Although improved efficiency

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dustystormy: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 42; Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:50 amFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 1 times

by dustystormy » Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:54 am

Although improved efficiency in converting harvested trees into wood products may reduce harvest rates, it will stimulate demand by increasing supply and lowering prices, thereby boosting consumption.

A. in converting harvested trees into wood products may reduce harvest rates, it will stimulate demand by increasing supply and lowering prices, thereby boosting

B. in converting harvested trees into wood products may reduce harvest rates, demand will be stimulated because of increasing supply and lowering prices, which boost

C. of converting harvested trees into wood products may reduce harvest rates, it will stimulate demand by increasing supply and lowering prices, which boosts

D. of harvested trees being converted into wood products may reduce harvest rates, it will stimulate demand, because it will increase supply and lower prices, thereby boosting

E. when harvested trees are converted into wood products may reduce harvest rates, demand will be stimulated because of increasing supply and lowering prices, which boost

[spoiler]I am not sure of the official answer as there is ambiguity between A & B. The particular question has been discussed in lot of other forums but everyone is stuck between A & B
Can experts explain please.[/spoiler]

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Wed Sep 07, 2016 12:54 am

prabsahi: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 53; Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2014 10:50 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 6 times

by prabsahi » Wed Sep 07, 2016 2:35 am

Option A is the correct ans.

Getting to your confusion

B is wrong
Two reasons

1.The subject of the sentence is 'improved efficiency'.Now which boost in option B refers to the increasing supply and lower prices.It is ambiguous in this too because it can refer only to prices as well.The correct usage for which would have been with the reference of 'IMPROVED EFFICIENCY' (ask what boosts the consumption)

2.Although is a parallel marker...Although X,Y here X is improved efficiency so'Y' should also have been 'Noun phrase' but here Y='demand' which is a verb so not parallel

Also option A is perfect in terms of meaning.Reference of it is clear to be improved efficiency and it maintains proper parallelism as well.

Hope it helps!!

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GMATGuruNY: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 15539; Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members; Location: New York, NY; Thanked: 13060 times; GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Wed Sep 07, 2016 3:04 am

dustystormy wrote:Although improved efficiency in converting harvested trees into wood products may reduce harvest rates, it will stimulate demand by increasing supply and lowering prices, thereby boosting consumption.

A. in converting harvested trees into wood products may reduce harvest rates, it will stimulate demand by increasing supply and lowering prices, thereby boosting

B. in converting harvested trees into wood products may reduce harvest rates, demand will be stimulated because of increasing supply and lowering prices, which boost

C. of converting harvested trees into wood products may reduce harvest rates, it will stimulate demand by increasing supply and lowering prices, which boosts

D. of harvested trees being converted into wood products may reduce harvest rates, it will stimulate demand, because it will increase supply and lower prices, thereby boosting

E. when harvested trees are converted into wood products may reduce harvest rates, demand will be stimulated because of increasing supply and lowering prices, which boost

B and E: Although improved efficiency...may reduce harvest rates, demand will be stimulated.
Here, although incorrectly serves to compare an ACTIVE CLAUSE (the clause in blue) to a PASSIVE CLAUSE (the clause in red).
The result is a lack of parallelism.
Eliminate B.

In C, which boosts (which + SINGULAR VERB) lacks a clear singular antecedent.
It cannot serve to increasing supply -- the nearest preceding singular noun -- since this noun is part of a compound noun phrase (increasing supply AND lowering prices).
Eliminate C.

D: improved efficiency of...trees
Here, the conveyed meaning is that the TREES have become more efficient.
This meaning is nonsensical.
Eliminate D.

The correct answer is A.

Other errors in B:

B: Demand will be stimulated because of increasing supply and lowering prices.
Here, the conveyed meaning is that increasing supply and lowering prices will cause SOME UNKNOWN ENTITY to stimulate demand.
The intended meaning is that IMPROVED EFFICIENCY will stimulate demand.
Eliminate B.

B: increasing supply and lowering prices, which boost
Here, it is not crystal clear whether which boost (which + PLURAL VERB) serves to refer only to lowering prices or to both increasing supply AND lowering prices.
Eliminate B.

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