Sentence Correction

Hi All,

Can some one please help me in clarifying....between the following two options which one is correct one and why ? Only difference I can see is that "because" thing is interchanged. Moreover IMO they too is "not" ambiguous here...since they cannot refer to habits here...as habits cannot desire....only people can desire....

(A) Because they desire to be as thin as possible, young female ballet dancers and gymnasts sometimes fail to maintain good eating habits.

(B) Young female ballet dancers and gymnasts sometimes fail to maintain good eating habits because they desire to be as thin as possible

Thanks
Mohit

Mohit,

Let me put it this way - GMAT is not as intelligent as you!!! So you have to pick an answer which is absolutely irrefutable. Leave no assumption behind. Never assume that X can be used because X can only refer to Y and not Z.

The first sentence is correct because the first part of the sentence correctly modifies Dancers and Gymnasts!!!

in second sentence they can be ambigious....so I would prefer first sentence..I have seen this question in gmat prep or somewhere..I am not sure though.

Seems to me first is correct here. But i also read somewhere that it is not advisable to start a sentence with because in GMATland. Although this is an exception. 1 clearly wins over 2 for above stated reasons...

In #1 Because they desire to be as thin as possible, young female
They clearly refers to young female ballet dancers and gymnasts and it correctly modifies them.

- Deepak

Hi All,

If there would have been modified "B" then kindly help me understand which one would have been preferable and why ?

(A) Because they desire to be as thin as possible, young female ballet dancers and gymnasts sometimes fail to maintain good eating habits.

(Modified B) Young female ballet dancers and gymnasts sometimes fail to maintain good eating habits, because "dancers and Gymnasts" desire to be as thin as possible.

Thanks
Mohit

Experts Kindly share your thoughts please !!!