GMAT Prep Exam 3 Q20

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GMAT Prep Exam 3 Q20

by Abhijit K » Sat Mar 14, 2015 11:09 pm
Responding to the public's fascination with-and sometimes undue alarm over-possible threats from asteroids, a scale developed by astronomers rates the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet may collide with Earth.

A. a scale developed by astronomers rates the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet may
B. a scale that astronomers have developed rates how likely it is for a particular asteroid or comet to
C. astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet will be to
D. astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet will
E. astronomers have developed a scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may

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by GMATGuruNY » Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:33 am
When you post an SC, please underline the relevant portion:
Responding to the public's fascination with-and sometimes undue alarm over-possible threats from asteroids, a scale developed by astronomers rates the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet may collide with Earth.

A. a scale developed by astronomers rates the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet may
B. a scale that astronomers have developed rates how likely it is for a particular asteroid or comet to
C. astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet will be to
D. astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet
will
E. astronomers have developed a scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that
may
A and B: Responding to the public's fascination, a scale...
Here, responding seems to modify a scale, implying that A SCALE is responding to the public's fascination.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate A and B.

C: how likely a particular asteroid WILL BE to collide with Earth
Here, the future tense is misused.
Incorrect: John will be likely to win the game.
Correct: John IS likely to win the game.
The present tense is required because we calculate likelihoods given information CURRENTLY available.
Eliminate C.

E: the likelihood of a particular asteroid
Not the intended meaning: the scale does not rate whether the asteroid ITSELF is likely.
The purpose of the scale is to rate the probability of a future ACTION: whether a particular asteroid WILL COLLIDE with Earth.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.
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by thang » Mon Aug 17, 2015 8:51 pm
the good news is that gmat dose not test hard grammar point, here, split among "to rate", "for rating" and "that rate".

this point is hard in this context of question and maybe easy in other context, questions.

there is og question in which this situation happen. this question test "law requiring"
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by bonetlobo » Wed Jul 20, 2016 9:31 pm
Hi Mitch, option D also seems to be using future tense.

Can you explain why it's ok in D (and not ok in C).

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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Jul 21, 2016 8:27 am
bonetlobo wrote:Hi Mitch, option D also seems to be using future tense.

Can you explain why it's ok in D (and not ok in C).
The intent is to discuss the PRESENT-DAY PROBABILITY of a FUTURE EVENT.
Correct:
The team is likely to win the game.
We have calculated the likelihood that that the team will win the game.

In these sentences, the blue portions correctly refer to a PRESENT-DAY PROBABILITY, while the red portions correctly refer to a FUTURE EVENT.

C: how likely a particular asteroid or comet will be to collide with Earth
Here, the blue portion incorrectly refers to a FUTURE PROBABILITY.
Eliminate C.

OA: a scale for rating the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet will collide with Earth
Here, the blue portion correctly refers to a PRESENT-DAY PROBABILITY, while the red portion correctly refers to a FUTURE EVENT.
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by saswata4s » Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:10 pm
GMATGuruNY wrote: The present tense is required because we calculate likelihoods given information CURRENTLY available.
Eliminate C.
Hi Mitch,
that means if we say "astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet is to collide" then C will be correct, right?

Regards,
Saswata.

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by GMATGuruNY » Mon Jul 31, 2017 5:13 am
saswata4s wrote:if we say "astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet is to collide" then C will be correct, right?

Regards,
Saswata.
I phrasing in blue is acceptable but less preferable to that in the OA.
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