178. In the last few years, the number of convicted criminals given community service sentences. which allow the criminals to remain unconfined while they perform specific jobs benefiting the public, have risen dramatically. (D) sentences which allow them to remain unconfined in their performing of specific jobs beneficial to the public has (E) sentences allowing them to remain unconfined while performing specific jobs that benefit the public has ets对于分词和从句修饰成分的说法真的让我很迷惑。比如说这题吧,以往ets也提到过这类问题,都是是说用which从句好,因为可以很清楚的知道其修饰的是sentences,而分词allowing则会有歧义,有可能是the number of convicted criminals,也有可能是sentences发出这个动作。可是在这里,ets却完全不提这一点。而循其他途径,否决了D!!大牛们的看法呢??
我觉得这里ETS否决D主要是由于in theri performing of specific jobs,这个说法不如E里面的while performing specific jobs。体会一下,这两种说法意思上是有区别的,后者没有歧义,表达清楚。前者的说法除了可以理解为E一样的意思,好像还可以是“他们做对社会有益的工作是不受处罚的”,所以有歧义,不明确。
178. In the last few years, the number of convicted criminals given community service sentences. which allow the criminals to remain unconfined while they perform specific jobs benefiting the public, have risen dramatically. (D) sentences which allow them to remain unconfined in their performing of specific jobs beneficial to the public has (E) sentences allowing them to remain unconfined while performing specific jobs that benefit the public has
The difference is between "which ....in..." and"allowing ...while..." . The former statement express all the time "in their jobs", however, the latter one just limit the meaning in "while performing..." therefore, it is correct.