GMAT Sentence Correction Discussions

MBA
301
please help me with this.....
1. A recent national study of the public schools shows that there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were four years ago.
(A) there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(B) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were
(C) there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many as there were
(D) every thirty-two pupils now have one microcomputer, four times as many than there were
(E) every thirty-two pupils now has one microcomputer, four times as many as

According to me Ans is C because of Parallel Construction there is ....there were...
302

1.) C :- increased its circulation more than double (Reduntant)

2. ) C :- (other options not making any sense)

3) C( not confident)

303
1.Founded in 1983, the magazine increased its circulation more than double since then, and its advertising.
(A) increased its circulation more than double since then,
(B) has since increased its circulation more than double,
(C) has since more than doubled its circulation
(D) since then more than doubled its circulation
(E) more than doubled its circulation since then

 2.Framed by traitorous colleagues, Alfred Dreyfus was imprisoned for twelve years before there was exoneration and his freedom.
(A) there was exoneration and his freedom
(B) he was to be exonerated with freedom
(C) being exonerated and freed
(D) exoneration and his freedom
(E) being freed, having been exonerated


3.From the bark of the paper birch tree the Menomini crafted a canoe about twenty feet long and two feet wide, with small ribs and rails of cedar, which could carry four persons or eight hundred pounds of baggage so light that a person could easily portage it around impeding rapids.
(A) baggage so light
(B) baggage being so light
(C) baggage, yet being so light
(D) baggage, and so light
(E) baggage yet was so light

Here are answers according to me:

1) C, No redundancy and correct usage of tense and word "Since" to show the time frame.

2) C. All others seems very incorrect.

3)E. "light" should modify the canoe. Also, we need a word which shows contrast.
304

the ans are
C
C
E

My doubt is that y have v used the passive form in the 2 ques and not used it in the 3 ques...
B/W here is another doubt


Compared with the nuclear arsenal of the United States, the Soviet Union has fewer but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at its disposal .
Answer Choices :
(A) the Soviet Union has fewer but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at its disposal
(B) the Soviet Union has at its disposal less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads
(C) the intercontinental warheads at the Soviet Union's disposal are less numerous but considerably larger
(D) the Soviet Union's less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads are at its disposal
(E) there are less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at the Soviet Union's disposal

305

C
comparison with arsenal rules out choice A and B, C has the correct starting after comma, D passive, E doesnt seem right.

306
Compared with the nuclear arsenal of the United States, the Soviet Union has fewer but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at its disposal .
Answer Choices :
(A) the Soviet Union has fewer but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at its disposal
(B) the Soviet Union has at its disposal less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads
(C) the intercontinental warheads at the Soviet Union's disposal are less numerous but considerably larger
(D) the Soviet Union's less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads are at its disposal
(E) there are less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at the Soviet Union's disposal

Ans is C.....Comparing the nuclear arsenal of united states with the intercontinental warheads of soviet union. as well as
Parallelism......."the nuclear arsenal.........the intercontinental warheads.".....
A,B and D are out coz of incorrect comparison.......E is bit awkward coz of there.Plz correctme if i'm wrong
307
the ans are
C
C
E

My doubt is that y have v used the passive form in the 2 ques and not used it in the 3 ques...

If active voice states properly y to use passive voice
308
the ans are
C
C
E

My doubt is that y have v used the passive form in the 2 ques and not used it in the 3 ques...
B/W here is another doubt


Compared with the nuclear arsenal of the United States, the Soviet Union has fewer but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at its disposal .
Answer Choices :
(A) the Soviet Union has fewer but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at its disposal
(B) the Soviet Union has at its disposal less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads
(C) the intercontinental warheads at the Soviet Union's disposal are less numerous but considerably larger
(D) the Soviet Union's less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads are at its disposal
(E) there are less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at the Soviet Union's disposal

I think the answer is (E).

According to me, in (C) the sentence gets the meaning that the nuclear warheads of the US are also at Soviet Union's disposal.

Also (E) is correct since the comparison is actually between the number of nuclear warheads of the two countries.
309

the ans are
C
C
E

My doubt is that y have v used the passive form in the 2 ques and not used it in the 3 ques...


The thumb rule is that if two sentences seem absolutely correct with the only difference that one is in passive voice while other is in active, go for the active one.

However, do remember to look for other errors before thinking of the above rule. Many times, the passive voice is the only absolutely correct one.
310
the ans are
Compared with the nuclear arsenal of the United States, the Soviet Union has fewer but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at its disposal .
Answer Choices :
(A) the Soviet Union has fewer but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at its disposal
(B) the Soviet Union has at its disposal less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads
(C) the intercontinental warheads at the Soviet Union's disposal are less numerous but considerably larger
(D) the Soviet Union's less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads are at its disposal
(E) there are less numerous but considerably larger intercontinental warheads at the Soviet Union's disposal


The ans is A. Even i had marked C as the ans.cant c hw A is correct????
311
good one
The concert having been finished and the audience having filtered out, the maestro relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.

A. The concert having been finished and the audience having filtered out, the maestro relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.
B. Because the maestro had finished the concert and because the audience had been filtered out, he relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.
C. Because the maestro had finished the concert and because the audience had filtered out, he relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.
D. Since the concert had finished and the audience had filtered out, the maestro had relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.
E. The concert having been finished and the audience having filtered out, the maestro had relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.

Give your reasons as well. I'll post the explanation tomorrow.



(C) The subjects in the first part of the sentence, concert and audience, are different from the subject in the second part of the sentence, maestro. Consequently, the -ing phrase, a participial phrase, is dangling. Choice (C) corrects these problems by making the maestro the subject of the sentence.
312
good one
The concert having been finished and the audience having filtered out, the maestro relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.

A. The concert having been finished and the audience having filtered out, the maestro relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.
B. Because the maestro had finished the concert and because the audience had been filtered out, he relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.
C. Because the maestro had finished the concert and because the audience had filtered out, he relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.
D. Since the concert had finished and the audience had filtered out, the maestro had relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.
E. The concert having been finished and the audience having filtered out, the maestro had relaxed in the dressing room with the impresario.

Give your reasons as well. I'll post the explanation tomorrow.







This is an example of using "past perfect" for two/more actions completed in the past with some observable sequence in time.

"past perfect" + "simple past" will be the correct sequence.

I think answer choice is 'C'
"had finished , had been filtered" + relaxed
313
gmat_delhi2007 Says
The ans is A. Even i had marked C as the ans.cant c hw A is correct????

Could you please post its Explanation...Thanks in advance
314

Please let me know the correct answer with explanation

In 1914 a total of 469,000 cars and trucks were produced in the United States, but in 1929 almost twice the numbers of tucks alone came off the assembly lines.

  1. the numbers of tucks alone
  2. that number of trucks alone
  3. the number of trucks by themselves
  4. as many trucks themselves
  5. as many trucks by themselves
Although energy prices have tripled in the United States over the last two years, research indicates few people to have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor are they making fuel efficiency a priority when shopping for cars.

  1. few people to have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor are they making
  2. few people having significantly reduced the amount of driving they do or made
  3. that there are few people who have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor having made
  4. that few people have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do and are not making
  5. that few people have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do or made
315
Please let me know the correct answer with explanation

In 1914 a total of 469,000 cars and trucks were produced in the United States, but in 1929 almost twice the numbers of tucks alone came off the assembly lines.
  1. the numbers of tucks alone
  2. that number of trucks alone
  3. the number of trucks by themselves
  4. as many trucks themselves
  5. as many trucks by themselves
Although energy prices have tripled in the United States over the last two years, research indicates few people to have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor are they making fuel efficiency a priority when shopping for cars.
  1. few people to have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor are they making
  2. few people having significantly reduced the amount of driving they do or made
  3. that there are few people who have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor having made
  4. that few people have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do and are not making
  5. that few people have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do or made



1) Answer choice : D
2) Answer choice : E

could you lemmi know the answer choices that are given in the study material?
316

I chose B and E. Could you point out the problem in B and why is B incorrect?

the answers given in the material are C and D and there is no explanation. Could anyone please explain these anwers? I am starting to doubt the answers...

317
Please let me know the correct answer with explanation

In 1914 a total of 469,000 cars and trucks were produced in the United States, but in 1929 almost twice the numbers of tucks alone came off the assembly lines.

  1. the numbers of tucks alone
  2. that number of trucks alone
  3. the number of trucks by themselves
  4. as many trucks themselves
  5. as many trucks by themselves
Although energy prices have tripled in the United States over the last two years, research indicates few people to have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor are they making fuel efficiency a priority when shopping for cars.

  1. few people to have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor are they making
  2. few people having significantly reduced the amount of driving they do or made
  3. that there are few people who have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor having made
  4. that few people have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do and are not making
  5. that few people have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do or made

Sorry no explanation for this one.
1. b)


2.
a) Nor is used to negate two parts in a sentence and is usually used with Neither... In this sentence there is no negation in the first part hence use of nor is not correct.
b) grammatically confusing (Prices have tripled followed by having significantly reduced)
c) same as a)
d) No parallelism (tripled / reduced / making)
e) Looks right.
318

Hi

I face this problem while doing verbal. When I do the practise questions they go right many times. But when i take up a test I have this habit of reading the same passage or arguement again and again. I dont know why during a test I dont understand the passage in first read.
As a result I take more time. How to understand it in first read itself. I guess I get a bit conscious while taking a test. How to overcome it.

Regards
Ingrid

319
Please let me know the correct answer with explanation

In 1914 a total of 469,000 cars and trucks were produced in the United States, but in 1929 almost twice the numbers of tucks alone came off the assembly lines.

  1. the numbers of tucks alone
  2. that number of trucks alone
  3. the number of trucks by themselves
  4. as many trucks themselves
  5. as many trucks by themselves
Although energy prices have tripled in the United States over the last two years, research indicates few people to have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor are they making fuel efficiency a priority when shopping for cars.

  1. few people to have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor are they making
  2. few people having significantly reduced the amount of driving they do or made
  3. that there are few people who have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do, nor having made
  4. that few people have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do and are not making
  5. that few people have significantly reduced the amount of driving they do or made

Here again I think we have to choose the option that seems to be the best one and not necessarily the correct one.

1) D & E are out since the idiom is "as many....as". B sounds very incorrect. In A, "numbers of" sounds wrong. Hence answer is B.

2) A and B sound wrong; we need a "that". C is too wordy. D does not have the same tense. Hence E.
320
Hi

I face this problem while doing verbal. When I do the practise questions they go right many times. But when i take up a test I have this habit of reading the same passage or arguement again and again. I dont know why during a test I dont understand the passage in first read.
As a result I take more time. How to understand it in first read itself. I guess I get a bit conscious while taking a test. How to overcome it.

Regards
Ingrid


Hey Ingrid,
Do you time yourself while solving practice questions also? I used to face the same problem and realized that while solving practice questions also I used to take the same time but didnt notice. Time yourself while practicing as well.

Hope that help.

Thanks.