In the 18th century, Antoine Lavoisier demonstrated that combustion consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that combustion released phlogiston, an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames.
consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that combustion released phlogiston, an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames
consumed oxygen, and many scientists had previously believed that phlogiston was an imaginary substance released by combustion, which extinguished flames
consumes oxygen; phlogiston was previously an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames and that many scientists had believed was released by combustion
consumed oxygen; phlogiston, an imaginary substance that extinguished flames, was believed by scientists to be released by combustion
consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that phlogiston was released by combustion and was an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames.
OA after some discussion.
Doubt the Official answer.
This topic has expert replies
- ankur.agrawal
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 261
- Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:37 pm
- Location: Varanasi
- Thanked: 11 times
- Followed by:3 members
-
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 2326
- Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:54 am
- Thanked: 173 times
- Followed by:2 members
- GMAT Score:710
IMO A.
E looks close but alters the intended meaning.
Original sentence properly uses past perfect to show the sequence of events ( had believed....... &....... demonstrated)
E looks close but alters the intended meaning.
Original sentence properly uses past perfect to show the sequence of events ( had believed....... &....... demonstrated)
- HSPA
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:26 am
- Thanked: 47 times
- Followed by:13 members
- GMAT Score:640
+1 for A
combustion consumes oxygen is one pack of words.. so please ignore consumed
E) phlogiston was released "during" combustion; lengthy.. phlogiston or i guess CO2 was released and was an imaginary substance
what is the right word to go with combustion... is it during combustion or in combustion???
combustion consumes oxygen is one pack of words.. so please ignore consumed
E) phlogiston was released "during" combustion; lengthy.. phlogiston or i guess CO2 was released and was an imaginary substance
what is the right word to go with combustion... is it during combustion or in combustion???
-
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 857
- Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 1:36 am
- Thanked: 56 times
- Followed by:15 members
IMO A.
consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that combustion released phlogiston, an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames
consumed oxygen, and many scientists had previously believed that phlogiston was an imaginary substance released by combustion, which extinguished flames --- wrong use of which
consumes oxygen; phlogiston was previously an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames and that many scientists had believed was released by combustion --- changes meaning + non parallel structure
consumed oxygen; phlogiston, an imaginary substance that extinguished flames, was believed by scientists to be released by combustion --- passive
consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that phlogiston was released by combustion and was an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames. --- changes meaning
consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that combustion released phlogiston, an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames
consumed oxygen, and many scientists had previously believed that phlogiston was an imaginary substance released by combustion, which extinguished flames --- wrong use of which
consumes oxygen; phlogiston was previously an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames and that many scientists had believed was released by combustion --- changes meaning + non parallel structure
consumed oxygen; phlogiston, an imaginary substance that extinguished flames, was believed by scientists to be released by combustion --- passive
consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that phlogiston was released by combustion and was an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames. --- changes meaning
Thanks & Regards,
AIM GMAT
AIM GMAT
- gmat_perfect
- Legendary Member
- Posts: 1083
- Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:38 pm
- Thanked: 127 times
- Followed by:14 members
C,D,and E can easily be eliminated.ankur.agrawal wrote:In the 18th century, Antoine Lavoisier demonstrated that combustion consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that combustion released phlogiston, an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames.
consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that combustion released phlogiston, an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames
consumed oxygen, and many scientists had previously believed that phlogiston was an imaginary substance released by combustion, which extinguished flames
consumes oxygen; phlogiston was previously an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames and that many scientists had believed was released by combustion
consumed oxygen; phlogiston, an imaginary substance that extinguished flames, was believed by scientists to be released by combustion
consumes oxygen; previously, many scientists had believed that phlogiston was released by combustion and was an imaginary substance that was believed to extinguish flames.
OA after some discussion.
B, which has wrongly used "which", is wrong for changing the intended meaning of the sentence.
.........combustion, which extinguish flames... it means that "combustion extinguish flames". Combustion is the process of burning. Can a process of burning extinguish flames. Nope.
Answer is thus A.
- ankur.agrawal
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 261
- Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:37 pm
- Location: Varanasi
- Thanked: 11 times
- Followed by:3 members
I have a couple of questions about the past perfect tense used in answer choice A. Why do we need the past perfect to clarify the sequence of events (believed and demonstrated)? In this case, doesn't the use of "Previously" clearly state that "believed" happened before "demonstrated"? Don't we use past perfect only if it is necessary to clarify the sequence? Please help.
Many thanks.
Many thanks.
gmatmachoman wrote:IMO A.
E looks close but alters the intended meaning.
Original sentence properly uses past perfect to show the sequence of events ( had believed....... &....... demonstrated)