Sunday, March 15, 2009

SC's Question number - 647, 648

647). On the Great Plains, nineteenth-century settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, doing it without timber and nails.

(A) settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, doing it without

(B) settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, did it without

(C) settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, making them while not having

(D) settlers used mud and grass to build their homes, making do without

(E) settlers’ homes were built of mud and grass, making do without

648). According to Inter study, a nonprofit organization that studies health maintenance organizations (HMO's), they estimate that, in comparison to last year, when only 36 percent of the nation's 607 HMO's was profitable, this year 73 percent will be.

(A) they estimate that, in comparison to last year, when only 36 percent of the nation's 607 HMO's was profitable, this year 73 percent will be.

(B) compared to only 36 percent of the nation's 607 HMO's being profitable last year, they estimate 73 percent would be this year

(C) only 36 percent of the nation's 607 HMO's were profitable last year, it estimates that this year 73 percent will be

(D) it estimates 73 percent of the nation's 607 HMO's would be profitable this year, last year that was only 36 percent

(E) only 36 percent of the nation's 607 HMO's last year were profitable, whereas they estimate it this year to be 73 percent


Answers:

647). OA - D - idiomatic - making do
make do with/ without(idiom) => use whatever you can find, substitute, to succeed in dealing with a situation by using what is available/despite not having something, to manage with that is not really satisfactory, to manage with the things that you have e.g When our kids don't have toys, they make do with pots and pans.

A, B - incorrect - no clear referent for it

C - incorrect - wrong tense, use of while incorrect

E - incorrect - passive

648). OA - C - http://forum.prachipareekh.net/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=594

Monday, March 09, 2009

SC's Question number - 649 , 650

649). George’s personal diary and album formed the basis for his book about the places he had visited.

(A) the basis for his book about the places he had visited.

(B) the basis for his book regarding the places he had visited.

(C) the basis of his book about the places he visited.

(D) the basis of his book about the places which he had visited.

(E) the basis of his book about the places he had visited.


650). For many years the idea as to if the Xenomorph employed an exoskeleton or endoskeleton plagued debates and discussions with unanswered questions; however, recent ideas based on Dr. Wren's studies suggest that the Xenomorph may employ an endo-exoskeleton: a skeletal structure that exists as both an epidermal structure and as a subdermal structure.

(A) the idea as to if the Xenomorph employed an exoskeleton or endoskeleton plagued debates and discussions with unanswered questions; however, recent ideas based on Dr. Wren's studies suggest that the Xenomorph may employ an endo-exoskeleton: a skeletal structure that exists as both

(B) the idea as to whether the Xenomorph employed an exoskeleton or endoskeleton plagued debates and discussions with unanswered questions; however, recent ideas based on Dr. Wren's studies suggest that the Xenomorph may employ an endo-exoskeleton: a skeletal structure that exists as both

(C) the idea as to whether the Xenomorph employed an exoskeleton or endoskeleton plagued debates and discussions with unanswered questions; however, recent ideas based on Dr. Wren's studies suggests that the Xenomorph may employ an endo-exoskeleton: a skeletal structure that exists both as

(D) the idea if the Xenomorph employed an exoskeleton or endoskeleton plagued debates and discussions with unanswered questions; however, recent ideas basing on Dr. Wren's studies suggest that the Xenomorph may employ an endo-exoskeleton: a skeletal structure that exist both as

(E) the idea as to whether the Xenomorph employed an exoskeleton or endoskeleton plagued debates and discussions with unanswered questions; however, recent ideas based on Dr. Wren's studies suggest that the Xenomorph may employ an endo-exoskeleton: a skeletal structure that exists both as


Answers:

649). OA - C - right tense

Explanation: George’s personal diary and album formed the basis of his book (that he wrote) about the places (that) he had visited.

Here perfect tense is unnecessary in the sentence "he wrote about the places that he (had) visited"

We can do without it since there is no confusion regarding the timeline.

Further, in the reduced form, construction in E, with perfect tense, is highlighting an inappropriate sequence of actions:
he visited those places before his personal diary and album formed the basis of his book.

650). OA - E - idiomatic - both as X and as Y

A, B - incorrect - unidiomatic

C - incorrect - subject verb agreement - ...
recent ideas(plural) based on Dr. Wren's studies suggests(singular) that....

D -
incorrect - subject verb agreement - .... a skeletal structure(singular) that exist(plural) both as...

Thursday, March 05, 2009

SC's Question number - 651 , 652

651). Recent psychological studies indicate that if children associate with and play with other children, they will experience fewer psychological problems and develop quicker socially than children that lead relatively isolated lives.

(A) play with other children, they will experience fewer psychological problems and develop quicker socially than

(B) play with other children, they experience fewer psychological problems and develop quicker socially than do

(C) played with other children, they experienced fewer psychological problems and develop quicker socially than will

(D) play with other children, they will experience fewer psychological problems and develop more quickly socially than do

(E) played with other children, they have experienced fewer psychological problems and have developed more quickly socially than do

652). As envisioned by researchers, commercial farming of lobsters will enable fisheries to sell the shellfish year-round, taking advantage of off-season demand, standardize its sizes and colors, and to predict sales volume in advance.

(A) taking advantage of off-season demand, standardize

(B) taking advantage of off-season demand, to standardize

(C) taking advantage of off-season demand, standardizing

(D) take advantage of off-season demand, standardizing

(E) take advantage of off-season demand, to standardize


Answers:

651). OA - D - parallel, idiomatic, right comparison - if X happens Y will happen - ...associate with....play with other children, they will experience fewer psychological problems and develop(verb) more quickly(adverb) socially than do...

A, B - incorrect - we need an adverb to modify a verb - ...develop(verb) quicker(adjective)

C, E - incorrect - violating parallelism - ...associate with...played with...

652). OA - B - parallel - .... to sell...to standardize...to predict...

A, C, D - incorrect - violating parallelism

E - incorrect - violating parallelism, modifier error

Monday, March 02, 2009

SC's Question number - 653 , 654

653). Although many Whites, noting the presence of some Blacks in the middle class, think that the time for enforcing civil rights measures is past, Blacks generally are aware that the figures for average income and unemployment show as wide of a radical discrepancy as ever.

(A) that the figures for average income and unemployment show as wide of

(B) that average-income and unemployment figures show as wide

(C) that the average-income and unemployment figures are showing as wide of

(D) of average-income and unemployment figures that show as wide of

(E) of figures for average income and unemployment showing as wide

654). In 1973 mortgage payments represented twenty-one percent of an average thirty-year-old male's
income; and forty-four percent in 1984.

(A) income; and forty-four percent in 1984

(B) income; in 1984 the figure was forty-four percent

(C) income, and in 1984 forty-four percent

(D) income, forty-four percent in 1984 was the figure

(E) income that rose to forty-four percent in 1984


Answers

653). OA - B - idiomatic - ...as...as...

A, C, D - incorrect - unidiomatic - ... as .. of ... as

E - incorrect - awkward, wrong tense - ...unemployment showing as wide...

654). (OG 10th Ques no - 81) - OA - B

OE:
To establish the clearest comparison between circumstances in 1973 and those in 1984, a separate clause is needed to describe each year. Choices A and C, in failing to use separate clauses, are too elliptical and therefore unclear. Choice A also incorrectly uses and and a semicolon to separate an independent clause and a phrase. Choice D incorrectly separates two independent clauses with a comma; moreover, the placement of in 1984 is awkward and confusing. In choice E, that refers illogically to income, thereby producing the misstatement that income rather than mortgage payments rose to forty-four percent in 1984. Choice B is best; two properly constructed clauses that clearly express the comparison are separated by a semicolon.

A - incorrect - use of semicolon is wrong
Read: Using semicolon

C - incorrect - use of comma wrong

D - incorrect - use of comma wrong
Read: Editing Comma Splice

E - incorrect - pronoun error - that incorrectly refers to income


Wednesday, February 18, 2009

SC's Question number - 655, 656

655). So poorly educated and trained are many young recruits to the United States work force that many business executives fear this country will lose its economic preeminence.

(A) So poorly educated and trained are many young recruits to the United States work force that

(B) As poorly educated and trained as many young recruits to the United States work force are

(C) Because of many young recruits to the United States work force who are so poorly educated and trained

(D) That many young recruits to the United States work force are so poorly educated and trained is why

(E) Many young recruits to the United States work force who are so poorly educated and trained explains why

656). Socrates could have fled from Athens after he was sentenced to death, but he refused to do it.

(A) Socrates could have fled from Athens after he was sentenced to death, but he refused to do it.

(B) After he was sentenced to death, Socrates might have fled from Athens, but he refused to do it.

(C) After he was sentenced to death, Socrates could have fled from Athens, but he refused to do so.

(D) After he was sentenced to death, Socrates could have done so after he was sentenced to death.

(E) Socrates could have fled from Athens but refused to after he was sentenced to death.


Answers:

655). OA - A - idiomatic - So X that Y

B - incorrect - no comparison here so As..as usage is wrong here

D - incorrect - unidiomatic, wordy

E - incorrect - subject verb agreement - Many young recruits(plural) to the United States work force who are so poorly educated and trained explains(singular) why...

656). OA - C

A, B - incorrect - no clear antecedent for pronoun it

D - incorrect - awkward - ...Socrates could have done so...

E - incorrect - changes the meaning

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

SC's Question number - 657 , 658

657). Some analysts of retirement problems insist that the only way to provide equity and protection for all Americans is to amalgamate all retirement-income systems, including Social Security, into one central system.

(A) insist that the only way to provide equity and protection for all Americans is to amalgamate

(B) have insisted the only way equity and protection can be provided for all Americans is amalgamating

(C) insist the only way to provide equity and protection for all Americans is the amalgamation of

(D) are insistent that the only way equity and protection can be provided for all Americans is the amalgamation of

(E) insist that the only way for the provision of equity and protection for all Americans is to amalgamate

658). Some analysts contend that true capitalism exists only when the ownership of both property and the means of production is regarded as an inalienable right of an individual’s, and it is not a license granted by government and revokable at whim.

(A) is regarded as an inalienable right of an individual’s, and it is not

(B) are regarded as individuals’ inalienable rights, and that it not be

(C) is regarded as an individual’s inalienable right, not as

(D) are regarded as an individual’s inalienable rights, not when they are

(E) is regarded as the inalienable rights of an individual, not when it is


Answers:

657). OA - A - subjunctive. Also parallel - ..to provide X is to amalgamate Y..

B, C, D - incorrect - subjunctive - require insist that


E - incorrect - violating parallelism

658). OA - C - parallel - ..regarded as X not as Y

A - incorrect - awkward -
an inalienable right of an individual’s

B, D - incorrect - subject verb agreement - ....ownership(singular)....are(plural)...

E - incorrect - wrong comparison, awkward - ...
inalienable rights...

Note: Subjunctive verbs: Read here

Sunday, January 18, 2009

SC's Question number - 659, 660

659). Some bat caves, like honeybee hives, have residents that take on different duties such as defending the entrance, acting as sentinels and to sound a warning at the approach of danger, and scouting outside the cave for new food and roosting sites.

(A) acting as sentinels and to sound

(B) acting as sentinels and sounding

(C) to act as sentinels and sound

(D) to act as sentinels and to sound

(E) to act as a sentinel sounding

660). Some analysts point out that because people are becoming accustomed to a steady inflation rate of four to five percent, businesses
found that they could raise prices according to this amount without thereby provoking strong public reaction.

(A) found that they could raise prices according to this amount without thereby provoking

(B) found that they were capable of raising prices by this amount and not provoke

(C) find that they are capable of raising prices by this amount and not provoke

(D) are finding that they can raise prices by this amount without provoking

(E) are finding that they can raise prices according to this amount and will not thereby provoke


Answers:

659). (OG 10th Ques no - 3) - OA - B - Ques no 92

OE:
B - correct -
preserves the sense of the original, uses the correct idiom, and observes the parallelism required among and within the three main verb phrases.
Because the verb phrases used to describe the bats' duties are governed by the phrase different duties such as, they should each be expressed in the present participial (or "-ing") form to parallel defending and scouting.

A, C, D, E - incorrect - violate parallelism by employing infinitives (to...) in place of participial phrases.

E - incorrect -
the singular sentinel is not consistent with residents, and the omission of and distorts the meaning of the original.

660). OA - D - parallel - ....are becoming...are finding...without provoking...

A, B - incorrect - violating parallelism, wrong tense ...
are becoming accustomed(present continuous) .... found(simple past)

C - incorrect - violating parallelism, wrong tense ...are becoming accustomed(present continuous) .... find(simple present)

E - incorrect - awkward and wordy
according to this amount

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

SC's Question number - 661 , 662

661). Some buildings that were destroyed and heavily damaged in the earthquake last year were constructed in violation of the city’s building code.

(A) Some buildings that were destroyed and heavily damaged in the earthquake last year were

(B) Some buildings that were destroyed or heavily damaged in the earthquake last year had been

(C) Some buildings that the earthquake destroyed and heavily damaged last year have been

(D) Last year the earthquake destroyed or heavily damaged some buildings that have been

(E) Last year some of the buildings that were destroyed or heavily damaged in the earth quake had been

662). Some biographers have not only disputed the common notion that Edgar Allan Poe drank to excess but also questioned whether he drank at all.

(A) have not only disputed the common notion that Edgar Allan Poe drank to excess but also questioned whether he drank

(B) not only have disputed the common notion that Edgar Allan Poe drank to excess but also over whether he drank

(C) have disputed not only the common notion that Edgar Allan Poe drank to excess but also whether he may not have drunk

(D) not only have disputed the common notion that Edgar Allan Poe drank to excess but also questioned whether or not he had drunk

(E) have disputed the common notion not only that Edgar Allan Poe drank to excess but also questioned whether he may not have drunk


Answers:

661). (OG 10th Ques no - 32) - OA - B

OE: Choice B is best. Only B uses verb tenses correctly to indicate that construction of the buildings was completed prior to the earthquake.

A, C - incorrect - illogically state that some buildings were both destroyed and damaged; or is needed to indicate that each of the buildings suffered either one fate or the other. In using only one verb tense,were, A fails to indicate that the buildings were constructed before the earthquake occurred.

C, D - incorrect - use the present perfect tense incorrectly, saying in effect that the buildings
have been constructed after they were destroyed last year.

E - incorrect - suggests that the construction of the buildings, rather than the earthquake, occurred last year, thus making the sequence of events unclear.


662). OA - A - parallelism - ..not only ...but also

B, C, D, E - incorrect - violating parallelism

Sunday, December 21, 2008

SC's Question number - 663 , 664

663). Some of the tenth-century stave churches of Norway are still standing, demonstrating that with sound design and maintenance, wooden buildings can last indefinitely.

(A) standing, demonstrating that with sound design and maintenance, wooden buildings can last indefinitely

(B) standing, demonstrating how wooden buildings, when they have sound design and maintenance, can last indefinitely

(C) standing; they demonstrate if a wooden building has sound design and maintenance it can last indefinitely

(D) standing, and they demonstrate wooden buildings can last indefinitely when there is sound design and maintenance

(E) standing, and they demonstrate how a wooden building can last indefinitely when it has sound design and maintenance

664). Some historians of science have argued that science moves forward not so much because of the insights of great thinkers but because of more mundane developments, such as improved tools and technologies.

(A) because of the insights of great thinkers but because of

(B) because of the insights of great thinkers as the result of

(C) because of the insights of great thinkers as because of

(D) through the insights of great thinkers but through

(E) through the insights of great thinkers but result from


Answers:

663). OA - A

B - incorrect - use of when is wrong

C - incorrect - wrong use of semicolon

D, E - incorrect - changing the meaning, illogically suggesting that churches demonstrate

664). OA - C - parallel and idiomatic - ....not so much because of X as because of Y...

A, D, E - incorrect - unidiomatic

B - incorrect - violating parallelism

Monday, December 15, 2008

SC's Question number - 665 , 666

665). Some scientists have been critical of the laboratory tests conducted by the Federal Drug Administration on the grounds that the amounts of suspected carcinogens fed to animals far exceeds those that humans could consume.

(A) far exceeds those that humans could consume

(B) exceeds by far those humans can consume

(C) far exceeds those humans are able to consume

(D) exceed by far those able to be consumed by humans

(E) far exceed those that humans could consume

666). Some psychiatric studies indicate that among distinguished artists the rates of manic depression and major depression are ten to thirteen times as prevalent as in the population at large.

(A) the rates of manic depression and major depression are ten to thirteen times as prevalent as in

(B) the rates of manic depression and major depression are ten to thirteen times more prevalent than in

(C) the rates of manic depression and major depression are ten to thirteen times more prevalent when compared to

(D) manic depression and major depression are ten to thirteen times as prevalent when compared to

(E) manic depression and major depression are ten to thirteen times more prevalent than in

Answers:

665). OA - E (OG 10th Ques no 243)

OE: The plural verb exceed agrees in number with its subject, amounts, and the phrase those that humans could consume conveys the intended meaning clearly and without unnecessary wordiness.

A, B, C - incorrect - the singular
exceeds does not agree in number with its plural subject, amounts.

B, C - incorrect - omit the conjunction that an omission that is grammatically acceptable, but in the case of this sentence diminishes clarity.

D - incorrect - the use of the passive voice in the phrase
those able to be consumed by humans is unjustified, as it increases wordiness while stating the meaning less precisely: it is accurate to call humans " able", but not to call those( amounts) "able".

666). OA - E

A, B, C - incorrect - illogically suggests that the rates are prevalent

D - incorrect - unidiomatic - ..as..when..

Monday, November 17, 2008

SC's Question no - 667 , 668

667). Spanning more than fifty years, Friedrich Muller began his career in an unpromising apprenticeship as a Sanskrit scholar and culminated in virtually every honor that European governments and learned societies could bestow.

(A) Muller began his career in an unpromising apprenticeship as

(B) Muller’s career began in an unpromising apprenticeship as

(C) Muller’s career began with the unpromising apprenticeship of being

(D) Muller had begun his career with the unpromising apprenticeship of being

(E) the career of Muller has begun with an unpromising apprenticeship of

668). South Korea has witnessed the world’s most dramatic growth of Christian congregations; church membership is expanding by 6.6 percent a year, fully two-thirds of the growth coming from conversions rather than the population increasing.

(A) coming from conversions rather than the population increasing

(B) coming from conversions rather than increases in the population

(C) coming from conversions instead of the population’s increasing

(D) is from conversions instead of population increases

(E) is from conversions rather than increasing the population


Answers:

667). (OG 10th Ques no - 235) - OA - B - idiomatic - apprenticeship as

OE: The best answer, B, uses the logical and grammatically correct construction. Spanning more than fifty years, Friedrich Muller's career began . . . and culminated. Note that the noun phrase appearing after the comma is modified by Spanning and serves as the subject of began and culminated. Choice A produces an illogical statement by placing Friedrich Muller in this subject position. Choice C corrects this error but produces an unidiomatic construction by using apprenticeship of being instead of apprenticeship as. Choice D repeats both this error and the subject error of A. D and E needlessly change the simple past tense began to the past perfect had begun and the present perfect has begun, respectively, and E uses apprenticeship of, which is unidiomatic in this context.

A, D - incorrect - modifier error - Spanning more than fifty years should modify Friedrich Muller's career and not Friedrich Muller

C - incorrect - unidiomatic: apprenticeship of being

E - incorrect - awkward, unidiomatic: apprenticeship of; wrong tense: has begun

668). OA - B - parallel - coming from conversions rather than increases in the population

A, C - incorrect - violating parallelism

D - incorrect - use of instead of is wrong: Instead of is a preposition and can introduce only a phrase i.e no verb
http://gmat-grammar.blogspot.com/2006/06/rather-than-vs-instead-of.html

E - incorrect - comma splice run on error
http://gmat-grammar.blogspot.com/2007/01/editing-comma-splices.html

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

SC's Question number - 669 , 670

669). Stable interest rates on long-term bonds are the financial market’s vote of confidence in the Federal Reserve keeping in control of inflation.

(A) in the Federal Reserve keeping in control of inflation

(B) that the Federal Reserve will keep inflation under control

(C) for the Federal Reserve, that it would keep control of inflation

(D) that inflation will be kept control of by the Federal

(E) that inflation would be kept control of by the Federal Reserve

670). St. John’s, , lies on the same latitude as Paris, France, but in spring St. John’s residents are less likely to be sitting at outdoor cafes than to be bracing themselves against arctic chills, shoveling snow, or seeking shelter from a raging northeast storm.

(A) residents are less likely to be sitting at outdoor cafes than to be bracing themselves against arctic chills, shoveling snow, or seeking

(B) residents are less likely to sit at outdoor cafes, and more to brace themselves against arctic chills, shovel snow, or be seeking

(C) residents are less likely to be sitting at outdoor cafes, and more likely to be bracing themselves against arctic chills, shoveling snow, or to be seeking

(D) residents, instead of their sitting at outdoor cafes, they are more likely to brace themselves against arctic chills, shovel snow, or seek

(E) residents, instead of sitting at outdoor cafes, are more likely to brace themselves against arctic chills, shovel snow, or to be seeking


Answers:

669). OA - B - ..confidence that..is the right usage here.

A, C - incorrect - changes the meaning

D, E - incorrect - passive; wordy

670). OA - A - parallel
St. John’s, lies on the same latitude as Paris, France, but in spring St. John’s residents are less likely to be sitting at outdoor cafes than to be bracing themselves against arctic chills, shoveling snow, or seeking shelter from a raging northeast storm and idiomatic less likely to be doing A than to be doing B

B, E - incorrect - violating parallelism

C - incorrect - unidiomatic -.... to be seeking...

D - incorrect - awkward - ...
instead of their sitting at outdoor cafes..


Sunday, November 02, 2008

SC's Question number - 671 , 672

671). State officials report that soaring rates of liability insurance have risen to force cutbacks in the operations of everything from local governments and school districts to day-care centers and recreational facilities.

(A) rates of liability insurance have risen to force

(B) rates of liability insurance are a force for

(C) rates for liability insurance are forcing

(D) rises in liability insurance rates are forcing

(E) liability insurance rates have risen to force

672). Stars like the sun can continue to shine steadily for billions of years because its light and heat are produced by nuclear fusion, in which titanic releases of energy result in the loss of only tiny amounts of mass.

(A) its light and heat are produced by nuclear fusion, in which

(B) nuclear fusion produces its light and heat, in which

(C) nuclear fusion produces their light and heat, where

(D) its light and heat are produced by nuclear fusion, where

(E) their light and heat are produced by nuclear fusion, in which


Answers:


671). OA - C - idiomatic - rates for

A, D, E - incorrect - redundancy error - ...soaring....have risen/ rises...

B - incorrect - unidiomatic - .... soaring rates of liability insurance...

672). OA - E

A, B, D - incorrect - pronoun error - Stars(plural)....its(singular)...

C - incorrect - antecedent of where is not clear/ absent

Sunday, October 19, 2008

SC's Question number - 673 , 674

673). Studies of circadian rhythms can be applied to problems ranging from chronic insomnia in frequent transcontinental air travelers to workers in all-night plants being inefficient.

(A) to workers in all-night plants being inefficient

(B) toward workers in all-night plants being inefficient

(C) to workers in all-night plants who are inefficient

(D) to combat worker inefficiency in all-night plants

(E) to decreased efficiency among workers in all-night plants

674). Students in the metropolitan school district lack math skills to such a large degree as to make it difficult to absorb them into a city economy becoming ever more dependent on information-based industries.

(A) lack math skills to such a large degree as to make it difficult to absorb them into a city economy becoming

(B) lack math skills to a large enough degree that they will be difficult to absorb into a city’s economy that becomes

(C) lack of math skills is so large as to be difficult to absorb them into a city’s economy that becomes

(D) are lacking so much in math skills as to be difficult to absorb into a city’s economy becoming

(E) are so lacking in math skills that it will be difficult to absorb them into a city economy becoming


Answers:

673). OA - E - parallel and idiomatic - ..from X to Y - ... from chronic insomnia in frequent transcontinental air travelers to decreased efficiency among workers in all-night plants

A, B, C - incorrect - violating parallelism

B - incorrect - unidiomatic

D - incorrect - changes the meaning

674). (OG 10th Ques no - 103) - OA - E
OE:
A, B - incorrect - lack is modified by a wordy and awkward construction, to such a large degree as to make it difficult to.

B - incorrect - to a large enough degree that is unidiomatic.

C - incorrect - ungrammatical because it uses
lack as a noun rather than as a verb: the phrase beginning Students... becomes a dangling element, and them
refers illogically to skills rather than students.

A, B, C - incorrect - all three choices fail to use one or both of the "-ing" forms

are lacking and becoming; these forms are preferable to lack and becomes in describing progressive and ongoing conditions.

D - incorrect - uses the "-ing" forms, but so much... as to be difficult to absorb is an awkward and
unidiomatic verbal modifier.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

SC's Question number - 675 , 676

675). Studies show that young people with higher-than-average blood pressure and their families have a history of high blood pressure are more likely than others to develop a severe form of the condition.

(A) and their families have a history of high blood pressure

(B) whose families have a history of high blood pressure

(C) and a history of high blood pressure runs in the family

(D) whose families have a history of high blood pressure running in them

(E) with a history of high blood pressure running in their family

676). Studies of the human “sleep-wake cycle” have practical relevance for matters ranging from duty assignments in nuclear submarines and air-traffic control towers to the staff of shifts in 24-hour factories.

(A) to the staff of

(B) to those who staff

(C) to the staffing of

(D) and staffing

(E) and the staff of


Answers:

675). OA - B - ... young people with higher-than-average
blood pressure(prepositional phrase modifying young people) whose families have a history of high blood pressure(relative clause)...

A - incorrect - awkward and illogical - young people with higher-than-average blood pressure and their families which have high blood pressure

C, D, E - incorrect - awkward - ...high blood pressure runs/ running in the family...

676). OA - C - idiomatic - ...from..to..

A - incorrect - awkward - ..to the staff of shifts in...

B - incorrect - ambiguous those

D, E - incorrect - unidiomatic


Sunday, October 12, 2008

SC's Question number - 677 , 678

677). Sunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong electromagnetic activity, are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on the Sun’s poles or equator.

(A) are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on

(B) are visible as dark spots that never have been sighted on the surface of the Sun

(C) appear on the surface of the Sun as dark spots although never sighted at

(D) appear as dark spots on the surface of the Sun, although never having been sighted at

(E) appear as dark spots on the Sun’s surface, which have never been sighted on

678). Sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to acid rain, is an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal with all other pollutants.

(A) an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal

(B) an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s capability of dealing

(C) an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory system in dealing

(D) a specially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory system to deal

(E) a specially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s ability to deal


Answers:

677). (OG 11th Ques no 9) - OA - A -
This sentence clearly and correctly draws a contrast between where sunspots are found and where they are not.

OE: The correct parallel structure in the original sentence emphasizes the contrast between where sunspots are found(are visible...Sun) and where they are not(have never been sighted...equator). Sunspots is the subject of the sentence, are is the verb of the first part of the contrast and have been sighted is the verb of the second.(The adjective visible is a complement and is parallel to the past participle sighted). Both parts of the sentence conclude with phrases indicating location. The contrast itself is indicated by the conjunction but.

B - incorrect - changing the modifying clause so that that never ... Sun distorts the meaning
of the sentence; the contrast is lost

C - incorrect - Although typically introduces a subordinate clause, which has a subject and a verb, but here there is no subject and sighted is not a complete verb

D - incorrect - Although typically introduces a subordinate clause, which has a subject and a verb, but here there is no subject of the clause and having been sighted is not a complete verb phrase

E - incorrect - The relative pronoun which should immediately follow its referent; here which illogically follows surface and its intended referent, either sunspots or dark spots, becomes unclear

678). OA - A - idiomatic - to deal with

B, C - incorrect - awkward

D, E - incorrect - use of specially is incorrect


NOTE: To stress on the exceptional/ quality, use especial or especially. To stress on the distinctive purpose of something, use special or specially.
Examples:
This laboratory is built specially for research.
(A distinctive purpose)
He did especially well in national games.
(A noteworthy performance)

Saturday, October 11, 2008

SC's Question number - 679, 680

679). Temporary-employment agencies benefit not only from the increasing demand for clerical workers but also the higher profits made when highly paid professionals are placed, requests for whom have increased in the recent wave of corporate takeovers.

(A) the higher profits made when highly paid professionals are placed, requests for whom

(B) the higher profits that are made in the placement of highly paid professionals, requests for whom

(C) from the requests for highly paid professionals, who make higher profits for the agencies when placed and whose requests

(D) from highly paid professionals, whose placement makes higher profits for the agencies and whose requests

(E) from the higher profits made in placing highly paid professionals, requests for whom

680). Television programs developed in conjunction with the marketing of toys, which was once prohibited by federal regulations, are thriving in the free market conditions permitted by the current Federal Communications Commission.

(A) Television programs developed in conjunction with the marketing of toys, which was once prohibited by federal regulations, are

(B) Television programs developed in conjunction with the marketing of toys, a practice that federal regulations once prohibited, is

(C) Developing television programs in conjunction with the marketing of toys, as once prohibited by federal regulations, is

(D) Federal regulations once prohibited developing television programs in conjunction with the marketing of toys, but they are

(E) Federal regulations once prohibited developing television programs in conjunction with the marketing of toys, but such programs are

Answers:

679). OA - E - parallel - not only from X, but also from Y

A, B - incorrect - violating parallelism - ..not only from..but also the..

C, D - incorrect - illogically suggests that requests made by the professionals have increased. Benefit is from profits, and not from requests or from the professionals

680). OA - E

A - incorrect - which incorrectly modifies toys

B - incorrect - B - incorrect - subject verb agreement - Television programs(subject - plural) developed in conjunction with the marketing of toys, a practice that federal regulations once (appositive), is (verb - singular)

C - incorrect - use of as is incorrect

D - incorrect - ambiguous they