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(C) 2008 GMAT Club - [t]v04#6[/t]

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by 4meonly » Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:01 am
In an effort to stop the recent wave of foreclosures in middleclass neighborhoods, two counties outside Atlanta have launched anti-foreclosure campaigns, while several towns south of Chicago are forcing titleholders to either improve empty houses or repay the government for doing so.

*forcing titleholders to either improve empty houses or repay
*either forcing titleholders to improve empty houses or to repay
*forcing either titleholders to improve empty houses or repaying
*either improving titleholders’ empty houses or forcing them to repay
*forcing the improvement of titleholders’ empty houses or repaying

OA A
OE [spoiler]This sentence tests the use of the phrase either…or to create a sentence that is both grammatically and logically correct.[/spoiler]
As far as I know, correct idiomatic expression is either X or Y, here it will be either to improve ... or (to) repay. OE suggests that phrase to either improve ... or repay is correct. I think that in such case to is placed in wrong position.
Any comments?
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by logitech » Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:14 am
well it also looks like a split infinitive problem but among all other choices, A is the BEST :)
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by 4meonly » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:08 am
Why D is wrong? It also uses correct idiom and verbs are parallel.
split infinitive problem
What is it?
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by piyush_nitt » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:41 am
4meonly wrote:Why D is wrong? It also uses correct idiom and verbs are parallel.
split infinitive problem
What is it?
In option D, Usage of them is incorrect.It doesnot refer to any antecedent.
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by 4meonly » Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:05 am
logitech wrote:well it also looks like a split infinitive problem but among all other choices, A is the BEST :)
That's why I didnt choose A.
Split infinitive is almost wrong on GMAT according to Manhattan SC book.
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by dgr8onerip » Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:43 am
D is the best one acc to me
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by pbanavara » Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:50 am
I think D is wrong because it implies towns are improving the houses - which is not true, they are forcing people to either improve the houses or repay the government for doing so.

A is the best option .. but in a haste I chose B.

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by andalli » Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:42 am
good example.. I got the answer right!
Thank you
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by thephoenix » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:14 pm
4meonly wrote:In an effort to stop the recent wave of foreclosures in middleclass neighborhoods, two counties outside Atlanta have launched anti-foreclosure campaigns, while several towns south of Chicago are forcing titleholders to either improve empty houses or repay the government for doing so.

*forcing titleholders to either improve empty houses or repay
*either forcing titleholders to improve empty houses or to repay
*forcing either titleholders to improve empty houses or repaying
*either improving titleholders� empty houses or forcing them to repay
*forcing the improvement of titleholders� empty houses or repaying

OA A
OE [spoiler]This sentence tests the use of the phrase either�or to create a sentence that is both grammatically and logically correct.[/spoiler]
As far as I know, correct idiomatic expression is either X or Y, here it will be either to improve ... or (to) repay. OE suggests that phrase to either improve ... or repay is correct. I think that in such case to is placed in wrong position.
Any comments?
the s/c is testing the idiom either X or Y where X and Y are llel
a)forcing titleholders to either improve empty houses or repay
either improve ...........or repay
bth x and Y are llel

b)either forcing titleholders to improve empty houses or to repay
either forcing ..........or to repay
not llel
c)forcing either titleholders to improve empty houses or repaying
either titleholders.........or repaying
not llel

d)either improving titleholders� empty houses or forcing them to repay
either improving titleholders� empty houses or forcing them to repay
poorly constructed s/c
changes meaning


e)forcing the improvement of titleholders� empty houses or repaying
bth sides of or are not llel
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by karthikpandian19 » Mon May 28, 2012 7:34 pm
Can any GMAT experts let me know the concept behind the placement of "Either .... or.." ?
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by eagleeye » Mon May 28, 2012 8:44 pm
kp19:

I am no expert in GMAT but here's how either or should be paralleled.
First off this example is a great one for illustrating how the wrong placement can change the meaning.
Before that though, here is the rule for either/or construction:

Here's an example:
1. I am telling you to either study or play. CORRECT
In this sentence, note that there is one noun each after "either" as well as after "or"

2. She told John either to do his homework or to not bother her. CORRECT
In this one there are two parallel phrases, "to do his homework" and "to not bother her"

3. They are either playing or dancing. CORRECT
Again, here are two of the gerunds that are parallel. "playing" and "dancing"

4. Either they are playing or they are dancing. CORRECT.
Here, we have two clauses "They are playing" and "they are dancing" which are parallel.

5. He went either to play or to dance. CORRECT.
Here, the two infinitives, "to play" and "to dance" are parallel.

6. Either he went to play or he went to dance. CORRECT.
You should know the explanation for this one by now.

So now that we know how we use either/or. Let's focus on the example as I seem to think that it is a good one. I am going to use a slightly modified form to type less as well as to make it simpler.

Counties are forcing titleholders to either improve empty houses or repay the government.
Here we have the correct grammar form of either or (two clauses "improve the houses" and "repay the government).
Meaning: Counties are telling to Joe the house-owner: "Hey Joe, improve your house. If you can't, repay the government"


Now if we change the position of either:
Counties are either forcing titleholders to improve empty houses or repaying the government.
Again the grammar is correct here. Again, we have two clauses "forcing...houses" and "repaying...government"
But the meaning is different.
Meaning:
Meaning: Counting are forcing some of the house-owners to improve empty houses. For the others, counties are repaying the government. See the BIG meaning change? That's how we decide on the correct option in this question, using parallelism and meaning preservation.

Let me know if this helps :)
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by karthikpandian19 » Mon May 28, 2012 9:05 pm
@eagleeye......it is a really helpful explanation.....

I got clarified clearly as never before.....Thanks
eagleeye wrote:kp19:

I am no expert in GMAT but here's how either or should be paralleled.
First off this example is a great one for illustrating how the wrong placement can change the meaning.
Before that though, here is the rule for either/or construction:

Here's an example:
1. I am telling you to either study or play. CORRECT
In this sentence, note that there is one noun each after "either" as well as after "or"

2. She told John either to do his homework or to not bother her. CORRECT
In this one there are two parallel phrases, "to do his homework" and "to not bother her"

3. They are either playing or dancing. CORRECT
Again, here are two of the gerunds that are parallel. "playing" and "dancing"

4. Either they are playing or they are dancing. CORRECT.
Here, we have two clauses "They are playing" and "they are dancing" which are parallel.

5. He went either to play or to dance. CORRECT.
Here, the two infinitives, "to play" and "to dance" are parallel.

6. Either he went to play or he went to dance. CORRECT.
You should know the explanation for this one by now.

So now that we know how we use either/or. Let's focus on the example as I seem to think that it is a good one. I am going to use a slightly modified form to type less as well as to make it simpler.

Counties are forcing titleholders to either improve empty houses or repay the government.
Here we have the correct grammar form of either or (two clauses "improve the houses" and "repay the government).
Meaning: Counties are telling to Joe the house-owner: "Hey Joe, improve your house. If you can't, repay the government"


Now if we change the position of either:
Counties are either forcing titleholders to improve empty houses or repaying the government.
Again the grammar is correct here. Again, we have two clauses "forcing...houses" and "repaying...government"
But the meaning is different.
Meaning:
Meaning: Counting are forcing some of the house-owners to improve empty houses. For the others, counties are repaying the government. See the BIG meaning change? That's how we decide on the correct option in this question, using parallelism and meaning preservation.

Let me know if this helps :)
Regards,
Karthik
The source of the questions that i post from JUNE 2013 is from KNEWTON

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