Sentence Correction

Antarctica receives more solar radiation than does any other place on Earth, yet the temperatures are so cold and the ice cap is reflective, so that little polar ice melts during the summer; otherwise, the water levels of the oceans would rise 250 feet and engulf most of the world's great cities.

A.is reflective, so that little polar ice melts during the summer; otherwise,

B.is so reflective that little of the polar ice melts during the summer; were it not to do so,

C.so reflective that little polar ice melts during the summer, or else

D.reflective, so that little of the polar ice melts during the summer, or

E.reflects so that little of the polar ice melts during the summer; if it did

IMO B

kvcpk wrote:IMO B

Can please explain with reasons ?

Nikhil,

The key is to notice that there is a list of 2 properties of Antarctica. As in any list, parallel structure is key. The first term (not underlined) is "the temperatures are so cold". The 2nd term must match, so we must have 'so' in front of the 2nd adjective. The only possible candidates are B: "the cap is so reflective" and C: "the cap so reflective"

C is incorrect because it implies something which is nowhere in the sentence. "the cap so reflective" implies "the cap IS so reflective". However, "is" is not already in the list. You can only imply something which is already part of the parallel structure. Correct: The temperature is so cold, the cap so reflective... Incorrect: The temperatures are so cold, the cap so reflective...

Thus B must be correct. No need to go further into the sentence.

Is this a GMATPrep problem?
-Patrick

Patrick_GMATFix wrote:Nikhil,

The key is to notice that there is a list of 2 properties of Antarctica. As in any list, parallel structure is key. The first term (not underlined) is "the temperatures are so cold". The 2nd term must match, so we must have 'so' in front of the 2nd adjective. The only possible candidates are B: "the cap is so reflective" and C: "the cap so reflective"

C is incorrect because it implies something which is nowhere in the sentence. "the cap so reflective" implies "the cap IS so reflective". However, "is" is not already in the list. You can only imply something which is already part of the parallel structure. Correct: The temperature is so cold, the cap so reflective... Incorrect: The temperatures are so cold, the cap so reflective...

Thus B must be correct. No need to go further into the sentence.

Is this a GMATPrep problem?
-Patrick

I am not sure..but this question is from the same set from which I posted other 2 questions.

Ok; thanks for taking the time to answer

Patrick_GMATFix wrote:Nikhil,

The key is to notice that there is a list of 2 properties of Antarctica. As in any list, parallel structure is key. The first term (not underlined) is "the temperatures are so cold". The 2nd term must match, so we must have 'so' in front of the 2nd adjective. The only possible candidates are B: "the cap is so reflective" and C: "the cap so reflective"

C is incorrect because it implies something which is nowhere in the sentence. "the cap so reflective" implies "the cap IS so reflective". However, "is" is not already in the list. You can only imply something which is already part of the parallel structure. Correct: The temperature is so cold, the cap so reflective... Incorrect: The temperatures are so cold, the cap so reflective...

Thus B must be correct. No need to go further into the sentence.

Is this a GMATPrep problem?
-Patrick

Hey Patrick,

I asked the question when the question was posted last time. I did not get any perfect answer for that though.

So my point is:

In B, what it points to?? As "it " came after semicolon and is a part of independent clause. Should we make it as a rule that the pronoun after semicolon always points to the nearest noun before the semicolon.

In this case, "it" could point to Ice caps or Antarctica.

hi FightWithGMAT,

In B, to determine what "it" points to, think about the meaning the author is trying to get across. The first part of the sentence explains that the "ice cap is so reflective that little of the ice melts". The author goes on to explain what would happen if there weren't such little melting: "were it not to do so, water levels would rise 250 feet". What does "do" refer to? Reading the whole sentence reveals that the author seeks to explain that if more of the polar ice melted, water levels would rise. Therefore "were it not to do so, water levels would rise" is another way to say "were more of the ice to melt, water levels would rise"

"it" cannot refer to Antarctica as this would be illogical (Antarctica doesn't melt, the ice does). "it" points to "little of the polar ice" or more exactly to 'little' which is a noun here (subject of melts).

It's not a rule (or at least I don't know of such a rule) claiming that "the pronoun after semicolon always points to the nearest noun before the semicolon"

-Patrick