like/as

[rish]

More than thirty years ago Dr. Barbara Mc-Clintock, the Nobel Prize winner,
reported that genes can "jump," as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another.

(A) as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(B) like pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(C) as pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(D) like pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(E) as do pearls that move mysteriously from one necklace to some other one

As per my understanding , 'like' should be used for similarity between nouns and 'as' should be used for similarity between clauses.

Based on that, i would think (A) is the correct choice. But it is not.

Please explain your answer.

[shahdevine]

More than thirty years ago Dr. Barbara Mc-Clintock, the Nobel Prize winner,
reported that genes can "jump," as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another.

(A) as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(B) like pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(C) as pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(D) like pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(E) as do pearls that move mysteriously from one necklace to some other one

As per my understanding , 'like' should be used for similarity between nouns and 'as' should be used for similarity between clauses.

Based on that, i would think (A) is the correct choice. But it is not.

Please explain your answer.

C..

you're right "as" compares clauses. But A is not comparing clauses. "as" is being used in the way "like" would be used. how genes jump is being compared to how pearls jump. "as" is used as a connector to demonstrate so. There needs to be a verb "as pearls do" to finish off the clause comparison.

you got this man!

[rish]

More than thirty years ago Dr. Barbara Mc-Clintock, the Nobel Prize winner,
reported that genes can "jump," as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another.

(A) as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(B) like pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(C) as pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(D) like pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(E) as do pearls that move mysteriously from one necklace to some other one

As per my understanding , 'like' should be used for similarity between nouns and 'as' should be used for similarity between clauses.

Based on that, i would think (A) is the correct choice. But it is not.

Please explain your answer.

C..

you're right "as" compares clauses. But A is not comparing clauses. "as" is being used in the way "like" would be used. how genes jump is being compared to how pearls jump. "as" is used as a connector to demonstrate so. There needs to be a verb "as pearls do" to finish off the clause comparison.

you got this man!

NO , (C) is not the correct answer. I think C,D,E changes the meaning of the sentence. They imply that pearl jump, which IMO is nowhere mentioned in the original sentence.

Please correct me if i am wrong.

[GoodThings]

IMO it's B. B is modifying the word jump. Is that correct?

[rish]

Yes, B is correct. But whats wrong with A ?

[GoodThings]

The sub clause is clearly describing jump. so i ask myself how? jump like sounds better than jump as.

[nsrikanthshetty]

isnt this part of mgmat... like should be used for comparing different kinds of things.. and as should be used for similiar things like apples to apples.

[ranell]

More than thirty years ago Dr. Barbara Mc-Clintock, the Nobel Prize winner,
reported that genes can "jump," as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another.

(A) as pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(B) like pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another
(C) as pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(D) like pearls do that move mysteriously from one necklace to others
(E) as do pearls that move mysteriously from one necklace to some other one

Please explain your answer.

Eliminate E and D as awkward and wordy. C is more wordy than A and B, so eliminate it.

Like is the same as "similar to", and it is the clue to the answer. As jumping genes are similar to pearls moving, use like instead of as.

[ollapodrida]

isnt this part of mgmat... like should be used for comparing different kinds of things.. and as should be used for similiar things like apples to apples.

Like means "similar to". 'As' is used to list specific examples of something and will not work in this case since pearls are not examples of genes that can "jump".

D suggests that there are actually pearls that move mysteriously from one necklace to some other necklaces. I've never seen or heard of such pearls:).

Go with B.

[sumitpune]

Really tricky ... i choose A first but when found OA is B found out why A is incorrect.

first from one necklace to another is correct , so the choice will be Between A and B.

if you look closely
pearls moving mysteriously from one necklace to another is NOT a clause.

moving mysteriously from one necklace to another , act as modifier to modify Pearls.

This sentence can be read as
genes can "jump," like pearls. Omitting the modifier doesn't change anything.

B it is

I should not do this mistake in test .... 700 question it is , though simple

HTH..
sumit