BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Official SC - Scientists who studied the famous gold field

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:05 am
Thanked: 1 times

Official SC - Scientists who studied the famous gold field

by ngk4mba3236 » Wed Dec 07, 2016 8:35 pm
Scientists who studied the famous gold field known as Serra Pelada concluded that the rich lode was not produced by the accepted methods of ore formation but that swarms of microbes over millions of years concentrated the gold from jungle soils and rivers and rocks.

A. not produced by the accepted methods of ore formation but that swarms of microbes over millions of years
B. not produced by the accepted methods of ore formation but instead swarms of microbes over millions of years that
C. not produced by the accepted methods of ore formation but swarms of microbes over millions of years that
D. produced not by the accepted methods of ore formation but by swarms of microbes that over millions of years
E. produced not by the accepted methods of ore formation but that swarms of microbes over millions of years

OA is D

hi experts,
please share your analysis on A...I think, use of "THAT" after "but" makes the grammatical construction incorrect,distorting the intended MEANING.

we can say "concluded that X and that Y..." ; however,i guess, it'll be incorrect to say "concluded that X BUT that Y..." -- this simply doesn't seem to make sense. right ?
Top
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Thu Dec 08, 2016 4:17 am
ngk4mba3236 wrote:Scientists who studied the famous gold field known as Serra Pelada concluded that the rich lode was not produced by the accepted methods of ore formation but that swarms of microbes over millions of years concentrated the gold from jungle soils and rivers and rocks.

A. not produced by the accepted methods of ore formation but that swarms of microbes over millions of years
B. not produced by the accepted methods of ore formation but instead swarms of microbes over millions of years that
C. not produced by the accepted methods of ore formation but swarms of microbes over millions of years that
D. produced not by the accepted methods of ore formation but by swarms of microbes that over millions of years
E. produced not by the accepted methods of ore formation but that swarms of microbes over millions of years
not X but Y.
In this idiom, X and Y must be PARALLEL FORMS.

A: not produced...but that
B: not produced...but instead swarms
C: not produced...but swarms
E: not by the accepted methods...but that swarms
In these options, none of the forms in red is parallel with the preceding form in blue.
Eliminate A, B, C and E.

The correct answer is D.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:05 am
Thanked: 1 times

by ngk4mba3236 » Thu Dec 08, 2016 11:37 am
gmatguru,
can understand your reply.

but can you please let me know whether my reason to eliminate A (as mentioned in the first post) is also correct ?
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Sat Dec 10, 2016 3:56 am
ngk4mba3236 wrote:gmatguru,
can understand your reply.

but can you please let me know whether my reason to eliminate A (as mentioned in the first post) is also correct ?
but must serve to connect CONTRASTING IDEAS.
A: that the rich lode was not produced by the accepted methods but that swarms of microbes over millions of years concentrated the gold
Here, the two that-clauses in red are SIMILAR in that each indicates how the Serra Plada was formed in an atypical way.
Thus, this usage of but is illogical.
Eliminate A.

Note the following:
that X but that Y may -- in another context -- be a valid construction.
This phrase appears in the OA here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/lab-rats-que ... 11589.html
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:05 am
Thanked: 1 times

by ngk4mba3236 » Mon Dec 12, 2016 5:47 am
GMATGuruNY wrote: but must serve to connect CONTRASTING IDEAS.
A: that the rich lode was not produced by the accepted methods but that swarms of microbes over millions of years concentrated the gold
Here, the two that-clauses in red are SIMILAR in that each indicates how the Serra Plada was formed in an atypical way.
Thus, this usage of but is illogical.
Eliminate A.
ok. so that means this phrase "concluded that X BUT that Y" is grammatically correct on GMAT SC -- one can conclude two CONTRASTING IDEAS. right ?

now whether this above phrase is correct from the meaning perspective that depends on the sentence at hand. am I correct ?
GMATGuruNY wrote:that X but that Y may -- in another context -- be a valid construction.
This phrase appears in the OA here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/lab-rats-que ... 11589.html
thank you for this example. however, i've shared one doubt in the respective thread. please let me known your thoughts over there!
Top
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:05 am
Thanked: 1 times

by ngk4mba3236 » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:53 am
gmatguru,
can you please quickly confirm whether I'm correct in the above quote ?

thank you!
Top
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 15539
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 13060 times
Followed by:1906 members
GMAT Score:790

by GMATGuruNY » Mon Dec 26, 2016 5:30 am
ngk4mba3236 wrote:so that means this phrase "concluded that X BUT that Y" is grammatically correct on GMAT SC -- one can conclude two CONTRASTING IDEAS. right ?
Correct!
now whether this above phrase is correct from the meaning perspective that depends on the sentence at hand. am I correct ?
Correct!
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.

As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.

For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Top
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1