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2010gmat
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i thought of sharing few of the tips from my notes:
Like" vs "As"
Like - used to compare two nouns.
e.g
Incorrect - Gita and Sita, as their mother Reema, are extremely smart.
Correct - Gita and Sita, like their mother Reema, are extremely smart.
As - used to compare two clauses. (A clause is a phrase that includes a verb).
Incorrect - Just like swimming is good exercise, running is a way to burn calories.
Correct - Just as swimming is good exercise, running is a way to burn calories.
Note : Do not use Like when you mean for example.
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Although/though
to show negative, positive contrast
Although I scored 710 in GMAT prep today , I am happy
Although is followed by a clause
Despite
to show positive , negative contrast
Despite his brilliant score , Ram did not get through Harvard.
despite + ving form Or despite + noun
where
to indicate places
I went to Chicago,where people are crazy .
when
to show time
When or what time will Lucy drink milk ?
while
to show contrast and to show an action at the same time
While I was having lunch , Lucy was staring at me
Same time
While X is Y , Y is not Z
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Even if - means whether or not and has to do with the conditions that may apply. Even if is used as a conjunction.(even alone cannot act as a conjunction).
Even though - Even though means despite the fact that and is a more emphatic version of though and although.
Even if I had two hours to spare for shopping, I wouldn't go out and buy a suit.
Even though I had two hours to spare for shopping, I couldn't find the suit I wanted.
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Potential to [verb], potential as [noun]. Both are correct idioms, given the verb "be" with "potential to" or the noun clause "huge source of energy" with "potential as"
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Corporations will soon be required to report to the government whether they have the necessary reserves to pay the pension benefits earned by their employees and that the information be published in annual reports to shareholders.
(A) earned by their employees and that the information be published
(B) that their employees earned and that the information be published
(C) that was earned by their employees with the information being published
(D) earned by their employees, information that must also be published（D）
(E) earned by their employees and published the information
This is a case of summative modifier.
A summative modifier re-names or sums up what was mentioned in earlier part of the sentence and then adds new information. For example:
Most textbooks only teach students the basics, a problem that will become more apparent when those students move into business and find they lack the more advanced skills they need.
The defensive coaches taught risk-taking, ball-hawking, and perpetual movement - three strategies that bewildered the opposition and resulted in many bad passes, steals, and easy fastbreak baskets.
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There are some rules of thumb for standard deviation. You don't need to calculate SD on gmat.
1. if you add data that is farther from the mean, the standard deviation will increase
2. if you add data that is closer to the mean, the standard deviation will decrease
The correct forms of the idiom are "X is because Y" and "the reason X is Y."
Instead of accepting the conventional wisdom that the earth was flat, Christopher Columbus sailed west to see whether he could reach India, having been sent by the king and queen of Spain. --- This choice begins with "instead of," which is incorrectly used to compare the verbs "accepting" and "sailed." When comparing verbs, "rather than" is the correct choice.
To derive X from Y
When referring to y as the potential outcome of x, the correct idiom is "x's potential to y." This sentence incorrectly phrases the idiom as "a hurricane's potential of destroying or damaging." When referring to the use of y to determine x, the correct idiom is "x is determined by y." This sentence incorrectly phrases the idiom as "potential ... is determined from wind speeds." Finally, there is a subtle distinction between the idiom "so x as to y" and "x is enough to y." The original sentence uses the idiom "so x as to y" to indicate that characteristic x is so extreme in the particular case that y results. In contrast, the idiom "x is enough to y" is used when x is the criteria by which an ability to achieve y is measured. Thus, if a sentence stated that "a category 5 storm has wind speeds high enough to blow away small buildings," this would convey a different meaning: that wind speeds are the criteria by which one measures the ability to blow away small houses.
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Camus broke with Sartre in a bitter dispute over the nature of Stalinism.
(A) in a bitter dispute over
(B) over bitterly disputing
(C) after there was a bitter dispute over
(D) after having bitterly disputed about（A）
(E) over a bitter dispute about
Make sure that you appreciate the difference in meaning between the two sentences. If you say that C broke with S in a bitter dispute, you are saying that, during the course of the dispute, the 'break' occurred. If you say they broke over a bitter dispute, you are actually saying that they didn't break during the dispute itself, but rather that the dispute was the catalyst of their later (although probably not too much later) 'break'.
Given all this, only the first makes sense: C and S are not quarreling lovers who 'broke up' over their little dispute (as is suggested by choice E). Rather, they 'broke' ideologically from each other in the bitter dispute, but we don't know anything about how, or indeed if, the 'bitter dispute' affected their personal relationship.
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By the mid-seventeenth century, Amsterdam had built a new town hall so large that only St. Peter's in Rome, the Escorial in Spain, and the Palazza Ducale in Venice could rival it for scale or magnificence.
(A) could rival it for
(B) were the rivals of it in their
(C) were its rival as to
(D) could be its rivals in their（A）
(E) were rivaling its
By <a time in the past>, A. had built an X so large that only A, B, and C...
First, there's an idiom. A, B, and C rival X for <some attributes>. If you want to use rival in verb form, you just put the X right after (or a pronoun referring to X, as in this case) and you use the preposition "for" to introduce what the attributes are.
E tries to use the verb form. But "were rivaling its" sounds like A, B, and C are rivaling "scale and magnificence." That doesn't make sense - A, B, and C are buildings and they should be rivaling some other building or buildings. Think of this as a comparison almost - you actually have to mention the two things you're comparing on either side of the comparison language.
So E is gone.
D changes the form of the word rival - now it's a noun. A, B, and C could be X's rivals in their scale and magnificence. Again, idiom issue. You could say that A, B, and C are the primary rivals of X, but you wouldn't present the attributes by which they rival X with the preposition "in." You'd say something like "A, B, and C are the primary rivals of X based upon <some attributes>." (Note: there are other words you could use besides "based upon" - eg, "due to." But not "in.")
Also, introducing the word "be" after "could" now makes it sound like someone's speculating - "hmmm, could A, B, and C rival X?" But that's not the original meaning - the original meaning is essentially saying that these guys (A, B, and C) really are the only possible rivals, not that they might be but the author's not sure.
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Use the to-infinitive to express purpose, that is, when it means "in order to."
Tubman returned in order to guide slaves to freedom. >>> Tubman returned to guide slaves to freedom.
R esemblance between X and Y is the correct idiom
May means what you think it does, It talk about the current probability that something is true.
Might suggest that the probability existed in past but not in the current situation.
Hope this will clear your doubt.
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A cclaimed as is correct and acclaimed to be is wrong
That" can replace a noun in a comparison when the noun in the singular. "Those" can replace a noun in a comparison when the noun is plural.
discriminate between x and y
"modeled after" is idiomatic
make X look like Y is idiomatic
is descended -- "has descended" means "has moved downward". this can be in either a literal sense (he has descended to sea level from a height of 8000 feet) or a metaphorical sense (i don't want to descend to the level of common street thugs), but it can't refer to ancestry.
if you mean to discuss ancestry, which is clearly the case here, then you must use "is descended".
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Like" vs "As"
Like - used to compare two nouns.
e.g
Incorrect - Gita and Sita, as their mother Reema, are extremely smart.
Correct - Gita and Sita, like their mother Reema, are extremely smart.
As - used to compare two clauses. (A clause is a phrase that includes a verb).
Incorrect - Just like swimming is good exercise, running is a way to burn calories.
Correct - Just as swimming is good exercise, running is a way to burn calories.
Note : Do not use Like when you mean for example.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although/though
to show negative, positive contrast
Although I scored 710 in GMAT prep today , I am happy
Although is followed by a clause
Despite
to show positive , negative contrast
Despite his brilliant score , Ram did not get through Harvard.
despite + ving form Or despite + noun
where
to indicate places
I went to Chicago,where people are crazy .
when
to show time
When or what time will Lucy drink milk ?
while
to show contrast and to show an action at the same time
While I was having lunch , Lucy was staring at me
Same time
While X is Y , Y is not Z
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even if - means whether or not and has to do with the conditions that may apply. Even if is used as a conjunction.(even alone cannot act as a conjunction).
Even though - Even though means despite the fact that and is a more emphatic version of though and although.
Even if I had two hours to spare for shopping, I wouldn't go out and buy a suit.
Even though I had two hours to spare for shopping, I couldn't find the suit I wanted.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Potential to [verb], potential as [noun]. Both are correct idioms, given the verb "be" with "potential to" or the noun clause "huge source of energy" with "potential as"
---------------------------------------
Corporations will soon be required to report to the government whether they have the necessary reserves to pay the pension benefits earned by their employees and that the information be published in annual reports to shareholders.
(A) earned by their employees and that the information be published
(B) that their employees earned and that the information be published
(C) that was earned by their employees with the information being published
(D) earned by their employees, information that must also be published（D）
(E) earned by their employees and published the information
This is a case of summative modifier.
A summative modifier re-names or sums up what was mentioned in earlier part of the sentence and then adds new information. For example:
Most textbooks only teach students the basics, a problem that will become more apparent when those students move into business and find they lack the more advanced skills they need.
The defensive coaches taught risk-taking, ball-hawking, and perpetual movement - three strategies that bewildered the opposition and resulted in many bad passes, steals, and easy fastbreak baskets.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are some rules of thumb for standard deviation. You don't need to calculate SD on gmat.
1. if you add data that is farther from the mean, the standard deviation will increase
2. if you add data that is closer to the mean, the standard deviation will decrease
The correct forms of the idiom are "X is because Y" and "the reason X is Y."
Instead of accepting the conventional wisdom that the earth was flat, Christopher Columbus sailed west to see whether he could reach India, having been sent by the king and queen of Spain. --- This choice begins with "instead of," which is incorrectly used to compare the verbs "accepting" and "sailed." When comparing verbs, "rather than" is the correct choice.
To derive X from Y
When referring to y as the potential outcome of x, the correct idiom is "x's potential to y." This sentence incorrectly phrases the idiom as "a hurricane's potential of destroying or damaging." When referring to the use of y to determine x, the correct idiom is "x is determined by y." This sentence incorrectly phrases the idiom as "potential ... is determined from wind speeds." Finally, there is a subtle distinction between the idiom "so x as to y" and "x is enough to y." The original sentence uses the idiom "so x as to y" to indicate that characteristic x is so extreme in the particular case that y results. In contrast, the idiom "x is enough to y" is used when x is the criteria by which an ability to achieve y is measured. Thus, if a sentence stated that "a category 5 storm has wind speeds high enough to blow away small buildings," this would convey a different meaning: that wind speeds are the criteria by which one measures the ability to blow away small houses.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Camus broke with Sartre in a bitter dispute over the nature of Stalinism.
(A) in a bitter dispute over
(B) over bitterly disputing
(C) after there was a bitter dispute over
(D) after having bitterly disputed about（A）
(E) over a bitter dispute about
Make sure that you appreciate the difference in meaning between the two sentences. If you say that C broke with S in a bitter dispute, you are saying that, during the course of the dispute, the 'break' occurred. If you say they broke over a bitter dispute, you are actually saying that they didn't break during the dispute itself, but rather that the dispute was the catalyst of their later (although probably not too much later) 'break'.
Given all this, only the first makes sense: C and S are not quarreling lovers who 'broke up' over their little dispute (as is suggested by choice E). Rather, they 'broke' ideologically from each other in the bitter dispute, but we don't know anything about how, or indeed if, the 'bitter dispute' affected their personal relationship.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By the mid-seventeenth century, Amsterdam had built a new town hall so large that only St. Peter's in Rome, the Escorial in Spain, and the Palazza Ducale in Venice could rival it for scale or magnificence.
(A) could rival it for
(B) were the rivals of it in their
(C) were its rival as to
(D) could be its rivals in their（A）
(E) were rivaling its
By <a time in the past>, A. had built an X so large that only A, B, and C...
First, there's an idiom. A, B, and C rival X for <some attributes>. If you want to use rival in verb form, you just put the X right after (or a pronoun referring to X, as in this case) and you use the preposition "for" to introduce what the attributes are.
E tries to use the verb form. But "were rivaling its" sounds like A, B, and C are rivaling "scale and magnificence." That doesn't make sense - A, B, and C are buildings and they should be rivaling some other building or buildings. Think of this as a comparison almost - you actually have to mention the two things you're comparing on either side of the comparison language.
So E is gone.
D changes the form of the word rival - now it's a noun. A, B, and C could be X's rivals in their scale and magnificence. Again, idiom issue. You could say that A, B, and C are the primary rivals of X, but you wouldn't present the attributes by which they rival X with the preposition "in." You'd say something like "A, B, and C are the primary rivals of X based upon <some attributes>." (Note: there are other words you could use besides "based upon" - eg, "due to." But not "in.")
Also, introducing the word "be" after "could" now makes it sound like someone's speculating - "hmmm, could A, B, and C rival X?" But that's not the original meaning - the original meaning is essentially saying that these guys (A, B, and C) really are the only possible rivals, not that they might be but the author's not sure.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Use the to-infinitive to express purpose, that is, when it means "in order to."
Tubman returned in order to guide slaves to freedom. >>> Tubman returned to guide slaves to freedom.
R esemblance between X and Y is the correct idiom
May means what you think it does, It talk about the current probability that something is true.
Might suggest that the probability existed in past but not in the current situation.
Hope this will clear your doubt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A cclaimed as is correct and acclaimed to be is wrong
That" can replace a noun in a comparison when the noun in the singular. "Those" can replace a noun in a comparison when the noun is plural.
discriminate between x and y
"modeled after" is idiomatic
make X look like Y is idiomatic
is descended -- "has descended" means "has moved downward". this can be in either a literal sense (he has descended to sea level from a height of 8000 feet) or a metaphorical sense (i don't want to descend to the level of common street thugs), but it can't refer to ancestry.
if you mean to discuss ancestry, which is clearly the case here, then you must use "is descended".
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