ceilidh.erickson wrote:This question is primarily testing IDIOMS.

The correct idiomatic usage of APPEAR is "appear to be," not "appear as." We can eliminate A, C, and D.

Between B and E, we see a difference between "equipped to face" and "equipped for facing." The correct idiom is "equipped to face," so we can eliminate E, leaving us with B.

Unfortunately, there isn't really a better way of doing this problem than using elimination. Idiom issues are particularly difficult because they don't rely on set rules; they're just conventions of speech. Your only recourse is to choose what sounds better.

Thanks Ceilidh. I did it in the same way as I mentioned in my post!

I just thought if there could be any better approach/reasoning for this one...

Much thanks Ceilidh!

Combining enormous physical strength with higher intelligence, the Neanderthals appear as equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path, but their relatively sudden disappearance during the Paleolithic era indicates that an inability to adapt to some environmental change led to their extinction.

(A) appear as equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
(B) appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
(C) appear as equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their paths,
(D) appeared as equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their paths,
(E) appeared to have been equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,

In English, we have two infinitive tenses: the present infinitive (TO + VERB) and the perfect infinitive (TO + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE).

The present infinitive expresses CONTEMPORANEOUS action (an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action):
John IS proud TO BE president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO BE president (also in the present).

The perfect infinitive expresses PRIOR action (an action that happened PRIOR to the main action):
John IS proud TO HAVE BEEN president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO HAVE BEEN president (in the past).

One definition of to appear is to seem.
The intention of the SC above is to discuss WHAT SEEMS TO BE TRUE about the Neanderthals.
The Neanderthals appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle..
Here, the Neanderthals APPEAR (in other words, they SEEM -- right now, in the present) TO HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED (in the past).

Only B offers the needed construction.

The correct answer is B.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Combining enormous physical strength with higher intelligence, the Neanderthals appear as equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path, but their relatively sudden disappearance during the Paleolithic era indicates that an inability to adapt to some environmental change led to their extinction.

(A) appear as equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
(B) appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
(C) appear as equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their paths,
(D) appeared as equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their paths,
(E) appeared to have been equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,

In English, we have two infinitive tenses: the present infinitive (TO + VERB) and the perfect infinitive (TO + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE).

The present infinitive expresses CONTEMPORANEOUS action (an action happening AT THE SAME TIME as the main action):
John IS proud TO BE president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO BE president (also in the present).

The perfect infinitive expresses PRIOR action (an action that happened PRIOR to the main action):
John IS proud TO HAVE BEEN president.
Here, John IS proud (in the present) TO HAVE BEEN president (in the past).

One definition of to appear is to seem.
The intention of the SC above is to discuss WHAT SEEMS TO BE TRUE about the Neanderthals.
The Neanderthals appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle..
Here, the Neanderthals APPEAR (in other words, they SEEM -- right now, in the present) TO HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED (in the past).

Only B offers the needed construction.

The correct answer is B.

Hi guru,

In the correct answer, it is mentioned 'in their path'. Should it be 'in their paths'

Mo2men wrote:Hi guru,

In the correct answer, it is mentioned 'in their path'. Should it be 'in their paths'

The SC above is exploring how the Neanderthals-- as a SPECIES -- became extinct.
As a species, the Neanderthals did not follow different paths to extinction.
As a species, they followed the SAME PATH to extinction.
Thus, the usage of in their path is appropriate.