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by GMATjj2012 » Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:00 pm
While recognizing that lying often facilitates social interactions, psychiatrists are seeking to determine when they become destructive and which kinds of mental problems they can signal.
A. they become destructive and which kinds of mental problems they can signal
B. they become destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by them
C. it becomes destructive and what are the kinds of mental problems they signal
D. it becomes destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by it
E. it becomes destructive and which kinds of mental problems it can signal
correct answer:E
Could you please explain this question?I can't understand completely.
Last edited by GMATjj2012 on Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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by Birottam Dutta » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:05 pm
Hi,

What is the source of the question? As far as I understand, A cannot be correct because the word "they" in the original sentence seems to point to psychiatrists and this does not make sense. I think that "they" is misplaced in the original sentence.

I would go with D as the correct answer choice. It is parallel, concise.

In E, I feel that "which kinds of mental problems" is awkward and wordy.

Experts may please advise!
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by patanjali.purpose » Sat Aug 11, 2012 1:19 am
Birottam Dutta wrote:Hi,

What is the source of the question? As far as I understand, A cannot be correct because the word "they" in the original sentence seems to point to psychiatrists and this does not make sense. I think that "they" is misplaced in the original sentence.

I would go with D as the correct answer choice. It is parallel, concise.

In E, I feel that "which kinds of mental problems" is awkward and wordy.

Experts may please advise!
D. it becomes destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by it
E. it becomes destructive and which kinds of mental problems it can signal
IMO D does not make sense " (WHEN) it becomes destructive and WHEN the mental problems that are signaled by it "

(WHEN) it becomes destructive = RELATIVE CLAUSE
(WHEN) the mental problems = RELATIVE PHRASE (that are signaled by it IS A MODIFIER OF 'PROBLEMS')


But E, both parts are relative clauses (so parallelism is better here)

IMO E
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by confuse mind » Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:58 am
IMO-E
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by GMATjj2012 » Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:45 pm
OA:
This sentence is about psychiatrists' interest in lying as both a destructive behavior and a symptom
of mental problems. Lying is a singular noun that must be referred to with singular pronouns. Several
versions of the sentence use plural pronouns that logically refer to lying but do not do so grammatically.
A. The uses of the plural pronoun they are not in agreement with the singular antecedent lying.
B. The plural pronouns they and them are not in agreement with the singular antecedent lying. The
shifting focus from lying to mental problems in the second half of the sentence is confusing and
violates parallelism.
C. The second pronoun, they, doesn't agree with the singular antecedent, lying.
D. Parallelism dictates that the objects of the main verb determine be in the same form-introduced by
an interrogative pronoun (e.g., which or what).
E. Correct. The singular pronoun it agrees with the singular antecedent lying, and the objects of the
verb determine are in parallel form, both introduced by an interrogative :oops: :oops:
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by neer.king » Sun Aug 12, 2012 3:54 am
IMO E

D: not parallel.
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by Phoenixvikas » Sun Aug 12, 2012 4:30 am
A, B and C are out due to plural pronouns. D is not correct. E is absolutely fine.
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by GMATGuruNY » Sun Aug 12, 2012 9:56 am
GMATjj2012 wrote:While recognizing that lying often facilitates social interactions, psychiatrists are seeking to determine when they become destructive and which kinds of mental problems they can signal.
A. they become destructive and which kinds of mental problems they can signal
B. they become destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by them
C. it becomes destructive and what are the kinds of mental problems they signal
D. it becomes destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by it
E. it becomes destructive and which kinds of mental problems it can signal
correct answer:E
Could you please explain this question?I can't understand completely.
In A, B and C, they lacks a clear antecedent. Eliminate A, B and C.

In D, when it becomes and the mental problems are not parallel. AND must connect PARALLEL FORMS. Eliminate D.

The correct answer is E.

It should be noted that D changes the intended meaning.
Whereas the original sentence discusses mental problems that lying CAN signal, D discusses mental problems that ARE signaled by lying.
Another reason to eliminate D.
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by vikram4689 » Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:02 am
mitch,

i got correct answer and with exactly same reasoning that you gave for parallelism. however, i have one doubt. i took extra 30 seconds to click E because i was not sure if usage of kinds is correct or it should be kind. still i am not very sure but the reasoning i gave myself earlier is kinds is correct because we have problems. please tell whether i am correct and is there any better way to explain this issue
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by georgepaul0071987 » Tue Nov 06, 2012 12:41 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
GMATjj2012 wrote:While recognizing that lying often facilitates social interactions, psychiatrists are seeking to determine when they become destructive and which kinds of mental problems they can signal.
A. they become destructive and which kinds of mental problems they can signal
B. they become destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by them
C. it becomes destructive and what are the kinds of mental problems they signal
D. it becomes destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by it
E. it becomes destructive and which kinds of mental problems it can signal
correct answer:E
Could you please explain this question?I can't understand completely.
In A, B and C, they lacks a clear antecedent. Eliminate A, B and C.

In D, when it becomes and the mental problems are not parallel. AND must connect PARALLEL FORMS. Eliminate D.

The correct answer is E.

It should be noted that D changes the intended meaning.
Whereas the original sentence discusses mental problems that lying CAN signal, D discusses mental problems that ARE signaled by lying.
Another reason to eliminate D.
Mitch ,

Why is the parallelism in Option D wrong ? Is is because 'it becomes destructive' is in the active voice and 'problems that are signaled by it ' is in the passive voice ?

Also the Official Solution explains that objects of the main verb 'determine' need to be introduced by an interrogative word ( 'which' or 'what' ) . Is this because 'when' is also an interrogative word ? So when we have two parallel elements and the first one is introduced by an interrogative word then the second one must also be introduced by an interrogative word ?
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by anant03 » Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:53 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
GMATjj2012 wrote:While recognizing that lying often facilitates social interactions, psychiatrists are seeking to determine when they become destructive and which kinds of mental problems they can signal.
A. they become destructive and which kinds of mental problems they can signal
B. they become destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by them
C. it becomes destructive and what are the kinds of mental problems they signal
D. it becomes destructive and the mental problems that are signaled by it
E. it becomes destructive and which kinds of mental problems it can signal
correct answer:E
Could you please explain this question?I can't understand completely.
In A, B and C, they lacks a clear antecedent. Eliminate A, B and C.

In D, when it becomes and the mental problems are not parallel. AND must connect PARALLEL FORMS. Eliminate D.

The correct answer is E.

It should be noted that D changes the intended meaning.
Whereas the original sentence discusses mental problems that lying CAN signal, D discusses mental problems that ARE signaled by lying.
Another reason to eliminate D.[/quote


Hi GMATGuru ,

can you please tell me the usage of WHICH in option E.

Please advise.

Thanks
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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:42 am
anant03 wrote: Hi GMATGuru ,

can you please tell me the usage of WHICH in option E.

Please advise.

Thanks
A noun clause is a CLAUSE that functions as a NOUN.
An interrogative can be transformed into a noun clause.
Question: How did John win the game?
Sentence: Sportscasters do not understand how John won the game.
Here, the clause in red is derived from the question above and serves as the direct object of understand.
WHAT do sportscasters not understand?
They do not understand HOW JOHN WON THE GAME.

Question: Which kinds of mental problems can it signal?
In E, this question is transformed into a noun clause.
Psychiatrists are seeking to determine...which kinds of mental problems it can signal.
Here, the clause in red serves as the direct object of determine.
WHAT are psychiatrists seeking to determine?
They are seeking to determine WHICH KINDS OF MENTAL PROBLEMS IT CAN SIGNAL.
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