Sentence Correction

The ability of scientists to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions, have become ever more accurate.

A. The ability of scientists to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions, have become ever more accurate.
B. The ability of scientists has become ever more accurate in providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, such as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.
C. Scientists have become able to provide ever more accurate models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.
D. Scientists have become ever more accurate in their ability for providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.
E. Scientists' ability to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions have become ever more accurate.

The ability of scientists to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions, have become ever more accurate.

A. The ability of scientists to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions, have become ever more accurate.

This one is easy to eliminate as the noun, ability, does not agree with the verb, have. In case that were not enough, saying that the ability has become ever more accurate does not really make sense, and further, for introducing a list of examples, such as is better than like.

B. The ability of scientists has become ever more accurate in providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, such as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

Now the sentence conveys the even more illogical idea that somehow the ability has become ever more accurate in providing models. Accurate in providing models??

C. Scientists have become able to provide ever more accurate models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

I am not sure that I like the way this says "Scientists have become able". Were they not working to provide ever more accurate models all along? Anyway, still, this is the best answer choice. It clearly expresses that scientist have become able to provide ever more accurate models, it uses such as rather than like in creating a list of examples, and with the placement of changing conditions between such and as it very effectively expresses that what's coming is a list of examples of changing conditions.

D. Scientists have become ever more accurate in their ability for providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

This one is funny because it conveys that scientists have become more accurate in their ability. What does that even mean? Also ability for is not really idiomatically correct, and like is not as good as is such as for introducing a list of examples.

E. Scientists' ability to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions have become ever more accurate.

Ability has become more accurate is an illogical meaning. Also, the noun, ability, does not agree with the verb, have.

So the best answer is C.

Hi ,

Rule : Y OF X's is not applicable in GMAT right?

Can I apply this rule in this question if Yes then HOW? or if not then why not?

Experts please advise and correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks...

Hi All ,

Your reply will be highly appreciated.

Please advise.


Thanks in advance...