same as/similar to/like usage ???????????

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same as/similar to/like usage ???????????

by AJWILL » Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:26 am
Q)4. Trying to learn some of the basics of programming is the same as to tinker with a car when one is a teenager: some people end up ing to engineering school, and others, twenty years later, remember nothing of the experience.
[A] the same as to tinker with a car when one is a teenager
similar to a teenager tinkering with a car
[C] like tinkering with a car as a teenager
[D] the same as a teenager tinkering with a car
[E] like the teenager's tinkering with a car

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by kulhot » Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:40 am
IMO (D).Please post the OA.

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by shovan85 » Wed Jul 25, 2012 2:53 am
It's a question of Parallelism and Like/As. Going with the gerund "Trying to...", I would prefer "Tinkering with...".

Going with parallelism IMO C
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by eagleeye » Wed Jul 25, 2012 3:05 am
AJWILL wrote:Q)4. Trying to learn some of the basics of programming is the same as to tinker with a car when one is a teenager: some people end up in engineering school, and others, twenty years later, remember nothing of the experience.
[A] the same as to tinker with a car when one is a teenager
similar to a teenager tinkering with a car
[C] like tinkering with a car as a teenager
[D] the same as a teenager tinkering with a car
[E] like the teenager's tinkering with a car


This is NOT the best SC question. It would be a much much better question if it started off with
"Learning to program....".
That being said, only one of the options is less worse than the others.

We have a gerund "Trying" in the opening phrase. The way the sentence is written emphasizes the act. The correct option should be parallel to the gerund "Trying". C provides the best choice here.

[A] the same as to tinker with a car when one is a teenager
Wordy expression. "To tinker" is not parallel to "Trying". NO.

similar to a teenager tinkering with a car
Illogical comparison. The act of trying is compared with "a teenager".NO.

[C] like tinkering with a car as a teenager
This one maintains parallelism and meaning with concision. CORRECT (here)

[D] the same as a teenager tinkering with a car
Same problem as B. NO.

[E] like the teenager's tinkering with a car
Improper article "the" used instead of a. Awkward construction. NO..

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by AJWILL » Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:43 am
OA is A

i read discussion on this question on another forum. even on that page MOST selected C.
i guess OA is incorrect

here is the link

https://gmatclub.com/forum/sc878-trying- ... 87766.html