Machine hydraulics

This topic has expert replies
User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 3:32 am
Location: Mumbai
Thanked: 7 times
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:680

Machine hydraulics

by hitmis » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:35 am
source : Veritas free CAT

Machines powered by hydraulics are not driven by the steam produced by boiling water, but rather, high-pressure fluids are transmitted throughout the machine to various motors and hydraulic cylinders.

a) water, but rather
b) water, but instead
c) water; instead
d) water; rather
e) water; but

User avatar
Community Manager
Posts: 991
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:19 am
Location: Bangalore, India
Thanked: 146 times
Followed by:24 members

by shovan85 » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:50 am
IMO A

Not sure but semi-colons we can discard as second part does not have a subject (e.g. they are driven by high-pressure ....)

Out of other two option Rather is preferred to Instead. so A

Hope I am correct

Legendary Member
Posts: 520
Joined: Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:44 am
Thanked: 70 times
Followed by:6 members

by niksworth » Fri Oct 01, 2010 4:56 am
I'll bet on C.

The sentence indicates replacement. Instead is more suitable than rather here (rather marks preference)

B and C are contenders.

B - but instead -> redundancy.

C is right.
scio me nihil scire

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 265
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:45 pm
Thanked: 26 times
Followed by:2 members
GMAT Score:760

by mj78ind » Fri Oct 01, 2010 9:37 am
hitmis wrote:source : Veritas free CAT

Machines powered by hydraulics are not driven by the steam produced by boiling water, but rather, high-pressure fluids are transmitted throughout the machine to various motors and hydraulic cylinders.

a) water, but rather
b) water, but instead
c) water; instead
d) water; rather
e) water; but
My vote goes to c. D sounds unidiomatic wrt rather .........

User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 85
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:49 am
Location: Hyderbad, India
GMAT Score:660

by abhi.genx7 » Fri Oct 01, 2010 11:24 am
The OA please , will go with c

Legendary Member
Posts: 2330
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 am
Thanked: 56 times
Followed by:26 members

by mundasingh123 » Fri Oct 01, 2010 12:59 pm
hitmis wrote:source : Veritas free CAT

Machines powered by hydraulics are not driven by the steam produced by boiling water, but rather, high-pressure fluids are transmitted throughout the machine to various motors and hydraulic cylinders.

a) water, but rather
b) water, but instead
c) water; instead
d) water; rather
e) water; but
C,D&EThe sentence after semicolon doesnt convey a clear message that the machines are powered by high-pressure fluids instead of water.
The same can be said of B because the subject of the sentence before the semicolon is Machines,not water.so , the sentence means that the machines are replaced by high pressure fluids.so a imo

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 3:32 am
Location: Mumbai
Thanked: 7 times
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:680

by hitmis » Fri Oct 01, 2010 5:12 pm
C it is guys. Well done to many here.

I'm posting a concise version of the explanation. I chose D but learnt why its wrong from the explanation.

Explanation from Veritas:
This sentence is connecting 2 independent clauses and so needs a conjunctive connector or semicolon to link the two. Answer (E) can be eliminated for redundantly using both a semicolon and the conjunction "but". Additionally, the meaning of the contrasting conjunction "but" is incorrect here; the contrast this sentence draws between hydraullic machines and steam-powered machines is more appropriately illustrated with the adverb "instead". Answers (A) and (B) can be eliminated for using "but". Answer (D) can be eliminated for using the ambiguous adverb "rather", which may be modifying the adjective "high-pressure" or the verb "are transmitted". Additionally, "rather" expresses a preference for one choice over another; the idiomatic "instead" is a better fit, leaving (C) as the correct answer.

Legendary Member
Posts: 2330
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 am
Thanked: 56 times
Followed by:26 members

by mundasingh123 » Sat Oct 02, 2010 1:13 am
hitmis wrote:C it is guys. Well done to many here.

I'm posting a concise version of the explanation. I chose D but learnt why its wrong from the explanation.

Explanation from Veritas:
This sentence is connecting 2 independent clauses and so needs a conjunctive connector or semicolon to link the two. Answer (E) can be eliminated for redundantly using both a semicolon and the conjunction "but". Additionally, the meaning of the contrasting conjunction "but" is incorrect here; the contrast this sentence draws between hydraullic machines and steam-powered machines is more appropriately illustrated with the adverb "instead". Answers (A) and (B) can be eliminated for using "but". Answer (D) can be eliminated for using the ambiguous adverb "rather", which may be modifying the adjective "high-pressure" or the verb "are transmitted". Additionally, "rather" expresses a preference for one choice over another; the idiomatic "instead" is a better fit, leaving (C) as the correct answer.
dangerous.if you have ne more scs like the one posted above kindly post

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 126
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 9:36 am
Thanked: 6 times

by kapur.arnav » Sat Oct 02, 2010 9:43 am
hitmis wrote:C it is guys. Well done to many here.

I'm posting a concise version of the explanation. I chose D but learnt why its wrong from the explanation.

Explanation from Veritas:
This sentence is connecting 2 independent clauses and so needs a conjunctive connector or semicolon to link the two. Answer (E) can be eliminated for redundantly using both a semicolon and the conjunction "but". Additionally, the meaning of the contrasting conjunction "but" is incorrect here; the contrast this sentence draws between hydraullic machines and steam-powered machines is more appropriately illustrated with the adverb "instead". Answers (A) and (B) can be eliminated for using "but". Answer (D) can be eliminated for using the ambiguous adverb "rather", which may be modifying the adjective "high-pressure" or the verb "are transmitted". Additionally, "rather" expresses a preference for one choice over another; the idiomatic "instead" is a better fit, leaving (C) as the correct answer.
i like this q... please post more q from the source... can u direct me to the exact link or to the exact source... thanks...

Legendary Member
Posts: 2330
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:14 am
Thanked: 56 times
Followed by:26 members

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:48 pm
Thanked: 6 times
Followed by:3 members

by gmatdriller » Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:11 pm
i understand "rather than" goes with a clause (or noun), but that
"instead of" is preferable with a noun. In that case, option D will be
better than C.

What do you guys ghink?

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 435
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 6:15 am
Thanked: 32 times
Followed by:1 members

by eaakbari » Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:49 am
I am unable to comprehend as to why A is incorrect.

Views, please?
Whether you think you can or can't, you're right.
- Henry Ford