Saturday, April 28, 2007

SC's Question number - 901 , 902

901). Unlike the lives of Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoi, and Dostoevski, subjects of other Troyat biographies, Chekhov belongs to the twentieth century, an age of fretfulness and melancholy skepticism.

(A) Unlike the lives of Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoi, and Dostoevski, subjects of other Troyat biographies, Chekhov belongs

(B) Chekhov, unlike the other Troyat biographies of Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoi, and Dostoevski, belongs

(C) The life of Chekhov, unlike the lives of the subjects of other Troyat biographies, Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoi, and Dostoevski, belongs

(D) Chekhov and his life, unlike that of the other Troyat biographies—Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoi, and Dostoevski, belong

(E) The life of Chekhov, unlike that of other Troyat biographies of Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoi, and Dostoevski, belongs

902). Unlike the Shiites, who constitute the other major branch of Islam, the Sunnites do not await the Mahdi as a messenger from God, nor do they endow him with divine qualities or immunity from failure in judgment.

(A) nor do they endow him

(B) but they do not endow him

(C) neither do they endow him

(D) and they neither endow him

(E) while endowing him neither

Answer:

901). OA - C

A - incorrect - wrong comparison - compares the lives of Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoi, ... with Chekhov

B - incorrect - wrong comparison - compares Chekov with biographies

D - incorrect - wrong comparison - compares Chekov and life with biographies. Further it's only Chekov's life that belongs, not both of them

E - incorrect - compares the life of Chekov with the life of other Troyat biographies

902). OA - A - idiomatic - not X ...nor Y

B - incorrect - use of but wrong - no reversal or contrast shown

C, D, E - incorrect - unidiomatic

SC's Question number - 903 , 904

903). Unlike the United States, Japanese unions appear reluctant to organize lower-paid workers.

(A) Unlike the United States, Japanese unions appear reluctant to organize

(B) Unlike those in the United States, Japanese unions appear reluctant to organize

(C) In Japan, unlike the United States, unions appear reluctant to organize

(D) Japanese unions, unlike the United States, appear reluctant to organize

(E) Japanese unions, unlike those in the United States, appear reluctant about organizing

904). Unlike the United States, where farmers can usually depend on rain or snow all year long, the rains in most parts of Sri Lanka are concentrated in the monsoon months, June to September, and the skies are generally clear for the rest of the year.

(A) Unlike the United States, where farmers can usually depend on rain or snow all year long, the rains in most parts of Sri Lanka

(B) Unlike the United States farmers, who can usually depend on rain or snow all year long, the rains in most parts of Sri Lanka

(C) Unlike those of the United States, where farmers can usually depend on rain or snow all year long, most parts of Sri Lanka's rains

(D) In comparison with the United States, whose farmers can usually depend on rain or snow all year long, the rains in most parts of Sri Lanka

(E) In the United States, farmers can usually depend on rain or snow all year long, but in most parts of Sri Lanka the rains



Answers:

903). OA - B - correct idiom - reluctant to. Further those represents unions in the United States

A, D - incorrect - wrong comparison


C - incorrect - In Japan must be followed by in the United States. (preposition in cannot follow the preposition unlike)

E - incorrect - unidiomatic - reluctant about wrong - reluctant to is the correct idiom

904). OA - E - (Official guide 1oth - ques number 193) - right comparison between conditions in the United States and those in most parts of Sri Lanka.


In comparative structures (unlike X, Y ...; in comparison with X, Y..) X and Y must be both logically and grammatically parallel)

A, B, C, D - incorrect - violating logical parallelism


B - incorrect - compares farmers in United States with rains in Sri Lanka

D - incorrect - compares United States with farmers

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Gmat Sentence Correction - 103 , 104

103). A report by the American Academy for the Advancement of Science has concluded that much of the currently uncontrolled dioxins to which North Americans are exposed comes from the incineration of wastes.

(A) much of the currently uncontrolled dioxins to which North Americans are exposed comes

(B) much of the currently uncontrolled dioxins that North Americans are exposed to come

(C) much of the dioxins that are currently uncontrolled and that North Americans are exposed to comes

(D) many of the dioxins that are currently uncontrolled and North Americans are exposed to come

(E) many of the currently uncontrolled dioxins to which North Americans are exposed come

104). Modern critics are amused by early scholars' categorizing Tacitus's Germania as an ethnographic treatise.

(A) scholars' categorizing Tacitus's Germania as

(B) scholars' categorizing Tacitus's Germania as if

(C) scholars, categorizing of Tacitus's Germania as

(D) scholars who categorize Tacitus's Germania as

(E) scholars who categorize Tacitus's Germania if


Answers:

103). OA - E

A, B, C - incorrect - Dioxins are countable - hence many is right.

D - incorrect - changes the meaning. Further we need that after and to keep the restrictive nature of the dioxins

104). OA - A

B - incorrect - as if wrong - need a pronoun after if

C, D, E - incorrect - modifier error -
Modern critics are amused by the categorization, not by the scholars

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

SC's Question number - 905 , 906

905). Unlike their counterparts in other Western democracies, the American labor movement has never embraced revolutionary ideologies calling for the ultimate transformation of the economic order.

(A) Unlike their counterparts in other Western democracies, the American labor movement has never

(B) Unlike that of their counterparts in other Western democracies, the American labor movement has never

(C) Unlike its counterpart in other Western democracies, the American labor movement never have

(D) Unlike that of its counterparts in other Western democracies, the American labor movement never has

(E) Unlike its counterparts in other Western democracies, the American labor movement has never


906). Unlike transplants between identical twins, whose genetic endowment is the same, all patients receiving hearts or other organs must take antirejection drugs for the rest of their lives.

(A) Unlike transplants between identical twins, whose genetic endowment is the same

(B) Besides transplants involving identical twins with the same genetic endowment

(C) Unless the transplant involves identical twins who have the same genetic endowment

(D) Aside from a transplant between identical twins with the same genetic endowment

(E) Other than transplants between identical twins, whose genetic endowment is the same



Answers:

905). OA - E - best of all

A, B - incorrect - American labor movement (singular)...their (plural)

C - incorrect - American labor movement (singular)...have (plural)

D - incorrect - use of that of is wrong

906). OA - C - Right comparison

A, B, D, E - incorrect - wrong comparison - seem to compare transplants to all patients

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Gmat Sentence Correction - 101 , 102

101). Nuclear fusion is the force that powers the sun, the stars, and hydrogen bombs, merging the nuclei of atoms and not splitting them, as in nuclear reactors.

(A) merging the nuclei of atoms and not splitting them, as in nuclear reactors.

(B) merging the nuclei of atoms rather than splitting them apart, like nuclear reactors.

(C) merging the nuclei of atoms rather than splitting them apart, like nuclear reactors do.

(D) and merges the nuclei of atoms but does not split them apart, as is done in nuclear reactors.

(E) and merges the nuclei of atoms, unlike nuclear reactors that split them apart.


102). The particular design of muscles and bones in the neck and limbs of the turtle allow that it can draw in its exposed parts such that anattacker can find nothing but hard shell to bite.

(A) allow that it can draw in its exposed parts such that

(B) allow it to draw in its exposed parts, and so

(C) allows for it to draw in its exposed parts and that

(D) allows that it can draw in its exposed parts, and so

(E) allows it to draw in its exposed parts, so that


Answers:

101). OA - C

A - incorrect - use of and is wrong; Further - This choice implies that the Fusion process in the Sun is merging whereas the Fusion process in Reactors are splitting. But, splitting in not nuclear fusion, it is fission. Only one process is discussed here, whereas the comparison is between 2 processes.

B - incorrect - same reason as above - illogically suggests as if nuclear reactors are splitted apart as well

D - incorrect - ambiguous they; Further use of 3 conjunctions and..and..but - wordy

E - incorrect - ambiguous they; Also is wrongly comparing Nuclear fusion (a phenomenon) to Nuclear reactors (an object).

102). IMO - E

A, B - incorrect - design(singular) ...allow(plural)

C - incorrect - awkward - ..and that..

D - incorrect - unidiomatic - allows that it can


NOTE: When preceding a verb, use "rather than" instead of "instead of".

Friday, April 13, 2007

SC's Question number - 907 , 908

907). Until quite recently, American presidents lived in a world in which the public and private realms of their lives were largely separate, and the press cooperated in maintaining the distinction, and Americans judged national leaders without receiving, or expecting, intimate information about them.

(A) and the press cooperated in maintaining the distinction, and

(B) where the press cooperated in maintaining the distinction, and where

(C) for the press cooperated to maintain the distinction and

(D) the press cooperated to maintain the distinction, for

(E) in which the press cooperated in maintaining the distinction, and in which


908). Upset by the recent downturn in production numbers during the first half of the year, the possibility of adding worker incentives was raised by the board of directors at its quarterly meeting.

(A) the possibility of adding worker incentives was raised by the board of directors at its quarterly meeting

(B) the addition of worker incentives was raised as a possibility by the board of directors at its quarterly meeting

(C) added worker incentives was raised by the board of directors at its quarterly meeting as a possibility

(D) the board of directors raised at its quarterly meeting the possibility of worker incentives being added

(E) the board of directors, at its quarterly meeting, raised the possibility of adding worker incentives



Answers:

907). OA - E - maintaining parallelism - ...in which X .. in which Y .. in which Z

A - incorrect - violating parallelism - ... in which X, and Y, and Z.

B - incorrect - violating parallelism - ... in which X, where Y, and where Z.

C - incorrect - violating parallelism - ... in which X, for Y, and Z.

D - incorrect - violating parallelism - ... in which X, Y, for Z.

908). OA - E

A, B, C - incorrect - modifier error - 2nd clause must begin with board of directors

D - incorrect - use of being (passive)

SC's Question number - 909 , 910

909). Urban officials want the census to be as accurate and complete as possible for the reason that the amount of low-income people in a given area affect the distribution of about fifty billion dollars a year in federal funds.

(A) for the reason that the amount of low-income people in a given area affect

(B) for the reason because the amount of low-income people in a given area effects

(C) in that the amount of low-income people in given areas effect

(D) because the number of low-income people in a given area affects

(E) because the numbers of low-income people in given areas effects


910). Using a Doppler ultrasound device, fetal heartbeats can be detected by the twelfth week of pregnancy.

(A) Using a Doppler ultrasound device, fetal heartbeats can be detected by the twelfth week of pregnancy.

(B) Fetal heartbeats can be detected by the twelfth week of pregnancy, using a Doppler ultrasound device.

(C) Detecting fetal heartbeats by the twelfth week of pregnancy, a physician can use a Doppler ultrasound device.

(D) By the twelfth week of pregnancy, fetal heart-beats can be detected using a Doppler ultrasound device by a physician.

(E) Using a Doppler ultrasound device, a physician can detect fetal heartbeats by the twelfth week of pregnancy.



Answers:

909). OA - D

A, B, C - incorrect - amount of low income people - low income people is a countable noun hence use number. Amount is used with uncountable nouns.

E - incorrect - effects is wrong. It should be affect.


910). OA - Using a Doppler ultrasound device correctly modifies physician.

A, B - incorrect - illogically suggests that fetal heartbeats are using a Doppler ultrasound device.

C - incorrect - changes the meaning of the sentence - wrongly implies that while detecting fetal heartbeats a physician can use Doppler ultrasound device.

D - incorrect - Passive

SC's Question number - 911 , 912

911). Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism has been developed by laboratory scientists to aid in cleaning up oil spills by digesting the oil.

(A) Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism has been developed by laboratory scientists to

(B) Using the techniques employed by genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism that was developed by laboratory scientists will

(C) Using the techniques of genetic engineering, laboratory scientists have developed a new species of microorganism to

(D) Employing the techniques of genetic engineering there has been a development by laboratory scientists of a new species of microorganism that will

(E) Employing the techniques of genetic engineering, a new species of microorganism that was developed by laboratory scientists will


912). Very popular from 1900 until the 1920's, the renewed interest in ceiling fans began when the energy crisis in 1974 forced homeowners to look for alternative methods of heating and cooling.

(A) Very popular from 1900 until the 1920's, the renewed interest in ceiling fans began

(B) The renewed interest in ceiling fans, which were very popular from 1900 until the 1920's, began

(C) After they were very popular from 1900 until the 1920's, the renewed interest in ceiling fans was beginning

(D) Ceiling fans were very popular from 1900 until the 1920's, with renewed interest beginning in them

(E) From 1900 until the 1920's ceiling fans were very popular, and now the renewed interest in them has begun

Answers:

911). OA - C

A, B, E - incorrect - misplaced modifier - Using the techniques of genetic engineering should modify laboratory scientists.

D - incorrect - wordy - there has...

912). OA - B - which correctly refers to ceiling fans

A,C,D,E - incorrect - modifier error - Very popular from 1900 until the 1920’s should modify the ceiling fans and not the renewed interest.

Monday, April 02, 2007

SC's Question number - 913, 914

913). Violence in the stands at soccer matches has gotten so pronounced in several European countries that some stadiums have adopted new rules that aim to identify fans of visiting teams and that seat them in a separate area.

(A) to identify fans of visiting teams and that seat them

(B) to identify fans of visiting teams and seat them

(C) to identify fans of visiting teams for seating

(D) at identifying fans of visiting teams so as to seat them

(E) at identifying fans of visiting teams and that seat them


914). Virtually undisturbed for the last three centuries on their starkly beautiful islands near the edge of the Arctic Circle, the inhabitants of the Lofotens have evolved folkways and a life-style that bring warmth to their harsh environment.
(A) the inhabitants of the Lofotens have evolved folkways and a life-style that bring warmth

(B) the inhabitants of the Lofotens have evolved folkways and a life-style that brings warmth

(C) evolving folkways and a life-style were evolved by the Lofotens inhabitants to bring warmth

(D) evolving folkways and a life-style brought warmth to the Lofotens' inhabitants as well as

(E) warmth-bringing folkways and life-styles have been evolved by the inhabitants of the Lofotens


Answers:

913). OA - B - maintains parallelism - to identify fans of visiting teams and seat them. Correct idiom aim to + verb

A - incorrect - no clear referent for that

C - incorrect - violating paralelism - to identify.....for parallelism

D - incorrect - wordy - so as to seat them - further correct form is So X as to B.

E - incorrect - wrong idiom use - further violating parallelism - at identifying ...and that seat them

914). OA - A

B - incorrect - subject verb agreement - Plural subject (folkways and a life-style) ...singular verb (brings)

C, D, E - incorrect - misplaced modifier.


NOTE: Aim at / aim to

Aim to (idiom) meaning - Try or intend to do something, as in We aim to please, or She aims to fly to California. This term derives from aim in the sense of "direct the course of something," such as an arrow or bullet.

Aim at (idiom) meaning - Direct a missile or criticism at something or someone. In his last speech the President took aim at the opposition leader.