Sentence Correction

Geologists believe that the warning signs for a major earthquake may include sudden fluctuations in local seismic activity, tilting and other deformations of the Earth's crust, changing the measured strain across a fault zone, and varying the electrical properties of underground rocks.

(A) changing the measured strain across a fault zone and varying
(B) changing measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and varying
(C) changing the strain as measured across a fault zone, and variations of
(D) changes in the measured strain across a fault zone, and variations in
(E) changes in measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and variations among

IMO 'D'. What's OA.

Karan,
Its a question primarily testing parallelism in addition to clarity/meaning etc... Whenever u see a LIST or "AND" or "OR" or idioms etc... check to make sure comparable sentence components are structurally and logically parallel. The question may or may not be testing this but its a good check.


Its a 4 element list that the warning sign includes

Choice D

1) the warning signs for a major earthquake may include sudden fluctuations in local seismic activity

2) the warning signs for a major earthquake may include tilting and other deformations of the Earth's crust

3) the warning signs for a major earthquake may include changes in the measured strain across a fault zone

4) the warning signs for a major earthquake may include variations in the electrical properties of underground rocks.


"Variation in" is the right usage. For eg: U say variation in something not various among something

A,B,C,E all distort the original intended meaning makeing it rather unclear i.e some by saying the changing the measured strain and others
changing measurements or change in measurements etc...


Also u can have changes in the measured strain(changes can be a warning sign of a possible earthquake ) which is D


Hope this helps!

Regards,
CR

Thanks a Lot Cramya.
OA is

D

Geologists believe that the warning signs for a major earthquake may include sudden fluctuations in local seismic activity, tilting and other deformations of the Earth's crust, changing the measured strain across a fault zone, and varying the electrical properties of underground rocks.

(A) changing the measured strain across a fault zone and varying
(B) changing measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and varying
(C) changing the strain as measured across a fault zone, and variations of
(D) changes in the measured strain across a fault zone, and variations in
(E) changes in measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and variations among

My answer: D
fluctuations in ... tilting of ... deformations in .. are of the form (verbals + preposition).
A,B,C: "changing/varying" is a verb
E: "electrical property" is just one property, so use "in" instead of "among".

Hi Cramya,
I did another question with the approach you provided me with this question and I got the answer wrong.

here is that question

99. New theories propose that catastrophic impacts of asteroids and comets may have caused reversals in the Earth's magnetic field, the onset of ice ages, splitting apart continents 80 million years ago, and great volcanic eruptions.

(A) splitting apart continents
(B) the splitting apart of continents
(C) split apart continents
(D) continents split apart
(E) continents that were split apart


OA is B and I got it D

my approach:

catastrophic impacts of asteroids and comets may have caused reversals in the Earth's magnetic field

catastrophic impacts of asteroids and comets may have caused the onset of ice ages

catastrophic impacts of asteroids and comets may have caused D) continents split apart

catastrophic impacts of asteroids and comets may have caused great volcanic eruptions.

correct me if I am wrong

Thanks

gmat740 wrote:Hi Cramya,

99. New theories propose that catastrophic impacts of asteroids and comets may have caused reversals in the Earth's magnetic field, the onset of ice ages, splitting apart continents 80 million years ago, and great volcanic eruptions.

(A) splitting apart continents
(B) the splitting apart of continents
(C) split apart continents
(D) continents split apart
(E) continents that were split apart

Look from this side

Catastrophic impacts of asteroids and comets may have caused

1)Reversals
2)The onset
3) ????
4)Eruptions

Splitting is a verb and here modifies the preceeding sentence , yet all of the above are nouns so we need The splitting in order to obtain paralelism.

Here is another way to approach:

Catastrophic impacts ... may have caused.... reversals,... onset of....., great volcanic eruptions and __________.

Now try filling the blank with your answer. You will immediately realize that you answer is clearly not parallel. Here the every element in the list is an action noun so what you need is an action noun - "the Splitting apart of...".

Hi,

I would like reopen this thread...got some doubt

Source: OG Verbal

Geologists believe that the warning signs for a major earthquake may include sudden fluctuations in local seismic activity, tilting and other deformations of the Earth's crust, changing the measured strain across a fault zone, and varying the electrical properties of underground rocks.

(A) changing the measured strain across a fault zone and varying
(B) changing measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and varying
(C) changing the strain as measured across a fault zone, and variations of
(D) changes in the measured strain across a fault zone, and variations in
(E) changes in measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and variations among

[spoiler]OA: D; but my doubt - we can drop A, B, C bcoz of changing - seems to modify clause 'the warning signs...include=> meaning warning signs changing the strain (illogical). Between D & E - variations in better than variations among....but changes comes for what (other deformations!!)...if tht t case...changes sud hv been change. Do not find any correct answer. Pls correct me. [/spoiler]

pnk wrote:but changes comes for what (other deformations!!)...if tht t case...changes sud hv been change.

I don't understand your doubt.

But here is the reason why D is correct, and E is not.

The sentence is something like this.

Geologists believe that the warning signs for a major earthquake may include W, X, Y and Z.

The problem here is trying to test parallelism. Basically we need W, X, Y and Z to be parallel.

W, X, Y and Z in option E:
W - sudden fluctuations in local seismic activity,
X - tilting and other deformations of the Earth's crust,
Y - changes in the measured strain across a fault zone,
Z - variations in the electrical properties of underground rocks.

I have highlighted the parts that make W, X, Y and Z parallel. Also, option D is concise.

Hope that helps..

between D and E

(D) changes in the measured strain across a fault zone, and variations in
(E) changes in measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and variations among

Isn't changes in the measured strain wrong in meaning. How can you have changed in the measured strain..The strain has been measured once and it will have to be measured again...

Whereas E says that changes in measurement...which I was thinking is correct...

Are you choosing your answer based on variation in VS variation among..

Please help !!

edited

Thanks hardik. Got it now

one additional thought on this question

If a comma is inserted after tilting will the answer change?

Geologists believe that the warning signs for a major earthquake may include sudden fluctuations in local seismic activity, tilting , and other deformations of the Earth's crust, changing the measured strain across a fault zone, and varying the electrical properties of underground rocks.

(A) changing the measured strain across a fault zone and varying
(B) changing measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and varying
(C) changing the strain as measured across a fault zone, and variations of
(D) changes in the measured strain across a fault zone, and variations in
(E) changes in measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and variations among



I think then the answer will B because we are telling that earth quake includes X, Y, and Z, changing V and D

parallelism is tested:
-warning signs include: fluctuations in,tilting of , changes in, and variations in
-as the list has more than 2 items : comma will come before and
variations in correct

(A) changing the measured strain across a fault zone and varying
(B) changing measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and varying
(C) changing the strain as measured across a fault zone, and variations of
(D) changes in the measured strain across a fault zone, and variations in- correct
(E) changes in measurements of the strain across a fault zone, and variations among