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Conditional Question

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by confuse mind » Mon May 30, 2011 8:01 am
If the new airboat does what it is to be doing-travel at high speeds undeterred by sandbars, crocodile-infested mudflats, or marshy hippo haunts-it could revolutionize transport on the 2,900-mile-long Congo River.
(A) If the new airboat does what it is to be doing
(B) If the new airboat does what it is supposed to do
(C) If it does as the new airboat is supposed to do
(D) Doing what it is the new airboat is supposed to do
(E) Doing what the new airboat is to be doing

answer - [spoiler]'b'[/spoiler]

doubt -
The 2nd part of condition is in past tense, as can be seen by the presence of 'could'.So I suppose first part of the condition must also be in past tense.But all options are in past tense.Pls tell me where I'm wrong.
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Source: — Sentence Correction |

by aspirant2011 » Mon May 30, 2011 8:35 am
confuse mind wrote:If the new airboat does what it is to be doing-travel at high speeds undeterred by sandbars, crocodile-infested mudflats, or marshy hippo haunts-it could revolutionize transport on the 2,900-mile-long Congo River.
(A) If the new airboat does what it is to be doing
(B) If the new airboat does what it is supposed to do
(C) If it does as the new airboat is supposed to do
(D) Doing what it is the new airboat is supposed to do
(E) Doing what the new airboat is to be doing

answer - [spoiler]'b'[/spoiler]

doubt -
The 2nd part of condition is in past tense, as can be seen by the presence of 'could'.So I suppose first part of the condition must also be in past tense.But all options are in past tense.Pls tell me where I'm wrong.
I don't think so usage of "could" in the second part of the sentence is in past because if you read the sentence carefully then you would realise that the sentence says with uncertainity that it may revolutionize transport and is refering to future if airboat does for what it is built.........
Last edited by aspirant2011 on Mon May 30, 2011 9:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
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by sivaelectric » Mon May 30, 2011 9:22 am
B it is
If I am wrong correct me :), If my post helped let me know by clicking the Thanks button ;).

Chitra Sivasankar Arunagiri
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by sameerballani » Mon May 30, 2011 9:40 am
could is related to uncertainity not past.

See your post -> https://www.beatthegmat.com/so-that-t83998.html#370009
In this the action that is followed by could occurs in future. But again the uncertainity facctor is there because of the presence of could.
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by Jim@Grockit » Mon May 30, 2011 10:20 pm
"could" is both the past tense of "can" and a modal verb indicating irreality/hypothetical situations.
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