Sentence Correction

GMATGuruNY wrote:Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces
stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these
have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

A. hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does,
and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's

The correct answer, but the GMAT writers typically use the pronoun these not on its own but as the modifier of a noun, as in these endorphins. (The GMAT writers must hate when Paris Hilton says "That's hot!". She could be referring to anything.)

B. hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, like exercise, and they
have a pain-relieving effect that is like morphine

misplaced modifier: exercise is too far from hot sauces, to which it is being compared
incorrect comparison: a pain relieving effect that is like morphine is comparing apples to oranges: the pain relieving effect is not like morphine. The pain-relieving effect of endorphins is like the pain-relieving effect of morphine.
pronoun ambiguity: they could be referring to the hot sauces or to the endorphins

C. hot sauces and exercise both stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, and
they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine

misplaced modifier: Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces and exercise implies that exercise adds complementary flavors to foods. (Funny, my run this morning didn't seem to affect my Cheerios one way or the other.)
pronoun ambiguity: does they refer only to hot sauces or both to hot sauces AND to exercise?

D. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated both by hot sauces and
exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's

avoid passive voice: hot sauces stimulate is better than stimulated by hot sauces
parallelism: the GMAT writers likely would prefer both by hot sauces and BY exercise
pronoun ambiguity: they could be referring to the hot sauces or to the endorphins

E. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated by hot sauces, just as with
exercise, and these have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine

misplaced modifier: what exactly is with exercise?
pronoun ambiguity: these is closer to hot sauces, suggesting that it's the hot sauces and not the endorphins that have the pain-relieving effect.

Why cant these be referring to sauces?

Any take on this?

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Why cant these be referring to sauces?

Any take on this?

And therein lies the problem! The GMAT writers typically will only use these only as a modifier, as in these endorphins or these hot sauces. Used by itself, the pronoun these is ambiguous: in answer choice E, these could be referring either to the endorphins or to the hot sauces.

GMATGuruNY wrote:Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces
stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these
have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

A. hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does,
and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's

If the intended meaning were that the hot sauces have a pain-relieving effect, the pronoun these would be unnecessary:

Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

The pronoun these is included in order to make clear that the endorphins have the pain-relieving effect.

E. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated by hot sauces, just as with
exercise, and these have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine

If we interpret that these refers to the hot sauces, we don't preserve the intended meaning of the sentence. The intended meaning is that the endorphins have the pain-relieving effect.

On the GMAT, in order to avert ambiguity, the writers generally will not use the pronoun these on its own:

These have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's. (What exactly is having the pain-relieving effect?)

Instead, the writers prefer to use these as a modifier:

These endorphins have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

Then there is no doubt what these is referring to.

GMATGuruNY wrote: Instead, the writers prefer to use these as a modifier:

These endorphins have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

Then there is no doubt what these is referring to.

and great work kvcpk for keeping on with your doubt....thats the way we improve

ayushiiitm wrote: to avert ambiguity, the writers generally will not use the pronoun these on its own:

These have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's. (What exactly is having the pain-relieving effect?)

Instead, the writers prefer to use these as a modifier:

These endorphins have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

Then there is no doubt what these is referring to.

@GMATGuru

Are there more pronouns like 'these'

GMATGuruNY wrote:

ayushiiitm wrote: to avert ambiguity, the writers generally will not use the pronoun these on its own:

These have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's. (What exactly is having the pain-relieving effect?)

Instead, the writers prefer to use these as a modifier:

These endorphins have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

Then there is no doubt what these is referring to.

@GMATGuru

Are there more pronouns like 'these'

The GMAT writers generally will use the pronouns this, that, these, and those only as modifiers.

Paris Hilton had a famous catch phrase: "That's hot!" What exactly did she think was hot? No way to tell. To please the GMAT writers, Paris would have to say "That guy in the speedo is hot!". We might not agree, but at least then we'd know what she was referring to.

GMATGuruNY wrote:Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces
stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these
have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

A. hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does,
and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's

The correct answer, but the GMAT writers typically use the pronoun these not on its own but as the modifier of a noun, as in these endorphins. (The GMAT writers must hate when Paris Hilton says "That's hot!". She could be referring to anything.)

B. hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, like exercise, and they
have a pain-relieving effect that is like morphine

misplaced modifier: exercise is too far from hot sauces, to which it is being compared
incorrect comparison: a pain relieving effect that is like morphine is comparing apples to oranges: the pain relieving effect is not like morphine. The pain-relieving effect of endorphins is like the pain-relieving effect of morphine.
pronoun ambiguity: they could be referring to the hot sauces or to the endorphins

C. hot sauces and exercise both stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, and
they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine

misplaced modifier: Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces and exercise implies that exercise adds complementary flavors to foods. (Funny, my run this morning didn't seem to affect my Cheerios one way or the other.)
pronoun ambiguity: does they refer only to hot sauces or both to hot sauces AND to exercise?

D. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated both by hot sauces and
exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's

avoid passive voice: hot sauces stimulate is better than stimulated by hot sauces
parallelism: the GMAT writers likely would prefer both by hot sauces and BY exercise
pronoun ambiguity: they could be referring to the hot sauces or to the endorphins

E. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated by hot sauces, just as with
exercise, and these have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine

misplaced modifier: what exactly is with exercise?
pronoun ambiguity: these is closer to hot sauces, suggesting that it's the hot sauces and not the endorphins that have the pain-relieving effect.

GMATGuruNY wrote:Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces
stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these
have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

A. hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does,
and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's

The correct answer, but the GMAT writers typically use the pronoun these not on its own but as the modifier of a noun, as in these endorphins. (The GMAT writers must hate when Paris Hilton says "That's hot!". She could be referring to anything.)

B. hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, like exercise, and they
have a pain-relieving effect that is like morphine

misplaced modifier: exercise is too far from hot sauces, to which it is being compared
incorrect comparison: a pain relieving effect that is like morphine is comparing apples to oranges: the pain relieving effect is not like morphine. The pain-relieving effect of endorphins is like the pain-relieving effect of morphine.
pronoun ambiguity: they could be referring to the hot sauces or to the endorphins

C. hot sauces and exercise both stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, and
they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine

misplaced modifier: Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces and exercise implies that exercise adds complementary flavors to foods. (Funny, my run this morning didn't seem to affect my Cheerios one way or the other.)
pronoun ambiguity: does they refer only to hot sauces or both to hot sauces AND to exercise?

D. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated both by hot sauces and
exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's

avoid passive voice: hot sauces stimulate is better than stimulated by hot sauces
parallelism: the GMAT writers likely would prefer both by hot sauces and BY exercise
pronoun ambiguity: they could be referring to the hot sauces or to the endorphins

E. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated by hot sauces, just as with
exercise, and these have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine

misplaced modifier: what exactly is with exercise?
pronoun ambiguity: these is closer to hot sauces, suggesting that it's the hot sauces and not the endorphins that have the pain-relieving effect.

Crystal W wrote:Thank you for your explanation and I have a small question about choice. In B, you said it has an incorrect comparison, if "they" refers to "endorphins", "they" can compare with "morphine". Am I correct?
Thanks in advance!

GMATGuruNY wrote: D. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated both by hot sauces and
exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's

avoid passive voice: hot sauces stimulate is better than stimulated by hot sauces
parallelism: the GMAT writers likely would prefer both by hot sauces and BY exercise
pronoun ambiguity: they could be referring to the hot sauces or to the endorphins

E. the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated by hot sauces, just as with
exercise, and these have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine

misplaced modifier: what exactly is with exercise?
pronoun ambiguity: these is closer to hot sauces, suggesting that it's the hot sauces and not the endorphins that have the pain-relieving effect.

Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,
Can I eliminate Choices D & E based on the following:

Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, the release.........

Does we add the release ? it is nonsensical meaning. The subject does not match the adverbial clause.

Am I right in my reasoning in eliminating D & E?
Thanks