The SC posted seems to be an altered version of the following SC from GMATPrep:
According to public health officials, in 1998 Massachusetts became the first state in which more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than under it.
A. than
B. than born
C. than they were
D. than there had been
E. than had been born
In the SC above,
it =
the age of thirty.
In B,
born implies that the
babies were born under the age of thirty. Eliminate B.
In C, the antecedent of
they is unclear. Eliminate C.
In D and E, since all the babies discussed in the sentence were born during the same time period (1998), the past perfect
had been is incorrect. Eliminate D and E.
The correct answer is
A.
Answer choice A exhibits
ellipsis, the omission of words in a comparison:
...more babies were born to women over the age of thirty than [were born to women] under it [the age of thirty].
The words
were born to women are omitted, but their presence is understood.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at
[email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
