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by rohit_gmat » Wed Oct 13, 2010 9:26 am
Researchers have explored the possibility that dolphins are able to be trained to communicate as humans.
1) are able to be trained to communicate as humans.
2) were able to be trained to communicate like humans.
3) can be trained to communicate like humans can.
4) could be trained to communicate as humans.
5) are capable of being trained to communicate as humans do.

OA is 5
Need explanations for why each is wrong (esp #3)

Thanks![/u]
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by shovan85 » Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:07 am
rohit_gmat wrote:Researchers have explored the possibility that dolphins are able to be trained to communicate as humans.
1) are able to be trained to communicate as humans.
2) were able to be trained to communicate like humans.
3) can be trained to communicate like humans can.
4) could be trained to communicate as humans.
5) are capable of being trained to communicate as humans do.

OA is 5
Need explanations for why each is wrong (esp #3)

Thanks![/u]
Thanks a lot!! Finally I saw something what I have not yet experienced: Being being correct :)

Have you gone through any materials that shows the usage of LIKE and AS. If not then go through it :) I think its in all GMAT preparatory books.

Like is used for Noun comparison
As is used for Action comparison

The correct answer uses As in a proper Action comparison :)
Last edited by shovan85 on Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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by niksworth » Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:40 am
3 is incorrect because ellipsis harms the sentence.

Dolphins can be trained to communicate like humans can.

To maintain parallelism, the missing part would be -
Dolphins can be trained to communicate like humans can (be trained to communicate)

This is not the intended meaning and thus wrong.
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by gmat_perfect » Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:09 am
rohit_gmat wrote:Researchers have explored the possibility that dolphins are able to be trained to communicate as humans.
1) are able to be trained to communicate as humans.
2) were able to be trained to communicate like humans.
3) can be trained to communicate like humans can.
4) could be trained to communicate as humans.
5) are capable of being trained to communicate as humans do.

OA is 5
Need explanations for why each is wrong (esp #3)

Thanks![/u]
The issues:

1. Like Vs As:

Like is used to compare two NOUNS. When we use Like, we have to have the following things in mind:

1. Clauses (subject + Verb) are NOT allowed after Like.
2. Prepositional phrases are not allowed after like.

==> This kills the option 3 because after like "humans can" has been used though "humans can" needs another verb.

2. As is used to compare two clauses:

==> This kills 1 and 4.

3. the use of "were" in the option 2 is NOT correct because the use of "were" changes the intended meaning of the sentence.

Answer is 5.
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by shubhamkumar » Sat Apr 07, 2012 3:26 am
rohit_gmat wrote:Researchers have explored the possibility that dolphins are able to be trained to communicate as humans.
1) are able to be trained to communicate as humans.
2) were able to be trained to communicate like humans.
3) can be trained to communicate like humans can.
4) could be trained to communicate as humans.
5) are capable of being trained to communicate as humans do.

OA is 5
Need explanations for why each is wrong (esp #3)

Thanks![/u]
Still think that 4 is the most concise.Can someone explain why 5 is better than 4?
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by Bill@VeritasPrep » Sat Apr 07, 2012 6:24 am
4 needs a verb to make the comparison parallel. Right now, it sounds like the dolphins could be trained to communicate as actual humans, not in the same manner as humans.
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by GMATGuruNY » Sat Apr 07, 2012 6:48 am
Researchers have explored the possibility that dolphins are able to be trained to communicate as humans.

A, are able to be trained to communicate as humans
B, Were able to be trained to communicate like humans
C, Can be trained to communicate like humans can
D, Could be trained to communicate as humans
E, Are capable of being trained to communicate as humans do
In A and D, to communicate AS HUMANS implies that the dolphins actually would BE humans when they communicate. Mary works as a doctor means that Mary actually IS a doctor. Eliminate A and D.

In B, were trained should not be in the past tense, since the sentence is discussing an ongoing possibility: whether dolphins ARE capable of being trained. Eliminate B.

In C, like is being used -- incorrectly -- to compare actions. LIke is used to compare nouns; AS is used to compare actions. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is E.
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by trafficspinners » Tue Oct 01, 2013 3:56 pm
GMATGuruNY wrote:
Researchers have explored the possibility that dolphins are able to be trained to communicate as humans.

A, are able to be trained to communicate as humans
B, Were able to be trained to communicate like humans
C, Can be trained to communicate like humans can
D, Could be trained to communicate as humans
E, Are capable of being trained to communicate as humans do
In A and D, to communicate AS HUMANS implies that the dolphins actually would BE humans when they communicate. Mary works as a doctor means that Mary actually IS a doctor. Eliminate A and D.

In B, were trained should not be in the past tense, since the sentence is discussing an ongoing possibility: whether dolphins ARE capable of being trained. Eliminate B.

In C, like is being used -- incorrectly -- to compare actions. LIke is used to compare nouns; AS is used to compare actions. Eliminate C.

The correct answer is E.
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