve the number of satellites now known that orbit

OG 10^th
                         exp:
                    

The pronoun which should be used to refer to a previously mentioned noun, not to the idea expressed in an entire clause.
                

In A, C, and E, which seems to refer to a vague concept involving the detection of moons,
                

but there is no specific noun, such as detection, to which it can refer.
                

Also in E, the use of the phrasing the number... now known that orbit is ungrammatical and unclear.
                

B and D use the correct participial form, doubling, to modify the preceding clause,
                

but D, like A, uses known as orbiting rather than known to orbit, a phrase that is more idiomatic in context.
                

B, therefore, is the best answer.

 

Open to discuss ~~~

abigchoice

swiss0204, 谢谢你的回复。

我认为，circling不是修饰前面整个句子astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets。

你想啊，planets可以circle stars，而detected more planets这件事情怎么能circle stars呢？

欢迎继续探讨。

swiss0204

In the past several years, astronomers have detected more than 80 massive planets,
                

most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle other stars.

A. most of them as large or larger than Jupiter, which circle

B. most of them as large or larger than Jupiter and circling

C. most of them at least as large as Jupiter, circling

D. mostly at least as large as Jupiter, which circle

E. mostly as large or larger than Jupiter, circling

ANS: C
                

我的看法是,
                

astronomers 发现
            more than 80 massive planets,
                

而这more than 80 massive planets are (simultaneously) circling other stars.
                

1)     因为具有同时发生
            ( 在astronomers detected 的那个时间)
                

2)     circle is supposed to modify massive planets 而非
            Jupiter.
                

所以有必要用分词的形式.
                

 

以上拙见~~~  open to discuss ~~~~
                

abigchoice

还是认为主要问题在于mostly

[此贴子已经被作者于2006-10-19 10:43:03编辑过]

eddienumb

查一下字典 mostly是副词  不能修饰plants更不能指代plants
例句：We are mostly out of sundays.