OG-11. 1st edition (Purple) 29

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rishijhawar: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 138; Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:24 pm; Thanked: 1 times

by rishijhawar » Mon Jun 27, 2011 4:02 am

According to some economists the July decrease in unemployment so that it was the lowest in two years suggests that the gradual improvement in the job market is continuingï¼Ž
(A) so that it was the lowest in two years
(B) so that it was the lowest two-year rate
(C) to what would be the lowest in two years
(D) to a two-year low level
(E) to the lowest level in two years
[spoiler]Please explain why not D instead of OA (E)[/spoiler]

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Mon Jun 27, 2011 4:02 am

Geva@EconomistGMAT: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 905; Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:38 amFollowed by: 123 members; Thanked: 378 times; GMAT Score:760

by Geva@EconomistGMAT » Mon Jun 27, 2011 7:22 am

rishijhawar wrote:According to some economists the July decrease in unemployment so that it was the lowest in two years suggests that the gradual improvement in the job market is continuingï¼Ž
(A) so that it was the lowest in two years
(B) so that it was the lowest two-year rate
(C) to what would be the lowest in two years
(D) to a two-year low level
(E) to the lowest level in two years
[spoiler]Please explain why not D instead of OA (E)[/spoiler]

Meh. It's not that E is wrong per se as much as it is unnecessarily awkward and leghty. You don't need "the lowest level in two year" to say "a two-year low level". So it's not that E is wrong so much as that D is better. If two answer choices are both grammatically and logically correct, all other things being equal, the shorter, more concise sentence makes for a more effective sentence and thus is considered stylistically better.

Geva
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deep.amangmat: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 86; Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 7:54 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 8 times

by deep.amangmat » Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:19 am

But Geva, I think Choice E is the correct answer. So the longer one is the correct answer.

Also, per the response by Ron at https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/two ... t1368.html, it appears that "two-year low level" does not communicate the intended meaning. I am not 100% sure about the reasoning in this link.

But at the same time I do not know how choice D is incorrect and E is correct.

Please help.

Thanks,

Aman

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Geva@EconomistGMAT: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 905; Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:38 amFollowed by: 123 members; Thanked: 378 times; GMAT Score:760

by Geva@EconomistGMAT » Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:35 pm

deep.amangmat wrote:But Geva, I think Choice E is the correct answer. So the longer one is the correct answer.

Also, per the response by Ron at https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/two ... t1368.html, it appears that "two-year low level" does not communicate the intended meaning. I am not 100% sure about the reasoning in this link.

But at the same time I do not know how choice D is incorrect and E is correct.

Please help.

Thanks,

Aman

My bad. E is indeed quoted as the right answer. Apparently D is ambiguous in that it allows the possibility of a low level that lasted for two years (as in a 2 year recession). I'm on the fence whether the situation can actually be improved by striking out the word "level" (i.e. whether an answer choice that uses "a two year low" would've been better).

Geva
Senior Instructor
Master GMAT
1-888-780-GMAT
https://www.mastergmat.com

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deep.amangmat: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 86; Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 7:54 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 8 times

by deep.amangmat » Tue Jun 28, 2011 1:23 pm

Thanks Geva for your clarification. Some of these choices really are tricky. So I guess for this one, I would have to take a guess.

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