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Gene-splice

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Source: — Sentence Correction |
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by gmat740 » Mon Jul 13, 2009 5:17 pm
Hey this question is from 1000 SC's and few questions are really ambiguious, it is just one among them
(A) it would kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it
(B) it might kill vast numbers of humans with no natural defenses against it
(C) kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it
(D) kill vast numbers of humans who have no natural defenses against them
(E) kill vast numbers of humans with no natural defenses against them
You may find people coming up with explanations that if we have an adjective etc etc before" numbers of" so the sentence is correct, but frankly speaking, numbers of is always wrong.

Please don't study this one.
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by goelmohit2002 » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:29 pm
Hi Karan,

This is a OG-10 question....and IMO is a correct one too....

Can you please help me in clearing the doubt of mine....why we can't join two independent clauses in this sentence ?

Thanks
Mohit
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by gmat740 » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:43 pm
can you please let me know the question number for OG-10??

I need to check and then come back to you with an explanation
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by goelmohit2002 » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:47 pm
OG-10, Q152.

Basically my doubt is that

why we cannot have the following two independent clauses in this question:

It was feared....and it might escape ?

Kindly tell which grammar rule is broken here ?
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by raghu.b » Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:07 pm
AND - always indicates parallel action. So you can never have Past participle and might. Might indicates a possibility in the past and past participle indicates a completed action.

Hope this helps!!!
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by goelmohit2002 » Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:51 pm
raghu.b wrote:AND - always indicates parallel action. So you can never have Past participle and might. Might indicates a possibility in the past and past participle indicates a completed action.

Hope this helps!!!
IMO "and" is also used to connect independent sentences...this is pretty commonly used in OG.....e.g.

I went to Dallas last sunday, and I ate food in Indian Restaurant there.

isn't in the question under discussion has similar structure...

It was feared....., and it might escape...

Please tell what I am missing here.
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by shilpi84 » Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:23 pm
goelmohit2002 wrote:
raghu.b wrote:AND - always indicates parallel action. So you can never have Past participle and might. Might indicates a possibility in the past and past participle indicates a completed action.

Hope this helps!!!
IMO "and" is also used to connect independent sentences...this is pretty commonly used in OG.....e.g.

I went to Dallas last sunday, and I ate food in Indian Restaurant there.

isn't in the question under discussion has similar structure...

It was feared....., and it might escape...

Please tell what I am missing here.
Focus on this:
When the technique known as gene-splicing was invented in the early 1970's, it was feared that scientists might inadvertently create an "Andromeda strain," a microbe never before seen on Earth that might escape from the laboratory and it would kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it.

the microbes will be able to kill only if they 'might escape'.Hence,and is joining
a)that might escape from the lap
b)kill vast numbers of humans

b) should not be an independent clause.
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by goelmohit2002 » Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:46 am
shilpi84 wrote: the microbes will be able to kill only if they 'might escape'.Hence,and is joining
a)that might escape from the lap
b)kill vast numbers of humans

b) should not be an independent clause.
Thanks. But why "b" can't be an independent clause ? Can you please elaborate ?

e.g. IMO both the below sentences are correct. So why the same thing does not apply in the sentence under discussion ?

a) I went to Dallas last sunday, and "I" ate food in Indian Restaurant there.
b) I went to Dallas last sunday, and ate food in Indian Restaurant there.
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by real2008 » Tue Jul 14, 2009 3:14 am
Correct sentence may look like this:

When the technique known as gene-splicing was invented in the early 1970's, it was feared that scientists might inadvertently create an "Andromeda strain," a microbe never before seen on Earth that might (escape from the laboratory) and (kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it).

Coming to options,


(A) it would kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it (explained above)
(B) it might kill vast numbers of humans with no natural defenses against it (explained above)
(C) kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it
(D) kill vast numbers of humans who have no natural defenses against them
(E) kill vast numbers of humans with no natural defenses against them
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Re: Gene-splice

by goelmohit2002 » Wed Jul 15, 2009 4:13 am
goelmohit2002 wrote:Hi All,

In the below question the OA is [spoiler]"C". [/spoiler].

Can someone please tell why the answer can't be A or B. Basically why we cannot use independent clause after "and". What is the problem with following an independent clause after "and" ?

For kicking out A and B, OG says:

"This sentence requires parallel verb forms within the relative clause that might escape... and kill.....Choices A and B each violate parallel construction by introducing a new independent clause, it would kill... and it might kill..."


=======================================
When the technique known as gene-splicing was invented in the early 1970's, it was feared that scientists might inadvertently create an "Andromeda strain," a microbe never before seen on Earth that might escape from the laboratory and it would kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it.

(A) it would kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it
(B) it might kill vast numbers of humans with no natural defenses against it
(C) kill vast numbers of humans who would have no natural defenses against it
(D) kill vast numbers of humans who have no natural defenses against them
(E) kill vast numbers of humans with no natural defenses against them
Hi All,

Probably the reason why we cannot have two independent clauses inthe above question is that there is no comma....here...as discussed in the following thread....please tell if I am missing something here:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/is-comma-nec ... tml#169713
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