The GMAT and Related Discussions section is very fragmented in terms of the information available at one’s disposal. There are one of reply threads and several other redundant threads that have masked the more important ones. This is an atte…
The GMAT and Related Discussions section is very fragmented in terms of the information available at one's disposal. There are one of reply threads and several other redundant threads that have masked the more important ones.
This is an attempt to make the best of explanations, reasonings, questions etc etc easily available to the junta here. We would be having separate threads for topics such as
Problem Solving (the existing is renamed)
Data Sufficieny
Sentence Correction
Critical Reasoning
Reading Comprehension.
Please ensure that Q & As are carried out in the repsective threads.
Thread is made sticky
PS:-This post would be edited by the MODS in order to give links to various SCs that would be discussed here. We will try to organise the links for the questions discussed here.
Other relevant posts in the 'one of reply' threads would be moved here
all the standard books say that 'whether' should be used when u have to make a choice or decide between two choices while 'if' should be used in cases where the choices are more than two.
whereas all the notes such as Spidey's, Rajat's or Sahil's say that 'whether' is almost always correct on GMAT.which is infact is the case.
In SC1000 ,I have seen some questions where 'whether' has been preferred over 'if'.one such typical example is Q. 31 in SC1000.there a lot more like these.kindly justfy....
PS-no offense intended against the SC SuperGods Spidey,Rajat and Sahil
Not sure if I have understood your doubt clearly.
@ if/whether
The two are largely interchangeable, but whether is considered to be more precise.
For example, "Tell me whether you see him" is less ambiguous than "Tell me if you see him," which could mean "Tell me whether you can see him now" or "Tell me if you ever see him."
Another way to put it would be - If implies uncertainty while whether implies alternatives ("whether or not").
@ SC 31 reasoning similar to above.
Hope this helps
sorry i did not read the 31SC completely .. will get back to it.. wait a min.
all right if you have already have read my earlier post through email notification i cant help it 😃 ...anyway it has no errors so go with it no problem.
SC# 31 in 1000SC has no if/whether issues.... its wrong modification of idiom
in options given...
It is well known in the supermarket industry that how items are placed on shelves and the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits
(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
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?
My answer for the 1st one would be 'E'.
Reasoning: A, B, C are not correct due to incorrect parallel construction.
D uses 'are often' which is not the same as 'can be'
E seems to fit in just right.
Hi Guys... i have two doubts....
1) usage of infinitive vs participle ..... cud anyone elaborate when to use infinitive and when to use participle when both are present in answer choices.......
2) can anyone elaborate on usage of past participle...
It is well known in the supermarket industry that how items are placed on shelves and the frequency of inventory turnovers can be crucial to profits
(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
The answer is E. Its a direct case of violation of the parallelism rule. How items.... should be logically connected with how frequently... In D, we have the 'how..' but the ending is messed up. It goes into a different tense. E puts it correctly. Am i right??
sandy_venkat SaysThe answer is E. Its a direct case of violation of the parallelism rule. How items.... should be logically connected with how frequently... In D, we have the 'how..' but the ending is messed up. It goes into a different tense. E puts it correctly. Am i right??
Ya the answer is E. I somehow could not figure out whats wrong with D.
nitiman SaysYa the answer is E. I somehow could not figure out whats wrong with D.
I dont know how useful this expln is gonna be, but let me put it this way.
just concentrate on these words..keep repeating them in your mind....thats it....it should make sense....
'how items ...blah ..blah..blah...' and 'how inventory.... blah.blah..blah.. ......'
forget the word 'frequently' in the second part....This sound correct rather than...
'how items ...blah ..blah..blah...' and 'how is inventory....blah..blah..blah..'
The verb 'is' between 'how' and the noun messes up the formation.
Hope this helps
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
These are a few more questions:
1) Presenters at the seminar, one who is blind, will
demonstrate adaptive equipment that allows visually impaired people to use computers.
(A) one who
(B) one of them who
(C) and one of them who
(D) one of whom
(E) one of which
2) Because of the enormous research and
development expenditures required to survive in the electronics industry, an industry marked by rapid
innovation and volatile demand, such firms tend to be very large.
(A) to survive
(B) of firms to survive
(C) for surviving
(D) for survival
(E) for firms' survival
These are a few more questions:
1) Presenters at the seminar, one who is blind, will
demonstrate adaptive equipment that allows visually impaired people to use computers.
(A) one who
(B) one of them who
(C) and one of them who
(D) one of whom
(E) one of which
I would go for D. This is my reasoning...Question to the answer "one of them" would be "one of whom?" Please PM me if this is wrong.
2) Because of the enormous research and
development expenditures required to survive in the electronics industry, an industry marked by rapid
innovation and volatile demand, such firms tend to be very large.
(A) to survive
(B) of firms to survive
(C) for surviving
(D) for survival
(E) for firms' survival
I would go with B here. IMO, A, C and D are out because they dont talk about whose survival...is it of the research or the expenditures? It is unclear. Reading the entire sentence it bcomes clear that the survival has to be of the firms. So, firms must be present in the 1st part of the sentence.
We say Ram requires to work hard or Hardwork is required of Ram.
Similarly, XYZ is required of firms to...
Please PM me if this is wrong.
Cheers!
Satish
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
Wll go for C. | with spawned.
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
will go for C. Later part of the sentence has singulars. A rally, A weakening. Hence, A lowering is correct. Among B and C, C sounds much better. B does not indicate that the inflation will lower. Use of "Along with" makes that meaning clear.
Please PM if answers are wrong :)
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
I have almost give this up, but if I had to make a choice, it would be E.
Reason: to be used | with to make computers. Also, beacause of comparison, like is more appropriate.
Cheers!
Satish
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
mailsatk SaysWll go for C. with spawned.
@ satish
by applying parallelism you have overlooked something, even though the use of spawned indicates a past action the part following it (highlighted in blue) indicates a present condition 'Scientists have discovered.......for more than 30 acres in the soil of a Michigan Forest' so C would get ruled out. Isn't it?
I would go with Option A
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
will go for C. Later part of the sentence has singulars. A rally, A weakening. Hence, A lowering is correct. Among B and C, C sounds much better. B does not indicate that the inflation will lower. Use of "Along with" makes that meaning clear.
Parallelism leads to options B and C
Inconsistencies in C - use of 'along with' alienates 'fears about inflation' from 'lowering of interest rates'. The sentence given presents the effects of a large drop in oil prices viz
a lowering of interest rates and fears of inflation
a rally in stock and bonds
a weakening of the dollar
use of 'along with fear of inflation' indicates that 'fears of inflation' is an independent effect but the fact is it's in combination with 'lowering of interest rates' and is best put as a lowering of interest rates and fears of inflation
Option B
@Sandy: Hey where the hell did u get these questions? Whats the source??
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
My choice B.
The subject is a giant fungus. So the verb should be extends.
Also I think it parallels the part before the AND.
A giant fungus that is bla bla bla and extends...
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
Again I feel B is the answer.
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
I am confused between D and E.
the use of which in D looks ambiguous and I kinda didnt like the ending of E! :)
Still would go with E!
@Sandy : Please give out the answers!