the official answer is B why can't D be correct, not convince with the official explanation.
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@kshism
Could you write again which answer seems better than the OA in your opinion?
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SC-89 from OG 12
Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction |
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EducationAisle
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D seems to compare:
a) How much it costs to maintain dirt roads with
b) How much paved roads cost
So, D is not comparing the maintenance costs of the two types of roads. Would have been better if D had been:
maintaining dirt roads costs twice as much as it does for maintaing paved roads
Not that this is an ideal sentence, but at least the comparison is logical.
If this is still not clear, you might want to google, am sure this example has beaten to death multiple times: ).
a) How much it costs to maintain dirt roads with
b) How much paved roads cost
So, D is not comparing the maintenance costs of the two types of roads. Would have been better if D had been:
maintaining dirt roads costs twice as much as it does for maintaing paved roads
Not that this is an ideal sentence, but at least the comparison is logical.
If this is still not clear, you might want to google, am sure this example has beaten to death multiple times: ).
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GMATGuruNY
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In D, it seems to refer to the entire phrase MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS.Dirt roads may evoke the bucolic simplicity of another century, but financially strained township point out that dirt roads cost twice as much maintaining paved roads.
A.
B. dirt roads cost twice as much to maintain as paved roads do
C. maintaining dirt roads costs twice as much as paved roads do
d. maintaining dirt roads costs twice as much as it does for paved roads
e. to maintain dirt roads costs twice as much as for paved roads
Why can't D be correct?
Does is standing in for costs.
Thus, the implied meaning makes no sense: MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS costs twice as much as MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS costs for PAVED ROADS.
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GMATGuruNY - a quick clarification needed.GMATGuruNY wrote:In D, it seems to refer to the entire phrase MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS.Dirt roads may evoke the bucolic simplicity of another century, but financially strained township point out that dirt roads cost twice as much maintaining paved roads.
A.
B. dirt roads cost twice as much to maintain as paved roads do
C. maintaining dirt roads costs twice as much as paved roads do
d. maintaining dirt roads costs twice as much as it does for paved roads
e. to maintain dirt roads costs twice as much as for paved roads
Why can't D be correct?
Does is standing in for costs.
Thus, the implied meaning makes no sense: MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS costs twice as much as MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS costs for PAVED ROADS.
The ABOVE is TRUE because the referent of a SUBJECT PRONOUN (such as IT) MUST be the NOUN Subject in the preceding clause + any attached Modifier to that NOUN Subject.
Am I correct or there is any other possible interpretation to this issue ?
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GMATGuruNY
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In D, dirt roads serves not as a modifier but as the DIRECT OBJECT of maintaining.RBBmba@2014 wrote:GMATGuruNY - a quick clarification needed.GMATGuruNY wrote:d. maintaining dirt roads costs twice as much as it does for paved roads
In D, it seems to refer to the entire phrase MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS.
Does is standing in for costs.
Thus, the implied meaning makes no sense: MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS costs twice as much as MAINTAINING DIRT ROADS costs for PAVED ROADS.
The ABOVE is TRUE because the referent of a SUBJECT PRONOUN (such as IT) MUST be the NOUN Subject in the preceding clause + any attached Modifier to that NOUN Subject.
That said, similar reasoning applies:
The subject pronoun in the second clause (it) must serve to refer not only to the preceding subject (maintaining) but also to the attached direct object (dirt roads).
Thus
it = maintaining dirt roads.
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GMATGuruNY
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Generally, an infinitive modifier serves to express INTENT or PURPOSE.sagarock wrote:Hii mitch sir,kindly elaborate on this construction 'as much to maintain as' with examples .iam finding difficult to come in terms with it
An OA in GMATPrep:
Frogs take three years to reach adulthood.
Question: WHY do frogs take three years?
Answer: They take three years TO REACH ADULTHOOD.
OA: Dirt roads cost twice as much to maintain as paved roads do.
Here, as much as serves to compare the cost of dirt roads to the cost of paved roads, as follows:
Dirt roads cost twice as much as paved roads.
The purpose of to maintain is to express WHY dirt roads cost twice as much.
Question: WHY do dirt roads cost twice as much?
Answer: They cost twice as much TO MAINTAIN.
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