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comparison

by aflaam » Wed May 04, 2016 7:41 pm
Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.
(A) hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's
(B) hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, like exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect that is like morphine
(C) hot sauces and exercise both stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine
(D) the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated both by hot sauces and exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's
(E) the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated by hot sauces, just as with exercise, and these have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine
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OA A

Is B also incorrect because sauce is compared with exercise apart from the faulty comparison in second part?
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by ceilidh.erickson » Sat May 21, 2016 2:06 pm
Here, we have an opening modifier "besides adding..." and the underlined portion begins after the comma. This question is testing modifiers & comparisons. The meaning we want to convey is:
- hot sauces add flavor to foods
- they also stimulate endorphins
- exercise also stimulates endorphins
- endorphins have a pain-relieving effect
- this effect is similar to morphine's pain-relieving effect
Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.

(A) hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's
(B) hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, like exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect that is like morphine
(C) hot sauces and exercise both stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine
(D) the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated both by hot sauces and exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's
(E) the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated by hot sauces, just as with exercise, and these have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine
A. This correctly uses the subject "hot sauces" after the modifier "adding flavor." "Just as exercise does" is comparing to the act of releasing endorphins - this is a logical comparison. "These" refers to "endorphins," whose pain-relieving effects are correctly compared to morphine's pain-relieving effects. Correct.

B. "like exercise" must refer to another noun. This is suggesting that the brain is "like" exercise. This is illogical. "They" seems to refer structurally to "hot sauces" rather than "endorphins."

C. The subject is "hot sauces and exercise," implying that both of these things add flavor to food. Illogical. Furthermore, "they" seems to be referring to "hot sauces and exercise" rather than "endorphins," and the "like" is comparing "pain-relieving effect" to morphine itself.

D. The subject is "the release of endorphins," suggesting that these add flavor to food. This is now a misplaced modifier.

E. Same misplaced modifier issue as in D.

The correct answer is A.
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by OptimusPrep » Sat May 21, 2016 7:15 pm
aflaam wrote:Besides adding complementary flavors to many foods, hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.
(A) hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, just as exercise does, and these have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's
(B) hot sauces stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, like exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect that is like morphine
(C) hot sauces and exercise both stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine
(D) the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated both by hot sauces and exercise, and they have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's
(E) the release of endorphins in the brain is stimulated by hot sauces, just as with exercise, and these have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine
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OA A

Is B also incorrect because sauce is compared with exercise apart from the faulty comparison in second part?
In option B, the release of endorphins in the brain is compared with exercise.
Whereas the comparison should be between the release of endorphins by the sauces and the effects of exercise on brain.
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by rsarashi » Sat Apr 15, 2017 9:23 pm
This correctly uses the subject "hot sauces" after the modifier "adding flavor." "Just as exercise does" is comparing to the act of releasing endorphins - this is a logical comparison. "These" refers to "endorphins," whose pain-relieving effects are correctly compared to morphine's pain-relieving effects.


Hi Ceilidh ,

Can you please explain the usage of possessive in this?

Thanks.
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by ceilidh.erickson » Sun Apr 16, 2017 10:51 am
rsarashi wrote: Hi Ceilidh ,

Can you please explain the usage of possessive in this?

Thanks.
I assume you mean the possessive "morphine's"?

In COMPARISONS, we have to compare apples to apples. There are often several correct ways to express a given comparison:

Correct:
My puppy is well-trained, unlike that of my sister.
My puppy is well-trained, unlike my sister's.

Incorrect:
My puppy is well-trained, unlike my sister. (Unless she herself is not well-trained!)
I trained my puppy well, as did my sister. (Implies that she also trained my puppy, rather than her own)

The GMAT often prefers to use "that of" or "those of" in correct answers, but the possessive is also perfectly correct. But note: because "that" or "those" have to agree in number with the noun they replace, we cannot use them if we're comparing singular to plural or vice versa.
For example, if I had one puppy but my sister had two, I could NOT say:
My puppy is well-trained, unlike those of my sister.
In this case, I would have to use the possessive (or rearrange the sentence some other way).

In this GMAT problem, "the pain relieving effect of endorphins" and "the pain relieving effect of morphine" are both singular, so either of the following would have been correct:
... these [endorphins] have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.
... these [endorphins] have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine.
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by rsarashi » Mon Apr 17, 2017 8:41 am
I assume you mean the possessive "morphine's"?

In COMPARISONS, we have to compare apples to apples. There are often several correct ways to express a given comparison:

Correct:
My puppy is well-trained, unlike that of my sister.
My puppy is well-trained, unlike my sister's.

Incorrect:
My puppy is well-trained, unlike my sister. (Unless she herself is not well-trained!)
I trained my puppy well, as did my sister. (Implies that she also trained my puppy, rather than her own)

The GMAT often prefers to use "that of" or "those of" in correct answers, but the possessive is also perfectly correct. But note: because "that" or "those" have to agree in number with the noun they replace, we cannot use them if we're comparing singular to plural or vice versa.
For example, if I had one puppy but my sister had two, I could NOT say:
My puppy is well-trained, unlike those of my sister.
In this case, I would have to use the possessive (or rearrange the sentence some other way).

In this GMAT problem, "the pain relieving effect of endorphins" and "the pain relieving effect of morphine" are both singular, so either of the following would have been correct:
... these [endorphins] have a pain-relieving effect like morphine's.
... these [endorphins] have a pain-relieving effect like that of morphine.
[/quote]

Hi Ceilidh ,

Thank you so much for your reply. All clear.
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by ceilidh.erickson » Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:22 am
My pleasure!
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