The Neanderthanls

Question

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 path,
D. appeared as equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
E. appeared to have been equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,

Please explain how you eliminate each choice. Will post OA shortly.

kstv · Answer

IMO E. Though it is a bit wordy and I thought to face is better idiomatically than for facing. But facing maintains parallelism with Combining. Between A and E , E correctly uses the past tense.

prinit · Answer

rockeyb 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 path,
D. appeared as equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
E. appeared to have been equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,

Please explain how you eliminate each choice. Will post OA shortly.

My pick is B.
B demonstrates a correct SV agreement and parallel structure ..to face ..to adapt...
A,C,D are out for wrong usage of as.
E - the sentence demands for present tense, so out

joshi.v123 · Answer

Check this thread. https://www.beatthegmat.com/og-12-q-73-t38806.html

prinit · Answer

joshi.v123 wrote:Check this thread. https://www.beatthegmat.com/og-12-q-73-t38806.html Thanks for redirecting the thread. B won the race.

kstv · Answer

This is a classic case were if you go by the ear rather than the GMAT rules you try to imbibe reward is yours. I read Ron's explanation but he also gives up at one point.
Thanks for the thread. Great help.

rockeyb · Answer

joshi.v123 wrote:Check this thread. https://www.beatthegmat.com/og-12-q-73-t38806.html Thanks for redirecting the thread . OA is B.

Onell · Answer

rockeyb wrote:joshi.v123 wrote:Check this thread. https://www.beatthegmat.com/og-12-q-73-t38806.html Thanks for redirecting the thread . OA is B. But still : OG says ecause Neanderthals “disappeared,” the verb describing their apparent abilities cannot be present tense, so as equipped must be changed to to have been equipped and As equipped indicates that Neanderthals still appear this way. My question does perfect infinitives always indicate past?if as equipped indicates that Neanderthals still appear this way why doesn't to have been equipped indicate the same? anyz both are preceded by appear.. Am i missing sth. Thanks

e-GMAT · Answer

Hi Onell,

The answer to your question is YES. Perfect Infinitives are used to express events that happen prior to the verb.
In this sentence, the meaning to be expressed is as follows:
In present context, it appears to the people that Neanderthals had some characteristics in the past when they existed.
- "appear" is the verb relative to which sequencing needs to be established.

Thus we use the perfect infinite - to have been equipped.

To people who are native speakers and who are avid readers, the difference between the two expressions - appear to have been equipped & appear as equipped - comes automatically without the need to memorize what perfect infinitives do. However, for those who are not able to discern this difference, they should pay close attention to this rule about infinitives as well.

You may also check https://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/sequence.htm to see more examples for perfect infinitives.

Thanks,

Payal

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roshnipat1610 · Answer

Thanks for the link, Payal. It was very useful!

gmat.acer · Answer

Hi Payal
Thanks for the explanation and for sharing the grammar link. It was very useful.
You talked about the difference between : appear to have been equipped & appear as equipped.

Is "appear as equipped" correct?
appear to have been - here 'have been' is a form of to be.
so i think it should be 'appear to be' vs. appear to have been and not 'appear as equipped'.

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