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SC: "Researchers hypothesize..."

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by me_1234 » Sat Dec 13, 2014 6:38 pm
This is from an official practice exam and correct choice is A. Why can't it be B?

Researchers hypothesize that granitic soil is the ideal construction material for the desert tortoise because it is not so hard that it makes burrowing difficult or so soft that it could cause tunnels to collapse.

a/ so hard that it makes burrowing difficult or so soft that it could cause

b/ hard enough to make burrowing difficult or soft enough as to cause

c/ so hard as to make burrowing difficult or soft enough so it causes

d/ as hard as to make burrowing difficult or as soft as to cause

e/ too hard, making burrowing difficult, nor too soft, so as to cause
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by MartyMurray » Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:34 pm
melanie.espeland wrote:This is from an official practice exam and correct choice is A. Why can't it be B?

Researchers hypothesize that granitic soil is the ideal construction material for the desert tortoise because it is not so hard that it makes burrowing difficult or so soft that it could cause tunnels to collapse.

a/ so hard that it makes burrowing difficult or so soft that it could cause

b/ hard enough to make burrowing difficult or soft enough as to cause

c/ so hard as to make burrowing difficult or soft enough so it causes

d/ as hard as to make burrowing difficult or as soft as to cause

e/ too hard, making burrowing difficult, nor too soft, so as to cause
I am going with "Sometimes the simplest answer is the best answer."

In this case, the simplest answer to your question seems to be that enough to make burrowing difficult is not parallel to enough so as to cause.

Also, the enough so as to cause is a little awkwardly worded.
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by [email protected] » Sat Dec 13, 2014 10:30 pm
Hi melanie espeland,

This SC involves a 2-part parallel phrase (that compares 2 ideas). When dealing with this type of sentence, you must maintain parallelism. You have the freedom to present the ideas in a variety of parallel formats, but the two pieces must be parallel.

In Answer A, the two pieces are "....so hard that..." and "...so soft that..." - these phrases ARE parallel.

In Answer B, the two pieces are "....hard enough to..." and "soft enough AS to...." - these phrases are NOT parallel.

Final Answer: A

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by me_1234 » Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:52 am
Thanks so. That means in Answer B, if the two pieces were "....hard enough to..." and "soft enough to...." - these phrases would be parallel and acceptable on gmat?
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by [email protected] » Sun Dec 14, 2014 12:09 pm
Hi melanie.espeland,

The two phrases that you mention ARE parallel, so an SC could use those phrases and be the correct answer (assuming that there were no other grammar problems in the rest of the sentence. It's important to remember that on Test Day there is only 1 correct answer - the 4 incorrect answers are sometimes obvious, but they're sometimes subtle (so you have to learn the rules and be able to spot the little details).

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by me_1234 » Sun Dec 14, 2014 12:25 pm
Got it thank you
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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:29 am
melanie.espeland wrote:Thanks so. That means in Answer B, if the two pieces were "....hard enough to..." and "soft enough to...." - these phrases would be parallel and acceptable on gmat?
Generally, X is enough to do Y implies that to do Y is a desirable outcome for X.

John is tall enough to play basketball.
Here, the implication is that to play basketball is a desirable outcome for John.

Proposed rewrite of answer choice B:
Granitic soil is soft enough to cause tunnels to collapse.
Here, the implication is that to cause tunnels to collapse is a desirable outcome for the soil.
Not so.
Thus, the usage of X is enough to do Y does not convey the intended meaning.
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by me_1234 » Mon Dec 15, 2014 5:57 am
Thanks Mitch
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by prachi18oct » Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:07 am
I did not understand why D is wrong.
as hard as to make burrowing difficult or as soft as to cause
I see it maintains parallel form "as [adj] as to [verb]"

Pls explain.
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by GMATGuruNY » Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:25 am
prachi18oct wrote:I did not understand why D is wrong.
as hard as to make burrowing difficult or as soft as to cause
Generally, as X as Y serves to compare one clause to another.
If the second clause omits a verb, then the verb from the first clause is implied.
D implies the following comparison:
Granitic soil is not as as hard as to make burrowing difficult [is hard[ or as soft as to cause tunnels to collapse [is soft].
The words in brackets are omitted, but their presence is implied.
This comparison is nonsensical.
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by prachi18oct » Tue Dec 16, 2014 6:27 am
Hi Mitch

I still did not understand your explanation.Can you pls elaborate more.
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by GMATGuruNY » Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:40 am
prachi18oct wrote:Hi Mitch

I still did not understand your explanation.Can you pls elaborate more.
Compare APPLES to APPLES.
Only LIKE things can be compared.

Granitic soil is as hard as ______.
Here, the blank must be filled with something that can logically be compared to granitic soil:
Granitic soil is as hard as STEEL.
Granitic soil is as hard as CONCRETE.
Granitic soil is as hard as CEMENT.

The comparison in D is illogical.
D: Granitic soil is as hard as TO MAKE BURROWING DIFFICULT.
Here, a noun (soil) is illogically compared to an action (to make burrowing difficult).
Eliminate D.
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