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Tiny tubes

by rx_11 » Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:27 am
OG12TH Q136. Whereas in mammals the tiny tubes that convey nutrients to bone cells are arrayed in parallel lines, in birds the tubes form a random pattern.

(A) Whereas in mammals the tiny tubes that convey nutrients to bone cells are arrayed in parallel lines, in birds the tubes
(B) Whereas the tiny tubes for the conveying of nutrients to bone cells are arrayed in mammals in parallel lines, birds have tubes that
(C) Unlike mammals, where the tiny tubes for conveying nutrients to bone cells are arrayed in parallel lines, birds' tubes
(D) Unlike mammals, in whom the tiny tubes that convey nutrients to bone cells are arrayed in parallel lines, the tubes in birds
(E) Unlike the tiny tubes that convey nutrients to bone cells, which in mammals are arrayed in parallel lines, in birds the tubes


OA is A

Hi, everyone,

I have a question about choice E. Hope anyone can help me. :)

Is the comparison in E parallel? I think "in birds"in the main clause is just an adverbial modifier, the sentense would not ambiguously compare the two irrelevant elements, "the tiny tubes" & " in birds". Am I wrong?

For example, in this sentense, "Like her brother, in 1997 Jim won the prize." Is the comparison in this sentense wrong? Would it seem to compare "the brother" and "the in 1997"? Hope any replies.
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by Brian@VeritasPrep » Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:24 pm
Hey RX,

Good call on "in birds" simply being a modifier...but here's where the parallel comparison is wrong in E:

Item 1: The tiny tubes that convey nutrients to bone cells
Item 2: In birds the tubes

Item 2 refers to the same tubes in birds; Item 1, to be parallel, would need its own modifier to let us know when those same tubes have a different function/situation.

It would have to be:

Unlike the tubes in mammals, in birds the tubes...

Without the modifier in the first item, the second item isn't really a direct comparison, so that's a reason that E is incorrect. E is further incorrect because the modifier "which" doesn't seem to logically modify the word, "cells" that precedes it - it should logically modify "tubes" in order to be a valid comparison, and so the modifier "which" is misplaced and incorrect, too.
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by rx_11 » Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:25 pm
Brian@VeritasPrep wrote:Hey RX,

Good call on "in birds" simply being a modifier...but here's where the parallel comparison is wrong in E:

Item 1: The tiny tubes that convey nutrients to bone cells
Item 2: In birds the tubes

Item 2 refers to the same tubes in birds; Item 1, to be parallel, would need its own modifier to let us know when those same tubes have a different function/situation.

It would have to be:

Unlike the tubes in mammals, in birds the tubes...

Without the modifier in the first item, the second item isn't really a direct comparison, so that's a reason that E is incorrect. E is further incorrect because the modifier "which" doesn't seem to logically modify the word, "cells" that precedes it - it should logically modify "tubes" in order to be a valid comparison, and so the modifier "which" is misplaced and incorrect, too.


:) Thanks, Brian,

very very very clear. Finally understand this one. :)
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by mundasingh123 » Sun Aug 14, 2011 1:42 am
Brian@VeritasPrep wrote:Hey RX,


Unlike the tubes in mammals, in birds the tubes...
Hi Brian , Yo said the above sentence is wrong . But how could yo compare "in birds " with "the tubes " . I ,as a non - native speaker , have been taught to believe that the first noun or article of speech " is what is being compared with .
wouldnt Unlike in mammals the tubes ... , in birds the tubes " be better ?
But this construction puts 2 prepositions unlike & in next to each other .Is this unacceptable on the GMAT . Apart from this , whats wrong with the sentence .
Could you please clarify
I Seek Explanations Not Answers
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