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Omission

by Benni » Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:37 pm
Hi Guys again,

I am non-native speaker and have no "natural" feeling for what can be omitted in a sentence.
For example, OG 13, Task 123:

Sales of wine declined in the late 1980s, but they began to grow again after the 1991 report that linked moderate consumption of alcohol, and particularly of red wine, with a reduced risk of heart disease. (This is the correct solution A.)

In the solutions it says, that "and particularly red wine" is not sufficient. In other words, you cannot omit the of, because we would compare alcohol consumption with red wine otherwise.

Is there any rule of thumb that helps me to figure out which words I can omit?
Thank you very much in advance. I appreciate your help.

Ben
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by Jim@StratusPrep » Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:12 pm
This comes down to meaning. Pull the words out of the sentence and read the sentence. Does it make sense? If so it can be omitted.
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by gmat6087 » Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:35 pm
Jim@StratusPrep wrote:This comes down to meaning. Pull the words out of the sentence and read the sentence. Does it make sense? If so it can be omitted.
Sales of wine declined in the late 1980s, but they began to grow again after the 1991 report that linked moderate consumption of alcohol, and particularly of red wine, with a reduced risk of heart disease.

The above sentence tells about
"consumption of alcohol, particularly [consumption] of red wine". Here consumption is optional, so of is required in the above sentence.

Jim please correct me if I am wrong.
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by Benni » Fri Oct 05, 2012 1:12 am
Thank you for your quick replies.

Jim you explain that I should try to " Pull the words out of the sentence" and try whether "it makes sense".

Now for me the omitting the "of" in the model solution makes sense. "Sales of wine declined in the late 1980s, but they began to grow again after the 1991 report that linked moderate consumption of alcohol, and particularly [consumption of] red wine, with a reduced risk of heart disease."

Isn't it obvious that we are referring to alcohol consumption? Why do GMAC/Native-speaker feel it does not make sense?

Thank you in advance.
Ben
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by GMATGuruNY » Fri Oct 05, 2012 3:51 am
Benni, please post the ENTIRE SC so that everyone can examine the incorrect answer choice that you wish to discuss:
Sales of wines declined in the late 1980s, but they began to grow again after the 1991 report that linked moderate consumption of alcohol, and particularly of red wine, with a reduced risk of heart disease.


A) they began to grow again after the 1991 report that linked moderate consumption of alcohol, and particularly of red wine, with a reduced risk of heart disease

B) after the 1991 report that linked a reduced risk of heart disease with a moderate alcohol consumption, particularly red wine, they began growing again

C) in a 1991 report, moderate alcohol consumption, and particularly of red wine, which was linked with a reduced risk of heart disease, caused them to begin to grow again

D) with a reduced risk of heart disease linked in a 1991 report with moderate alcohol consumption, in particular red wine, they began growing again

E) a reduced risk of heart disease linked to moderate alcohol consumption in a 1991 report, and in particular red wine, started them growing again
In B and D, red wine is an APPOSITION to alcohol consumption.
Two nouns are in apposition when they appear side-by-side, with the second serving to explain or define the first.
Nouns in apposition must refer to the EXACT SAME THING.
Since ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION and RED WINE are NOT the same, the construction here is invalid.
Eliminate B and D.

C: ...in a 1991 report...moderate alcohol consumption caused them to begin to grow again.
The implication here is that sales began to grow IN A 1991 REPORT.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate C.

E: moderate alcohol consumption in a 1991 report seems to imply that the CONSUMPTION took place IN THE REPORT itself.
Not the intended meaning.
Also, a reduced risk...started them conveys a nonsensical meaning: that a RISK started SALES.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is A.

A: ...consumption OF ALCOHOL, and particularly OF RED WINE....
Here, red wine refers NOT to consumption but to ALCOHOL itself.
Since RED WINE is a type of ALCOHOL, this construction makes sense.
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by Benni » Fri Oct 05, 2012 8:58 am
Thank you for your perfect explanation Mitch. I appreciate it. :)
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