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GMAT Prep Question Pack - Comparison

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GMAT Prep Question Pack - Comparison

by sui generis » Tue Jun 19, 2012 12:50 am
The infant mortality rate has decreased steadily over the past year several decades and is now at a lower rate than ever before.

a. same
b. now lower than
c. now a lower rate than
d. presently lower than it was
e. presently lower than the rate was

OA : B

I want to know why is D wrong. Shouldn't the verb tense be explicitly stated when there is a change in tense of comparison. Here we are comparing present rate with past rate (ever before) so shouldn't the correct answer be D;

Please help.

Thanks
Last edited by sui generis on Tue Jun 19, 2012 2:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
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by abcgmat » Tue Jun 19, 2012 1:40 am
The infant mortality rate has decreased steadily over the past year several decades and is not at a lower rate than ever before.

a. now at a lower rate than
b. now lower than
c. now a lower rate than
d. presently lower than it was
e. presently lower than the rate was

A- say 'not' I am not sure if it is a typo error because all others have 'now'
I will assume A: now at a lower rate . We dont need to say lower rate as it is redundant
We can say the rate is lower not ' a rate is at a lower rate' - A - wrong
B- looks ok
C- for the same reason as in A
D, E looks ok but are wordier than B
IMO:B
I feel B is clear and unambigous we dont have anything else that causing ambiguity

B: The infant mortality rate ..is now lower than ever before
The comparison is between now and before for the same entity [infant mortality rate ], so I think we dont have to repeat.We dont have any other noun which can be compared to infant mortality rate

D, E are also ok except that they are wordy
Also 'now' is better than 'presently'(wordy)
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by sui generis » Tue Jun 19, 2012 2:04 am
I understand you logic abcgmat. But I am referencing to this concept:

Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than they were last year
--> correct
BUT
Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last year
--> incorrect

Source: https://www.beatthegmat.com/comparisons- ... 66230.html
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by bubbliiiiiiii » Wed Jun 20, 2012 12:09 am
Hi Sui Generis,

My 2 cents,

Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last year. ---> Correct.

Hope this resolves your query.
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Pranay
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by abcgmat » Wed Jun 20, 2012 12:21 am
I agree with Bubliiiiiiiiiii
Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last year - is correct
Also it Ron mentioned if there is a answer choice with tense shift then that is preferred
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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Jun 20, 2012 4:30 am
sui generis wrote:The infant mortality rate has decreased steadily over the past year several decades and is now at a lower rate than ever before.

a. same
b. now lower than
c. now a lower rate than
d. presently lower than it was
e. presently lower than the rate was

OA : B

I want to know why is D wrong. Shouldn't the verb tense be explicitly stated when there is a change in tense of comparison. Here we are comparing present rate with past rate (ever before) so shouldn't the correct answer be D;

Please help.

Thanks
Adverbs that refer to AN INDEFINITE TIME IN THE PAST (ever, never, already, yet) typically require the PRESENT PERFECT:

John is hungrier than he HAS EVER BEEN before.
My family HAS NEVER VISITED France.
Mary HAS ALREADY SEEN the movie.
Sally HASN'T FINISHED the book YET.

Thus, in D, WAS ever before is incorrect.

The OA implies the following:
The rate is now lower than [IT HAS] ever [BEEN] before.
The words in brackets are omitted, but their presence is understood.
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