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

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Extremophiles

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 502
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:36 pmFollowed by: 21 members
Thanked: 99 times
by vk_vinayak » Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:17 am
Inhospitable places on our planet, from steaming Hot Springs to the thick ice of the polar regions, tend to be populated by the specially adapted microbes flourishing, it seems, in these extreme conditions and are therefore called "extremophiles."

A. flourishing, it seems, in these extreme conditions and are

B. that seem to flourish with these extreme conditions and

C. that seem to flourish in these extreme conditions and that are

D. seeming to flourish in these extreme conditions and are

E. seeming to flourish with these extreme conditions and that are

Source: PrepPack1

OA: C

Doubt: [spoiler]Can somebody explain why the repetition of the subject (that) is required ?[/spoiler]
Last edited by vk_vinayak on Tue Sep 25, 2012 7:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
- VK

I will (Learn. Recognize. Apply)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:10 am
Thanked: 13 times

by shekhar.kataria » Mon Sep 24, 2012 9:12 pm
IMO C.

Without THAT , the clause now has subject as the subject of the first clause i.e INHOSPITABLE PLACES ON OUR PLANET is now the subject of this clause too and it is illogical to say that the places are called extremophiles.

Microbes are called extremophiles because because of their flourishing in the extreme conditions.

Hope that helps.
vk_vinayak wrote:Inhospitable places on our planet, from steaming Hot Springs to the thick ice of the polar regions, tend to be populated by the specially adapted microbes flourishing, it seems, in these extreme conditions and are therefore called "extremophiles."

A. flourishing, it seems, in these extreme conditions and are

B. that seem to flourish with these extreme conditions and

C. that seem to flourish in these extreme conditions and that are

D. seeming to flourish in these extreme conditions and are

E. seeming to flourish with these extreme conditions and that are

Source: PrepPack1

Doubt: [spoiler]Can somebody explain why the repetition of the subject (that) is required ?[/spoiler]
Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress.--Thomas A. Edison

If you find this post helpful, let me know by clicking thanks above :-)
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:16 pm
Thanked: 2 times

by whats_in_the_store » Tue Sep 25, 2012 5:28 am
Though in C
that seem to flourish in these extreme conditions and that are
has parallel structure as required by and, I'd prefer to eliminate "that" altogether as in D(Again seeming to flourish is not very nice).
Don't we use "those" when referring to plural nouns?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pmFollowed by: 1906 members
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Tue Sep 25, 2012 7:14 am
vk_vinayak wrote:Inhospitable places on our planet, from steaming Hot Springs to the thick ice of the polar regions, tend to be populated by the specially adapted microbes flourishing, it seems, in these extreme conditions and are therefore called "extremophiles."

A. flourishing, it seems, in these extreme conditions and are

B. that seem to flourish with these extreme conditions and

C. that seem to flourish in these extreme conditions and that are

D. seeming to flourish in these extreme conditions and are

E. seeming to flourish with these extreme conditions and that are

Source: PrepPack1

Doubt: [spoiler]Can somebody explain why the repetition of the subject (that) is required ?[/spoiler]
A conjunction such as and must connect PARALLEL FORMS.
In A and D, flourishing and seeming serve as ADJECTIVES modifying MICROBES.
Thus, the VERB that follows and (ARE CALLED) must be parallel with TEND, implying the following:
Inhospitable places TEND to be populated...and ARE therefore CALLED "extremophiles".
Not the intended meaning: the MICROBES are called "extremophiles."
Eliminate A and D.

In B, and therefore called "extremophiles" makes no sense.
The intended meaning is that the microbes ARE called "extremophiles".

In E, seeming to flourish and that are therefore called are not parallel.
As noted above, and must connect PARALLEL FORMS.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

The parallel modifiers in the OA make the meaning clear:
Inhospitable places tend to be populated by microbes THAT SEEM TO FLOURISH in these extreme conditions and THAT ARE THEREFORE CALLED
"extremophiles".
Here, that seem and that are clearly refer to MICROBES.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:48 pmFollowed by: 3 members
Thanked: 6 times

by gmatdriller » Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:07 pm
B. that seem to flourish with these extreme conditions and

B seems to be incorrect because
(i)it uses "flourishes WITH" rather than "flourishing IN"

(ii) MICROBES THAT seem to...AND therefore called...
should have been: MICROBES THAT seem to...AND THAT...
What is wrong with the first expression "microbes that seem to...and therefore called"?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:16 pm
Thanked: 2 times

by whats_in_the_store » Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:17 pm
What is wrong with the first expression "microbes that seem to...and therefore called"?
therefore can not suffice for helping verb are, just read it out loud and you'll figure out something's wrong!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2014 11:14 am

by bonbossamazing » Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:09 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
vk_vinayak wrote:Inhospitable places on our planet, from steaming Hot Springs to the thick ice of the polar regions, tend to be populated by the specially adapted microbes flourishing, it seems, in these extreme conditions and are therefore called "extremophiles."

A. flourishing, it seems, in these extreme conditions and are

B. that seem to flourish with these extreme conditions and

C. that seem to flourish in these extreme conditions and that are

D. seeming to flourish in these extreme conditions and are

E. seeming to flourish with these extreme conditions and that are

Source: PrepPack1

Doubt: [spoiler]Can somebody explain why the repetition of the subject (that) is required ?[/spoiler]
A conjunction such as and must connect PARALLEL FORMS.
In A and D, flourishing and seeming serve as ADJECTIVES modifying MICROBES.
Thus, the VERB that follows and (ARE CALLED) must be parallel with TEND, implying the following:
Inhospitable places TEND to be populated...and ARE therefore CALLED "extremophiles".
Not the intended meaning: the MICROBES are called "extremophiles."
Eliminate A and D.

In B, and therefore called "extremophiles" makes no sense.
The intended meaning is that the microbes ARE called "extremophiles".

In E, seeming to flourish and that are therefore called are not parallel.
As noted above, and must connect PARALLEL FORMS.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is C.

The parallel modifiers in the OA make the meaning clear:
Inhospitable places tend to be populated by microbes THAT SEEM TO FLOURISH in these extreme conditions and THAT ARE THEREFORE CALLED
"extremophiles".
Here, that seem and that are clearly refer to MICROBES.
I am still confused between the Options B and C. Can some one help.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pmFollowed by: 511 members
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:09 pm
Hi bonbossamazing,

There are a couple of differences worth noting between B and C (and both can help to eliminate answer B):

1) Parallelism - we're told 2 things about "specially adapted microbes", so we have to present those 2 ideas in parallel format...

"specially adapted microbes....

...that seem to flourish....
...that are therefore called extremophiles."

Answer C uses parallel language, answer B does not.

2) Style/Meaning -

In Answer C, the phrase "flourish in these extreme conditions" means that the microbes thrive in those conditions.
In Answer B, the phrase "flourish with these extreme conditions" means that both the microbes and the conditions are flourishing.

The intent is to tell us that the microbes flourish even though the conditions are extreme.

Either reason can be used to eliminate Answer B.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1