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confusing question

by bupbebeo » Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:41 pm
Sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to acid rain, is an especially serious pollutant because
it diminishes the respiratory system's ability to deal with all other pollutants.
A. an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system's
ability to deal
B. an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system's
capability of dealing
C. an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the
respiratory system in dealing
D. a specially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory
system to deal
E. a specially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system's
ability to deal

I really confuse between A and D.

the fact is that ability to do and capability to do are both alright.

So, one thing that makes A and D different is specially and especially.

Can any one can help me clear this?
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by BastiG » Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:59 pm
bupbebeo wrote:Sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to acid rain, is an especially serious pollutant because
it diminishes the respiratory system's ability to deal with all other pollutants.
A. an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system's
ability to deal
B. an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system's
capability of dealing
C. an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the
respiratory system in dealing
D. a specially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory
system to deal
E. a specially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system's
ability to deal

I really confuse between A and D.

the fact is that ability to do and capability to do are both alright.

So, one thing that makes A and D different is specially and especially.

Can any one can help me clear this?
The only difference between A and D as you already have pointed out is specially + especially.

--> specially means "in a special way"
--> especially means "in particular"
I would almost always prefer the second when you are in doubt because it is more formal. Furthermore I would prefer the verb ability to over capability of XY, but the constructions are both correct!

If you liked my post, then give me a thanks. =)
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by ashish2104 » Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:26 pm
IMO A.

Here we are talking about sulphur dioxide's particular ability to hinder defence capabilities of the body. Hence, especially is correct here.

ability to deal is more direct than capability to deal
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by paes » Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:54 pm
bupbebeo@

Please underline the problem and don't add the unnecessary breaks in the sentence.


See the Ron' explanation here :

https://www.beatthegmat.com/difference-b ... t9133.html
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by KrazyKarl » Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:23 pm
What is the source of this problem? It seems strange that the GMAT would focus on a vocabulary difference and not a true grammatical difference. Are we sure that this is a legitimate GMAT problem?
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