BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

According to scholars...a diagnostic question..help plz~

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 12:31 am
Thanked: 7 times
GMAT Score:690

According to scholars...a diagnostic question..help plz~

by rx_11 » Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:28 pm
39. According to scholars, the earliest writing was probably not a direct rendering of speech, but was more likely to begin as a separate and distinct symbolic system of communication, and only later
merged with spoken language.

(A) was more likely to begin as
(B) more than likely began as
(C) more than likely beginning from
(D) it was more than likely begun from
(E) it was more likely that it began



The OA is B.

I completely don't understand this question. If I am correct, then the sentense should be a "NOT X, BUT Y" construction. Then how could choice B be correct? I think it is not parallel: NOT X is not parallel to "BUT more than likely began as Y". How can it be correct??

Experts plz help me~

BTW, sorry for not hiding the correct answer. I just can't edit the text. (When clicking the spoiler botton, i jump to another place). Sorry about that.
Last edited by rx_11 on Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Stacey's big fan.
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
Legendary Member
Posts: 586
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:38 am
Thanked: 31 times
Followed by:5 members
GMAT Score:730

by rohu27 » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:12 pm
not X but Y, X= a direct rendering of speech, it has no verb, but option A has a verb in it, eliminate.
furhter options D and E have clauses so thts a no again.
boils dwn to B and C.
if you see the non underlined portion, merged is in past tense, so makes sense to use began here instead of beginning.began----and----merged.
although C can be omitted as it is without much grammar thought, it sounds awkward, B is much better.

answer B
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

by atulmangal » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:47 pm
@rohu

In Op B, Isn't BEGAN is used a verb???? if not can you please specify it is acting as which part of speech???

Also, if its a verb, then as you explained Not X, But Y construction

X----> a direct rendering of speech---->NOUN
Y----> more than likely began-----> i think "more than likely is adverb" and BEGAN---Verb

so isn't we comparing a NOUN to a VERB in case of OP B...please clear???
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 586
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:38 am
Thanked: 31 times
Followed by:5 members
GMAT Score:730

by rohu27 » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:57 pm
Ahh. Atul good pont. looked up OG now.
it says probably not X...but more than likely Y is the correct idiom (how many idioms GMAT uses:( )
so it boils down to B and C, frm there OG cites paralleism to choose option B.

now i guess we are missing something here, X and Y should be parallel and began is a verb ofcourse.
a direct rendering of speech -> rendering is a noun and began a verb.
X and Y should be logically and structurally parallelright? we cant ignore tht here.
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

by atulmangal » Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:46 am
@rohu

Thats what i thought and so didn't answered the question but was following the explanations...

a direct rendering of speech---> noun--->X
began----> Verb-----> Y

so even if the idiom is not X...but more than likely Y

X and Y are not the same parts of speech...is this an OG question??? if yes please mention the question no..??
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 586
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:38 am
Thanked: 31 times
Followed by:5 members
GMAT Score:730

by rohu27 » Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:54 am
its og diagnostic Q 39.
Top
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 12:31 am
Thanked: 7 times
GMAT Score:690

by rx_11 » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:09 am
Hi, atulmangal,

This is an OG question, OG12TH diagnostic Q 39, as rohu said.

I have the same confusion with you.

Any expert can help us?
Stacey's big fan.
Top
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 12:31 am
Thanked: 7 times
GMAT Score:690

by rx_11 » Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:33 am
Experts plz help...
Stacey's big fan.
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 1112
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 am
Thanked: 77 times
Followed by:49 members

by atulmangal » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:36 am
rx_11 wrote:Experts plz help...
Hi sorry for replying late, didn't receive email notification...

i checked OG and have the same confusion...

x = noun and y = verb....how they are parallel...some expert help will be helpful
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1101
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:26 am
Thanked: 47 times
Followed by:13 members
GMAT Score:640

by HSPA » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:43 am
Hi Rohu,

What is this new idiom other thant "Not X but Y" you are mentioning here.. Can you put it in clear words one more time for me..
First take: 640 (50M, 27V) - RC needs 300% improvement
Second take: coming soon..
Regards,
HSPA.
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 586
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:38 am
Thanked: 31 times
Followed by:5 members
GMAT Score:730

by rohu27 » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:53 am
HSPA wrote:Hi Rohu,

What is this new idiom other thant "Not X but Y" you are mentioning here.. Can you put it in clear words one more time for me..
here you go:
probably not X but more than likely Y,
but i wonder no other book(such as mgmat)mentions this. but anyways OG has it so better put into ur list.
also one more thng here, when more is used in the comparitive form it should be followed by than.

@rx_11,
kindly request you to PM an expert.so tht we can get this cleared up
Top
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1101
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:26 am
Thanked: 47 times
Followed by:13 members
GMAT Score:640

by HSPA » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:10 am
Thanks copied to my dB.
I have seen Ron mention some where - "learn from a OG question than trying to correct it".. Since it is Ron who wrote it => OG > mgmat

Thanks rohu
First take: 640 (50M, 27V) - RC needs 300% improvement
Second take: coming soon..
Regards,
HSPA.
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:35 am
rx_11 wrote:39. According to scholars, the earliest writing was probably not a direct rendering of speech, but was more likely to begin as a separate and distinct symbolic system of communication, and only later
merged with spoken language.

(A) was more likely to begin as
(B) more than likely began as
(C) more than likely beginning from
(D) it was more than likely begun from
(E) it was more likely that it began



The OA is B.

I completely don't understand this question. If I am correct, then the sentense should be a "NOT X, BUT Y" construction. Then how could choice B be correct? I think it is not parallel: NOT X is not parallel to "BUT more than likely began as Y". How can it be correct??

Experts plz help me~

BTW, sorry for not hiding the correct answer. I just can't edit the text. (When clicking the spoiler botton, i jump to another place). Sorry about that.
I received a PM asking me to comment.

In A, C and D, the verbs lack parallelism:

A) ...the early writing was probably....but was more than likely to begin...and only later merged. Not parallel.
C) ...the early writing was probably...but more than likely beginning...and only later merged. Not parallel.
D) ...the early writing was probably...but more than likely begun...and only later merged. Not parallel.

Eliminate A, C and D.

In E, was should be in the present tense. The reason is easier to see if we reverse the order: that it began as a separate system is more likely. Eliminate E.

The correct answer is B.

Always note the parts of the sentence that are not underlined. The non-underlined portion typically dictates what is needed in the underlined portion. In the SC above, the underlined verb began has to be parallel with the non-underlined verbs was and merged.
Last edited by GMATGuruNY on Sat May 21, 2011 3:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 586
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 4:38 am
Thanked: 31 times
Followed by:5 members
GMAT Score:730

by rohu27 » Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:17 am
@Mitch,
one small clarification, in option B, not X but Y reads-> X=a direct rendering of speech (no verb here IMO) Y= more than likely began as (began is a verb here?)
are both X and Y parallel here?

Thanks
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:06 am
rohu27 wrote:@Mitch,
one small clarification, in option B, not X but Y reads-> X=a direct rendering of speech (no verb here IMO) Y= more than likely began as (began is a verb here?)
are both X and Y parallel here?

Thanks
You're looking for the wrong things to be parallel. We are not offered the construction not X but Y -- in which X and Y are both nouns -- because the underlined portion must offer a clear contrast with the the non-underlined verb phrase only later merged:

...was probably not...but more than likely began...and only later merged....

In order to say that the writing only later merged, the sentence needs to say that it began as something else. More importantly, the three verbs -- was, began, and merged -- are parallel.
Last edited by GMATGuruNY on Fri Apr 15, 2011 1:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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
Top
Post new topic Locked