BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

water could

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

water could

by atulmangal » Fri May 27, 2011 8:13 am
Source Knewton-Prep

Theoretically, water could remain in liquid form indefinitely in extremely low-energy environments, prevented from evaporating its molecules as a result of an insufficient level of kinetic energy present in the molecules on the liquid's surface.


(A) prevented from evaporating its molecules as a result of

(B) prevented from having its molecules evaporated by

(C) its molecules prevented from evaporating by

(D) its molecules prevented from being evaporated as a result of

(E) preventing its molecules from evaporating by
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 89
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 1:05 am
Thanked: 1 times
Followed by:3 members
GMAT Score:660

by irock » Fri May 27, 2011 8:31 am
Answer is E.

For me, the option E conveys the same meaning as in the main sentence, that too in less words. D also has the same meaning, but its too wordy. GMAT always prefers correct sentence with less words. Hence the best option.
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1574
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 am
Thanked: 88 times
Followed by:13 members

by aspirant2011 » Fri May 27, 2011 8:42 am
Theoretically, water could remain in liquid form indefinitely in extremely low-energy environments, prevented from evaporating its molecules as a result of an insufficient level of kinetic energy present in the molecules on the liquid's surface.


(A) prevented from evaporating its molecules as a result of

(B) prevented from having its molecules evaporated by

(C) its molecules prevented from evaporating by

(D) its molecules prevented from being evaporated as a result of

(E) preventing its molecules from evaporating by
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

by atulmangal » Fri May 27, 2011 9:08 am
I also picked E but its not the ans...sorry guys
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1309
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:34 am
Location: India
Thanked: 310 times
Followed by:123 members
GMAT Score:750

by cans » Fri May 27, 2011 9:24 am
IMO D..
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1574
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:52 am
Thanked: 88 times
Followed by:13 members

by aspirant2011 » Fri May 27, 2011 9:31 am
atulmangal wrote:I also picked E but its not the ans...sorry guys
second best choice for me would have been option D but in that I am confused on the "its" usage :-(
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 520
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:44 am
Thanked: 70 times
Followed by:6 members

by niksworth » Fri May 27, 2011 10:02 am
D?

This actually looks to be a good question. Explanations after the answer is confirmed.
scio me nihil scire
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 759
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 10:15 am
Thanked: 85 times
Followed by:3 members

by clock60 » Fri May 27, 2011 10:05 am
hi guys
here i tend to disagree and vote for C
perhaps i am deadly wrong
Top
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 89
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 1:05 am
Thanked: 1 times
Followed by:3 members
GMAT Score:660

by irock » Fri May 27, 2011 10:25 am
any expert who can clarify what should be the answer and why!
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 905
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:38 am
Thanked: 378 times
Followed by:123 members
GMAT Score:760

by Geva@EconomistGMAT » Fri May 27, 2011 10:38 am
irock wrote:any expert who can clarify what should be the answer and why!
It wouldn't hurt to ask K newton what they had in mind for this, but C is the least worst of the answer choices presented. My main problem with the original sentence is that water does not actively evaporate its own molecules - the molecules can evaporate, or be evaporate (or be prevented from evporating), but water does not evaporate its own molecules - implies that water has some intent or choice in the matter.

E is a good choice, but Is eliminated by the poor fit with the remainder of the clause: "by an insufficient level" implies the passive tense "prevented by", not actively "preventing by".

B and D are inferior choices to C because of the redundant and awkward "having" and being". Also, water cannot logically be prevented (B).
Geva
Senior Instructor
Master GMAT
1-888-780-GMAT
https://www.mastergmat.com
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

by atulmangal » Fri May 27, 2011 11:17 am
OA is C guys...

Well Op E looks really tempting.

@Geva, m surprised to see your reply:
water does not actively evaporate its own molecules - the molecules can evaporate, or be evaporate (or be prevented from evporating), but water does not evaporate its own molecules - implies that water has some intent or choice in the matter.


This is exactly the reason why Op E is wrong here....because modifier Preventing is modifying the whole preceding clause...that means Op E will be read as

water preventing its molecules from evaporating by....logically incorrect as u stated above..

With Op C there is no such problem....what's wrong u find in Op C (as u said least worst Op) ??
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

by atulmangal » Fri May 27, 2011 11:21 am
Also i believe, Op A and Op B are wrong because

Comma + Past participle modify the preceding noun, here its "low-energy environments"...and that's incorrect
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 520
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:44 am
Thanked: 70 times
Followed by:6 members

by niksworth » Fri May 27, 2011 11:43 am
I am just curious. If I add in another option, say F.

C - its molecules prevented from evaporating by
F - its molecules prevented from evaporating as a result of

Which of the two would be better and why? My focus is on meaning here. Is there a subtle difference in the two sentences semantically? Or do they absolutely convey the same meaning?
scio me nihil scire
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

by atulmangal » Fri May 27, 2011 5:11 pm
Thought to share the given official explanation:

The original sentence incorrectly uses the verb evaporating, which cannot take a direct object; a subject, here water, can evaporate, but a subject cannot evaporate something else. In the original version of this sentence, evaporating its molecules is not a grammatical use of evaporating.

Additionally, as a result of is an adverbial phrase that does not grammatically describe a verb within the sentence. Prevented... as a result of is not an acceptable construction.

Choice C fixes these errors without introducing new ones. The subject water is prevented from evaporating, and evaporating does not incorrectly take an object. The preposition by grammatically corresponds with the verb prevented. The water is prevented from evaporating... by an insufficient level... The pronoun its clearly refers to water.

Choice D retains the ungrammatical as a result of. The use of being is awkward.

Choice E is illogical; the water is not actively preventing its molecules...

The correct answer choice is C.
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 2330
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 am
Thanked: 56 times
Followed by:26 members

by mundasingh123 » Fri May 27, 2011 11:47 pm
whats ungrammatical about
as a result of
I Seek Explanations Not Answers
Top
Post new topic Locked