Between 1990 and 2000, the annual

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factor26: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 99; Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:42 pm

by factor26 » Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:48 pm

Between 1990 and 2000, the annual precipitation in Henan, one of the main agricultural provinces in central China, has fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the rapid economic growth of the province could be sustained in the future.

a-has fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

b-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

c-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether its

d-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

e-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether the

OG answer is E - can someone explain the difference between "whether it's" in statement C and "whether the" in statement e?

Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:48 pm

hummer: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 4; Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:38 am

by hummer » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:55 pm

whether its (not it's) --its antecedent should be the noun clause ( the annual precipitation in Henan fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches).
this does not makes sense and hence the option C is incorrect.

In whether the--the rapid economic growth is the subject of the clause and hence makes sense.

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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:19 am

factor26 wrote:Between 1990 and 2000, the annual precipitation in Henan, one of the main agricultural provinces in central China, has fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the rapid economic growth of the province could be sustained in the future.

a-has fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

b-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

c-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether its

d-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

e-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether the

OG answer is E - can someone explain the difference between "whether it's" in statement C and "whether the" in statement e?

The intended meaning is conveyed by E: whether the rapid economic growth OF THE PROVINCE could be sustained. Here, the PROVINCE is growing.

The meaning conveyed by C -- whether ITS rapid economic growth of the province could be sustained -- makes no sense. WHOSE growth of the province? How can someone or something GROW a province?

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bostonblue: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 12; Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:31 am

by bostonblue » Mon Jan 30, 2012 1:19 pm

I eventually settled on E, although I was torn between E and B. Is B incorrect for a grammatical reason or is it too wordy? For example, are the "per year" and "or not" redundant and therefore unnecessary?

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

by gmatdriller » Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:03 am

bostonblue wrote:I eventually settled on E, although I was torn between E and B. Is B incorrect for a grammatical reason or is it too wordy? For example, are the "per year" and "or not" redundant and therefore unnecessary?

"the annual precipitation...per year" is unnecessarily wordy.
It should be:
(i) "the annual precipitation fluctuated...from 250 to 470 inches" or
(ii) "the precipitation per year...fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches"

gmatblood: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 489; Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:10 amFollowed by: 5 members; Thanked: 28 times

by gmatblood » Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:48 am

factor26 wrote:Between 1990 and 2000, the annual precipitation in Henan, one of the main agricultural provinces in central China, has fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the rapid economic growth of the province could be sustained in the future.

a-has fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

b-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches per year, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

c-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether its

d-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether or not the

e-fluctuated from 250 to 470 inches, causing substantial variation in the productivity of local crops and making it difficult to predict whether the

IMO:E

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