GMAT Sentence Correction Discussions

johnnash · April 16, 2007, 5:37pm

is it D ?? couldn't think of a proper grammatical xplaination. A and B have 'alone' which makes the sentence awkward, C, E -> not sure if they are correct sentences 😃

johnnash · April 16, 2007, 5:42pm

@ mealiennothuman
I think the answer is A and B for 1 and 2.

I eliminated using the modifer positioning , so for eg, u can forbid union from striking not the strike as such.

Wats the answer ??

gmat_delhi2007 · April 16, 2007, 7:04pm

Here are two more:
1) The National Labor Relations Act expressly forbids unions from engaging in secondary boycotts against companies not directly involved in a labor dispute.

2) The new contract forbids a strike by the transportation union.

acc to me the ans for 1 is (A) as u forbid smbody from doin smthin and not forbid to do smthin plus cause ur forbidin the unions and not the strikes.

the ans for 2 shud b (B) whre again the forbid from funda comes in. also will forbid sounds awkward.

puys correct me if im wrong

mealiennothuman · April 17, 2007, 4:38pm

Looks like all think like me...
I also chose answer as A for 1 and B for 2. But....
Question Source: 1000 SC, Numbers 785 and 788
Answer for 1: C
Answer for 2: A

Tried to look for explanations on ScoreTop...
But wasnt satisfied...
Can someone please explain the correct usage of forbid?

mealiennothuman · April 17, 2007, 6:55pm

Heres the next question...
The use of gravity waves, which do not interact with matter in the way electromagnetic waves do, hopefully will enable astronomers to study the actual formation of black holes and neutron stars.
(A) in the way electromagnetic waves do, hopefully will enable
(B) in the way electromagnetic waves do, will, it is hoped, enable
(C) like electromagnetic waves, hopefully will enable
(D) like electromagnetic waves, would enable, hopefully
(E) such as electromagnetic waves do, will, it is hoped, enable

o-range · April 18, 2007, 7:31am

Heres the next question...
The use of gravity waves, which do not interact with matter in the way electromagnetic waves do, hopefully will enable astronomers to study the actual formation of black holes and neutron stars.
(A) in the way electromagnetic waves do, hopefully will enable
(B) in the way electromagnetic waves do, will, it is hoped, enable
(C) like electromagnetic waves, hopefully will enable
(D) like electromagnetic waves, would enable, hopefully
(E) such as electromagnetic waves do, will, it is hoped, enable

I think the answer is B.

C, D are wrong because the comparison is between how the two types of waves interact and not between the waves themselves. Hence like is not to be used.

E is wrong-incorrect usage of such as

Between A & B I would choose B

gmat_delhi2007 · April 18, 2007, 8:22am

Heres the next question...
The use of gravity waves, which do not interact with matter in the way electromagnetic waves do, hopefully will enable astronomers to study the actual formation of black holes and neutron stars.
(A) in the way electromagnetic waves do, hopefully will enable
(B) in the way electromagnetic waves do, will, it is hoped, enable
(C) like electromagnetic waves, hopefully will enable
(D) like electromagnetic waves, would enable, hopefully
(E) such as electromagnetic waves do, will, it is hoped, enable

acc to me ans shud b (A).
(B) sounds a little awkward.
in C and D like is used with is used to compare 2 nouns hence wrong.
E is wordy and awkward.

SC gods correct me if im wrong.

samar · April 18, 2007, 9:03am

#164
confused between a and c for this..would go for A)

dumbjoe · April 18, 2007, 2:17pm

I would go for A

C,D ruled out for inappropriate comparison
E seems to use 'such as' incorrectly
B seems awkword in construction

johnnash · April 18, 2007, 6:04pm

Heres the next question...
The use of gravity waves, which do not interact with matter in the way electromagnetic waves do, hopefully will enable astronomers to study the actual formation of black holes and neutron stars.
(A) in the way electromagnetic waves do, hopefully will enable
(B) in the way electromagnetic waves do, will, it is hoped, enable
(C) like electromagnetic waves, hopefully will enable
(D) like electromagnetic waves, would enable, hopefully
(E) such as electromagnetic waves do, will, it is hoped, enable

Lil confused :).. C , D are ruled out as "use of" is compared with egmgtic waves. E, such as cannot be used.

between a & B , 'hopefully will enable' doesnt seem rite. so will go with B.
wats the answer ??

mealiennothuman · April 18, 2007, 6:16pm

Well ppl heres the answer for #164:
Question source: 1000 SCs, Number 844.
The answer is B.
This is a kind of question which proves that in GMAT, you need to choose the best option and not necessarily a correct option.

johnnash · April 18, 2007, 6:22pm

Gotcha 😃 .. frankly i was able to reject A due to a hunch, but then from a SC point of view, can neone xplain why is B more suitable than A??

mealiennothuman · April 18, 2007, 6:26pm

1. Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone.
(A) on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone
(B) on the grounds of avoiding duplicated facilities alone
(C) solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided
(D) while the duplication of facilities should be avoided
(E) if only because the duplication of facilities should be avoided

help with this one, a 1000SC question so no explanations

We have been involved with other questions and havent really paid attention to this one.

D and E dont seem right. They dont fit the overall meaning. C also doesnt seem to go with the flow of the sentence. Between A and B, B sounds better. A sounds a bit wordy. Also, "on the basis of" seems incorrect in this context.

I go for B. Any comments?

dumbjoe · April 18, 2007, 7:24pm

the answer to the question as mentioned in 1000 SC was E, how, I donno ??:

i thing you forgot what you yourself said, This is a kind of question which proves that in GMAT, you need to choose the best option and not necessarily a correct option :D

dumbjoe · April 18, 2007, 7:29pm

During an ice age, the buildup of ice at the poles and the drop in water levels near the equator speed up the Earth's rotation, like a spinning figure skater whose speed increases when her arms are drawn in.

(A) like a spinning figure skater whose speed increases when her arms are drawn in
(B) like the increased speed of a figure skater when her arms are drawn in
(C) like a figure skater who increases speed while spinning with her arms drawn in
(D) just as a spinning figure skater who increases speed by drawing in her arms
(E) just as a spinning figure skater increases speed by drawing in her arms

it_sucks · April 19, 2007, 10:19am

JohnNash Says
Gotcha 😃 .. frankly i was able to reject A due to a hunch, but then from a SC point of view, can neone xplain why is B more suitable than A??

hopefully,is almost always wrong in GMATland
the correct usage is it is hoped.
(source-1st page of Sahil's notes)

Also u can find many questions in SC1000 doc testing this...
hope it helps..

sandy_venkat · April 20, 2007, 6:59am

Here are two more:
1) The National Labor Relations Act expressly forbids unions from engaging in secondary boycotts against companies not directly involved in a labor dispute.
(A) unions from engaging in
(B) the engagement by unions of
(C) unions to engage in
(D) unions from becoming engaged with
(E) that unions engage upon

2) The new contract forbids a strike by the transportation union.
(A) forbids a strike by the transportation union
(B) forbids the transportation union from striking
(C) forbids that there be a strike by the transportation union
(D) will forbid the transportation union from striking
(E) will forbid that the transportation union strikes

Please provide answers along with explanations for each.

Guys get the idioms etched in ur brains. "Forbid....to".

1) So the ans has to A for the 1st one without doubt.

2) The second one is bit complex than the first. But we see that only concise and clear option is A. B and D are out as "striking" means hitting with something. But thats not wats meant here. Remember ,"Never change the meaning of the sentence."

Subjunctive in C is not required here. SO C's out. E is awkward. So the ans has to be A

Hope this helps.

kulkarniy2k · April 20, 2007, 7:25am

TIt is well known in the supermarket industry that how items are placed on shelves and the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profitsďźŽ
(A) the frequency of inventory turnovers can be
(B) the frequency of inventory turnovers is often
(C) the frequency with which the inventory turns over is often
(D) how frequently is the inventory turned over are often
(E) how frequently the inventory turns over can be

I think the answer the is (c)
Can anyone tell me why this cannot be the answer?

kulkarniy2k · April 20, 2007, 7:30am

The following question is very easy.

Except for a concert performance that the composer himself staged in 1911，Scott Joplin's ragtime opera＂Treemonisha＂was not produced　until 1972，sixty-one years after its completion．
(A) Except for a concert performance that the composer himself staged
(B) Except for a concert performance with the composer himself staging it
(C) Besides a concert performance being staged by the composer himself
(D) Excepting a concert performance that the composer himself staged
(E) With the exception of a concert performance with the staging done by the composer himself.

Can anyone explain when should EXCEPT be used and when BESIDES?

I think the answer is (E)

Also, I feel it would better if the person who posts the question also posts the answer a few days hence.

He can mention in his post (the one with the question) as to when he is going to post the answer.

kulkarniy2k · April 20, 2007, 7:48am

Guys please help me out with these....

1) Scientists have recently discovered what could be the largest and oldest living organism on Earth, a giant
fungus that is an interwoven filigree of mushrooms and rootlike tentacles spawned by a single fertilized
spore some 10,000 years ago and extending for more than 30 acres in the soil of a Michigan forest.
(A) extending
(B) extends
(C) extended
(D) it extended
(E) is extending

2) One view of the economy contends that a large drop in oil prices should eventually lead to lowering interest
rates, as well as lowering fears about inflation, a rally in stocks and bonds, and a weakening of the dollar.
(A) lowering interest rates, as well as lowering fears about inflation,
(B) a lowering of interest rates and of fears about inflation,
(C) a lowering of interest rates, along with fears about inflation,
(D) interest rates being lowered, along with fears about inflation,
(E) interest rates and fears about inflation being lowered, with

3) Proponents of artificial intelligence say they will be able to make computers that can understand English
and other human languages, recognize objects, and reason as an expert does-computers that will be used
to diagnose equipment breakdowns, deciding whether to authorize a loan, or other purposes such as
these.
(A) as an expert does--computers that will be used to diagnose equipment breakdowns, deciding whether
to authorize a loan, or other purposes such as these
(B) as an expert does, which may be used for purposes such as diagnosing equipment breakdowns or
deciding whether to authorize a loan
(C) like an expert--computers that will be used for such purposes as diagnosing equipment breakdowns or
deciding whether to authorize a loan
(D) like an expert, the use of which would be for purposes like the diagnosis of equipment breakdowns or
the decision whether or not a loan should be authorized
(E) like an expert, to be used to diagnose equipment breakdowns, deciding whether to authorize a loan or
not, or the like

The answer to (1) is (B)
(2) is (C)
(3) is (B)