number of wild salmon

This topic has expert replies
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 224
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 2:44 pm
Location: Russia, Moscow
Thanked: 10 times
GMAT Score:730

number of wild salmon

by ranell » Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:37 pm
In Scotland, the number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deepsea and costal netting, by pollution, and by various other threats to the fish’s habitat.

A. number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting
B. number of wild salmon is reduced because deep-sea and coastal netting is not controlled
C. numbers of wild salmon has been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting
D. wild salmon’s numbers are reduced by deep-sea and coastal netting that is not controlled
E. wild salmon’s numbers have been reduced by uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:56 am
Thanked: 4 times

by AceofSpades » Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:40 pm
I would go with E

Legendary Member
Posts: 1161
Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 2:52 am
Location: Sydney
Thanked: 23 times
Followed by:1 members

by mehravikas » Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:03 pm
In Scotland, the number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deepsea and costal netting, by pollution, and by various other threats to the fish’s habitat.

A. number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting - number...have (incorrect)
B. number of wild salmon is reduced because deep-sea and coastal netting is not controlled - seems like deep-sea and netting is not controlled by pollution
C. numbers of wild salmon has been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting - numbers...has
D. wild salmon’s numbers are reduced by deep-sea and coastal netting that is not controlled - same problem as B
E. wild salmon’s numbers have been reduced by uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting - correct answer...

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:56 am
Thanked: 4 times

by AceofSpades » Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:10 pm
mehravikas wrote:In Scotland, the number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deepsea and costal netting, by pollution, and by various other threats to the fish’s habitat.

A. number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting - number...have (incorrect)
B. number of wild salmon is reduced because deep-sea and coastal netting is not controlled - seems like deep-sea and netting is not controlled by pollution
C. numbers of wild salmon has been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting - numbers...has
D. wild salmon’s numbers are reduced by deep-sea and coastal netting that is not controlled - same problem as B
E. wild salmon’s numbers have been reduced by uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting - correct answer...
Thanks for the explanations!

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 575
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 2:58 am
Location: India
Thanked: 18 times
Followed by:4 members
GMAT Score:710

Re: number of wild salmon

by rahulg83 » Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:12 pm
ranell wrote:In Scotland, the number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deepsea and costal netting, by pollution, and by various other threats to the fish’s habitat.

A. number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting
B. number of wild salmon is reduced because deep-sea and coastal netting is not controlled
C. numbers of wild salmon has been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting
D. wild salmon’s numbers are reduced by deep-sea and coastal netting that is not controlled
E. wild salmon’s numbers have been reduced by uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting
E maintains parallelism and correct verb tense....
by uncontrolled...by pollution...by various...
also numbers have been reduced..is correct

User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:37 am

by 22 » Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:55 am
In Scotland, the number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deepsea and costal netting, by pollution, and by various other threats to the fish's habitat.

A. number of wild salmon have been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting
----> "by" is missing that can make the sentence parallel + "number--have" is wrong.
B. number of wild salmon is reduced because deep-sea and coastal netting is not controlled
----> "by" is missing that can make the sentence parallel + "number" is reduced is wrong again.
C. numbers of wild salmon has been reduced because of uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting
----> "by" is missing that can make the sentence parallel + "numbers..has" is incorrect.
D. wild salmon's numbers are reduced by deep-sea and coastal netting that is not controlled
-----> "that is not controlled" is wordy
E. wild salmon's numbers have been reduced by uncontrolled deep-sea and coastal netting
----> is parallel for it has "by" + it matches numbers with have + correct tense is used

User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 406
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:36 am
Location: Syracuse, NY
Thanked: 23 times
Followed by:4 members
GMAT Score:740

by tomada » Thu Jul 15, 2010 9:40 am
There's nothing incorrect about the phrase "wild salmon's numbers" ?

Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:36 am

by jerrykid » Fri Aug 20, 2010 12:30 am
For E, is there anything wrong with "the wild salmon's numbers"? Does the phrase refer to "a variety of wild salmon"? Except for this seemly abnormal phrase, I find nothing wrong about E?
Beat the GMAT !!!

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2010 2:55 pm

by siddhans » Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:58 pm
Isnt 'The number' singlular so it needs a singular verb like 'is' /'has' which is present in B??

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 299
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:27 am
Thanked: 9 times
Followed by:2 members

by hey_thr67 » Mon Jul 04, 2011 8:36 pm
Yes " wild salmon's numbers" is not a correct phrase but using the rule "In GMAT Best answer doesn't mean Ideal answer choice".. E stands apart from other choice with minimum flaw... I would say "wild salmon's " not that wrong because salmon is an animate subject so it can take the possessive form.

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 217
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 1:39 pm
Thanked: 7 times
Followed by:1 members

by zaarathelab » Fri Sep 30, 2011 11:20 pm
Points to note -

1. A number of -Plural
2. The number of - singular
3. Numbers of - always wrong

D vs E

The 'THAT' (essential modifier) in D modifies only coastal netting and hence changes the meaning. Both deep sea and coastal netting are uncontrolled, leading to the drop in numbers.
Success = Max(Hardwork) + Min(Luck)

Legendary Member
Posts: 2789
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:19 am
Location: Chennai, India
Thanked: 206 times
Followed by:43 members
GMAT Score:640

by GmatKiss » Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:05 am
IMO:E