Last week local shrimpers held a news conference to take some credit for the resurgence of the rare Kemp's ridley turtle, saying that their compliance with laws requiring that turtle-excluder devices be on shrimp nets protect adult sea turtles.

A. requiring that turtle-excluder devices be on shrimp nets protect
B. requiring turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets is protecting
C. that require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets protect
D. to require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets are protecting
E. to require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets is protecting

A and C: their compliance...protect sea turtles
Here, protect (plural) does not agree with their compliance (singular).
Eliminate A.

D: their compliance...are protecting
Here, are protecting (plural) does not agree with their compliance (singular).
Eliminate D.

An infinitive modifier implies INTENDED ACTION: an action that MIGHT happen in the future.
SC18 in the OG13: an organization TO TAKE CHARGE of computer security planning.
Here, the organization is intended TO TAKE CHARGE.
The organization is NOT taking charge right now.
In fact, it is possible that the organization might NEVER take charge.

In the SC above, the laws are ALREADY requiring turtle-excluder devices.
It for this reason that the shrimpers' compliance IS PROTECTING adult sea-turtles.
Thus, the infinitive modifier in E -- to require -- does not convey the intended meaning.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is B.

In the SC above, the laws are ALREADY requiring turtle-excluder devices.
It for this reason that the shrimpers' compliance IS PROTECTING adult sea-turtles.
Thus, the infinitive modifier in E -- to require -- does not convey the intended meaning.
Eliminate E.

Hi GMATGuruNY ,

Just a quick question, can you please explain that is there any other reason to eliminate option E besides the above?

Thanks.

rsarashi wrote:Hi GMATGuruNY ,

Just a quick question, can you please explain that is there any other reason to eliminate option E besides the above?

Thanks.

The only error in E is the usage of to require.
In addition to the line of reasoning offered in my post above, we may consider this usage an idiomatic error:
Unidiomatic: law to require
Correct: law requiring
Correct: law that requires

An infinitive modifier implies INTENDED ACTION: an action that MIGHT happen in the future.
SC18 in the OG13: an organization TO TAKE CHARGE of computer security planning.
Here, the organization is intended TO TAKE CHARGE.
The organization is NOT taking charge right now.
In fact, it is possible that the organization might NEVER take charge.

In the SC above, the laws are ALREADY requiring turtle-excluder devices.
It for this reason that the shrimpers' compliance IS PROTECTING adult sea-turtles.
Thus, the infinitive modifier in E -- to require -- does not convey the intended meaning.

Hi GMATGuruNY ,

What I understood from the above is that if something is happening from the previous and will continue, then ING will use right?

If we have a intention to do something no matter it will happen or not, then infinitive modifier will use right?

Please advise if mu understanding is correct.

Thanks..