Gmat sentence correction 24 , 25

Gmat Sentence Correction 24 & 25

24). Based on accounts of various ancient writers, scholars have painted a sketchy picture of the activities of an all-female cult that, perhaps as early as the sixth century B.C., worshipped a goddess known in Latin as Bona Dea, "the good goddess."

(A) Based on accounts of various ancient writers

(B) Basing it on various ancient writers' accounts

(C) With accounts of various ancient writers used for a basis

(D) By the accounts of various ancient writers they used

(E) Using accounts of various ancient writers

25). The number of acres destroyed by wildfires, which have become an ongoing threat due to drought and booming population density, have increased dramatically over the past several years, prompting major concern among local politicians.

A). which have become an ongoing threat due to drought and booming population density, have increased

B). which have become an ongoing threat due to drought and booming population density, have been increasing

C). which has become an ongoing threat because of drought and booming population density, has increased

D). which have become an ongoing threat due to drought and booming population density, has increased

E). which have become an ongoing threat because of drought and booming population density, has increased

Answers-

24). E is the best choice.

A - Dangling modifier - the introductory clause beginning Based on modifies scholars, the noun that immediately follows it.
In other words, A says that scholars were based on the accounts of various ancient writers.

B - is awkward and imprecise - referent of pronoun "it" is not clear.

C, D - are also wordy and awkward.
Further in D - By the accounts... they used is an unidiomatic and roundabout way of saying that scholars used me accounts.

E - is clear and concise - correctly uses a present participle (or "-ing" verb) to introduce the modifier describing how the scholars worked.

25). E is the correct choice.

A - The subject of the original sentence is "the number of acres", which is singular. The main verb, however, is "have increased", which is plural. We need to find a choice that replaces "have" with "has". Moreover, the phrase "due to" is incorrect in this context. "Due to" is a phrase that must describe a noun. "The fire was due to drought" is correct, but "There was a fire due to drought" is not. When describing a verb phrase, "because of" is preferable: "There was a fire because of drought."

B - The plural verb "have been" does not agree with the singular subject "the number of acres." Additionally, the passive voice "have been increased" is incorrect. Finally, the phrase "due to drought . . ." is unidiomatic since "because of" (not "due to") should be used to modify the verb phrase "have become an ongoing threat."

C - The modifier "which has become an ongoing threat . . ." contains the singular verb "has" which does not agree with the plural subject "wildfires."

D - The phrase "due to drought . . ." is unidiomatic since "because of" (not "due to") should be used to modify the verb phrase "have become an ongoing threat."

E - Correct - The singular verb "has" agrees with the singular subject "the number of acres." Additionally, "because of drought . . ." is properly used to modify the verb phrase "have become an ongoing threat."