Kaplan 800 SC

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Kaplan 800 SC

by magnus opus » Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:32 am
I have just finished the kaplan 800 S.c, and I have found some of the questions to be dubious in that some of the questions which are basically a rehashed version of the O.G questions fail to adequately supply the correct reasoning for the correct answer. This is because even though Kaplan has tried to maintain the same errors and traps of the original question, they have changed the language, which allows for certain ambiguities that they have overlooked.

Out of the public's interest in the details of and conflicts in other people's lives have grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing "regular" people onto the television screen with increasing frequency.
(A) other people's lives have grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing
(B) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing
(C) another person's life has grown a booming market for a "reality" television show that is bringing
(D) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that is bringing
(E) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that bring

Answer is D.


The official version is
Out of America's fascination with all things antique have grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that are bringing back the chaise lounge, the overstuffed sofa, and the claw-footed bathtub.

(A) things antique have grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that are bringing
(B) things antique has grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that is bringing
(C) things that are antiques has grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that bring
(D) antique things have grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that are bringing
(E) antique things has grown a market for bygone styles of furniture and fixtures that bring

The answer is B.

if you strip the above two questions to their bare bone structure you will find they are essentially the same. However, in the official version to rule out D we have a wrong verb number "have" which should be "has" so we can conclude B is the answer. If this had not been the case both B and D would have fairly stood out well because then they would only differ in meaning as to what " market or furniture" is bringing the style back.

On the other hand in the Kaplan question they have omitted this error, So B and D are able too effectively compete with each other. moreover in the kaplan version, The context allows that Either market or Television shows can be the cause for
attracting the people that are both valid.

Another Example
While the immune system helps the human body's trying to defend itself from a virus or disease that is
harming it
, certain immunodeficiency disorders like AIDS attack the immune system itself and disable its
healing mechanisms.
A. body's trying to defend itself from a virus or disease that is harming it
B. body's tries to defend itself from a virus or disease harming it
C. body to try to defend itself from a virus or disease that harm it
D. body to attempt to try to defend itself from a virus or disease that is harming it
E. body to try to defend itself from a virus or disease that is harming it

Here this very similar the "organism's trying question" in the o.g 12, but in the kaplan question above the correct answer is E. How can this be the correct answer?? Doesn't this have a string of infinitives error. Sure it is the best of the lot nevertheless way off gmat standard.

Finally have a look at this one,

Those who have visited the Grand Canyon have typically seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark the passage of time like the rings in a tree trunk.
(A) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark
(B) see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors mark
(C) been seeing layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors are markers of
(D) been able to see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors marking
(E) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, marking by different colors.
Answer above is D.


The official version is this one.

Visitors to the park have often looked up into the leafy canopy and saw monkeys sleeping
on the branches. whose arms and legs hang like socks on a clothesline.
(A) saw monkeys sleeping on the branches, whose arms and legs hang
(B) saw monkeys sleeping on the branches, whose arms and legs were hanging
(C) saw monkeys sleeping on the branches, with arms and legs hanging
(D) seen monkeys sleeping on the branches, with arms and legs hanging
(E) seen monkeys sleeping on the branches, whose arms and legs have hung
answer is D

Now if you see they are both very similar again except, in the official version we can eliminate B because it has lots of errors on the basis of tenses.
In the kaplan version however there is a strong fight between A and B. And the reason they eliminate B is because they say "whose" has two possible antecedents. EXcuse me! "whose" has one possible antecedent, it is a relative pronoun and modifies the noun it immediately touches, unless of course if there is an intervening modifier, as in the Bluegrass monroes question in the blue supplement.

Now my request is that someone please point out the logical explanation behind the kaplan answers or I would think that we cant even trust the reputed prep companies and I have wasted my time solving this Kaplan 800.

P.s: thanks to my amazing memory i could see the correlations, god bless those who couldnt. Btw there are zillions of other errors in the Kaplan 800 in the c.r that I could have pointed out, but unfortunately time is not a luxury i have at the moment[/u]
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by Tani » Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:51 am
In the first example, "reality television shows" is in a prepositional phrase and therefore cannot be the subject of the verb "bring".

Not sure what your objection is to "to try to defend". That is an acceptable construction. The error here is "like" where "such as" should be used.

"Whose" is the possessive of "who" and is only used for people.
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by magnus opus » Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:41 am
Tani Wolff - Kaplan wrote:In the first example, "reality television shows" is in a prepositional phrase and therefore cannot be the subject of the verb "bring".

Not sure what your objection is to "to try to defend". That is an acceptable construction. The error here is "like" where "such as" should be used.
"Whose" is the possessive of "who" and is only used for people.

See thats where you are wrong- whose can be used for non people. this has been pointed out in the o.g a number of times.
more on this here-
https://www.beatthegmat.com/whose-t68207.html

O.G- has marked the string of infinitives as a error (not preferred)- to try to defend falls under that category.

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by niksworth » Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:16 am
@ magnus opus

It is undoubtedly true that the Kaplan Questions are inferior to the official questions. However, certain points can be made.

Q1. Out of the public's interest in the details of and conflicts in other people's lives have grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing "regular" people onto the television screen with increasing frequency.
(A) other people's lives have grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing
(B) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing
(C) another person's life has grown a booming market for a "reality" television show that is bringing
(D) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that is bringing
(E) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that bring
magnus opus wrote: B and D are able too effectively compete with each other. moreover in the kaplan version, The context allows that Either market or Television shows can be the cause for
attracting the people that are both valid.
True. But D is still superior if you consider the meaning in mind.

If B were right, the sentence would be - Out of some interest has grown a booming market for reality shows that are bringing regular people onto the television screen

If the relative clause refers to reality shows, then the meaning would be that - out of some interest has grown a market for those reality shows that are bringing people onto the television screen. This comes from the restrictive nature of the clause. Clearly this is a slightly contorted version of the actual meaning. That is why you should choose D.
-------------------------------------------------

Q2. While the immune system helps the human body's trying to defend itself from a virus or disease that is harming it, certain immunodeficiency disorders like AIDS attack the immune system itself and disable its healing mechanisms.
A. body's trying to defend itself from a virus or disease that is harming it
B. body's tries to defend itself from a virus or disease harming it
C. body to try to defend itself from a virus or disease that harm it
D. body to attempt to try to defend itself from a virus or disease that is harming it
E. body to try to defend itself from a virus or disease that is harming it
magnus opus wrote: in the kaplan question above the correct answer is E. How can this be the correct answer?? Doesn't this have a string of infinitives error.
No. These are acting not as infinitives but as prepositional phrases. I don't think there is anything ungrammatical about it.
-------------------------------------------------

Q3. Those who have visited the Grand Canyon have typically seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark the passage of time like the rings in a tree trunk.
(A) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark
(B) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors mark
(C) been seeing layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors are markers of
(D) been able to see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors marking
(E) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, marking by different colors.

There is little to choose between A and D but D looks better. There is a slight semantic difference in these two options.

Clearly, it is preferable to stick to OG and OG only. The answer choices rarely rely on the subtlety of meaning and have clear cut reasons for ruling options out.
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by mundasingh123 » Fri Oct 22, 2010 3:01 am
If the relative clause refers to reality shows, then the meaning would be that - out of some interest has grown a market for those reality shows that are bringing people onto the television screen. This comes from the restrictive nature of the clause. Clearly this is a slightly contorted version of the actual meaning. That is why you should choose D.
Hi Niksworth,the that clause is enough to point out those shows that that are bringing people.I dont think "those" is really required
The houses that are on the other side of the lake are going to be renovated.

"the body to try to defend itself"
A preposition links 2 nouns
Here "to" is not serving as a preposition but as an infinitive marker.try is not a noun here,nor is defend.

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by mundasingh123 » Fri Oct 22, 2010 3:05 am
Magnus Opus,which option do u think is right in the SC below?
Those who have visited the Grand Canyon have typically seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark the passage of time like the rings in a tree trunk.
(A) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark
(B) see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors mark
(C) been seeing layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors are markers of
(D) been able to see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors marking
(E) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, marking by different colors.

U said that according to Kaplan , the answer is D.
But in D,and so too in A,D,E isnt the prepositional modifier at the end of D, modifying an action.The only action in the sentense is "have been able" and it doesnt make sense.

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by niksworth » Fri Oct 22, 2010 5:44 am
mundasingh123 wrote: "the body to try to defend itself"
A preposition links 2 nouns
Here "to" is not serving as a preposition but as an infinitive marker.try is not a noun here,nor is defend.
Ah! I bungled up there. Indeed it is not a preposition. So silly of me to overlook that the object is not a noun. Thanks for pointing that out. I still think that the phrase is acceptable though.

mundasingh123 wrote: Hi Niksworth,the that clause is enough to point out those shows that that are bringing people.I dont think "those" is really required
You misunderstood me there. I was not redrawing the sentence and definitely not introducing those in the original sentence. I was merely pointing out that if the clause refers to reality shows then the meaning would be that a market has grown for a specific kind of reality shows. The kind that is bringing audience to the television screens.
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by mundasingh123 » Fri Oct 22, 2010 6:19 am
i havnt ever read that "to try to defend" is a problem.
k i got u niksworth.what do u think abt the sc that i have asked magnus opus specifically abt 2 posts back

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by magnus opus » Fri Oct 22, 2010 9:16 am
niksworth wrote:@ magnus opus

It is undoubtedly true that the Kaplan Questions are inferior to the official questions. However, certain points can be made.

Q1. Out of the public's interest in the details of and conflicts in other people's lives have grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing "regular" people onto the television screen with increasing frequency.
(A) other people's lives have grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing
(B) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that are bringing
(C) another person's life has grown a booming market for a "reality" television show that is bringing
(D) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that is bringing
(E) other people's lives has grown a booming market for "reality" television shows that bring
magnus opus wrote: B and D are able too effectively compete with each other. moreover in the kaplan version, The context allows that Either market or Television shows can be the cause for
attracting the people that are both valid.
True. But D is still superior if you consider the meaning in mind.

If B were right, the sentence would be - Out of some interest has grown a booming market for reality shows that are bringing regular people onto the television screen

If the relative clause refers to reality shows, then the meaning would be that - out of some interest has grown a market for those reality shows that are bringing people onto the television screen. This comes from the restrictive nature of the clause. Clearly this is a slightly contorted version of the actual meaning. That is why you should choose D.
-------------------------------------------------
@niksworth, the rule is that we should not try to change the meaning or tense of the original sentence unnecessarily. We are given a split between two grammatical correct choices then we are to stick with the one that matches A the most in meaning.
The option A in the market question, uses "are" after "that" so we should ideally stick to that meaning of the original sentence.
(kaplan sucks really, I wasted my time solving this 800 book)

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by magnus opus » Fri Oct 22, 2010 9:17 am
mundasingh123 wrote:Magnus Opus,which option do u think is right in the SC below?
Those who have visited the Grand Canyon have typically seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark the passage of time like the rings in a tree trunk.
(A) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark
(B) see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors mark
(C) been seeing layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors are markers of
(D) been able to see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors marking
(E) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, marking by different colors.

U said that according to Kaplan , the answer is D.
But in D,and so too in A,D,E isnt the prepositional modifier at the end of D, modifying an action.The only action in the sentense is "have been able" and it doesnt make sense.
Kaplan says A is correct.

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