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GMAT 800..Please help

by swati.sug » Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:43 pm
Scientists are currently trying to determine the extent to which tectonic plates have been shifted from their previous positions by earthquakes and other similar phenomena.
A) to which tectonic plates have been shifted
B)to which tectonic plates have shifted
C)of the shift of tectonic plates
D)to tectonic plate shifting
E)that tectonic plates have been shifted

Please tell when have been and when have should be used.

Thanks!!
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by pradeepsarathy » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:27 pm
IMO C.
'Extent of' is the right idiom.

'have been' is wrong here because of passive voice construction.
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by tzink » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:26 pm
I would say B, to eliminate all passive voice.
Though, the previous poster may be right about the idiomatic use of 'extent'. I'm not sure about that.
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by reachac » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:14 pm
IMO A
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by swati.sug » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:06 pm
The answer is A

The use of have been is justified by the book by saying that "have been" is used because reason (earthquakes is given later in the sentence)

I cant say I understand the reasoning :(
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by reachac » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:23 pm
swati.sug wrote:The answer is A

The use of have been is justified by the book by saying that "have been" is used because reason (earthquakes is given later in the sentence)

I cant say I understand the reasoning :(

Ok...."have been" is used generally to specify that an action is being carried out by a particular force, that force is mentioned in such sentences. i.e causal mechanism..X is the force behind the occurence of Y...this kinda arrangement.
Another example of this can be found in the question on "shift in the wavelength of light coming from star/galaxy" in the 1000SC document
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by swati.sug » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:19 pm
Got that
Thanks :)
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Reopening this question

by oneon » Sun Aug 10, 2008 5:02 pm
Why is the answer not (C)?
The book says that it is incomplete without a verb, but I don't agree with that.

If you read it "Scientists are currently trying to determine the extent of the shift ... by earthquakes and other similar phenomena" ignoring all the other fluff - that seems to sound ok?

Any additional explanation would be awesome if someone could enlighten me.

Also as another poster mentioned "extent of" I believe is the correct idiom and not "the extent to which".
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Re: Reopening this question

by Stuart@KaplanGMAT » Sun Aug 10, 2008 5:38 pm
oneon wrote:Why is the answer not (C)?
The book says that it is incomplete without a verb, but I don't agree with that.

If you read it "Scientists are currently trying to determine the extent of the shift ... by earthquakes and other similar phenomena" ignoring all the other fluff - that seems to sound ok?

Any additional explanation would be awesome if someone could enlighten me.

Also as another poster mentioned "extent of" I believe is the correct idiom and not "the extent to which".
You definitely need a verb in there.

The extent of the shift cause by earthquakes... created by earthquakes.. you need something!

"the extent to which A has been caused by B" is definitely idiomatically correct.
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by oneon » Sun Aug 10, 2008 6:45 pm
Thanks Stuart.
It's a bit tricky since I'm tempted to insert my own interpretation.
I'm attempting to read it like "extent of the shift by earthquakes" where "by earthquakes" modifies shift.

But I see that I guess you don't really know how earthquakes are related to the shift.

-K
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by aj5105 » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:33 am
A) to which tectonic plates have been shifted


been -- indicates that the plates were moved by some force & the plates din't move by themselves.

Am i right Stuart?
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by Stuart@KaplanGMAT » Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:46 am
aj5105 wrote:A) to which tectonic plates have been shifted


been -- indicates that the plates were moved by some force & the plates din't move by themselves.

Am i right Stuart?
Correct.
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by NSNguyen » Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:12 am
Hi Stuart Kovinsky
I am in between A and E.
How to eliminate E? what is wrong with E?
Please share your idea and your reasoning :D
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https://nguyensinguyen.vietnam21.org
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by nitin86 » Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:36 pm
NSNguyen wrote:Hi Stuart Kovinsky
I am in between A and E.
How to eliminate E? what is wrong with E?
"Extent THAT" is unidiomatic IMO

Extent OF/TO is idiomatic...

so, eliminate E
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Ron, Stuart, Stacey, Karen. pls help.why not group of noun?

by tanviet » Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:15 am
Pls, help, why C is wrong, why we need a verb.

why noun group here is wrong? pls, help.
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