A recent study has found that within the past few
years, many doctors had elected early retirement
rather than face the threats of lawsuits and the rising
costs of malpractice insurance.
(A) had elected early retirement rather than face
(B) had elected early retirement instead of facing
(C) have elected retiring early instead of facing
(D) have elected to retire early rather than facing
(E) have elected to retire early rather than face
In A and B,
had elected (past perfect) serves to express an action COMPLETED AT AN INDEFINITE MOMENT IN THE PAST.
But the intention here is to express an action that STARTED
within the past few years and MIGHT CONTINUE into the present.
For this purpose, we use the present perfect (
have elected).
Eliminate A and B.
In C,
elected retiring is unidiomatic.
The correct idiom is
X elects TO DO Y.
Eliminate C.
In D,
to retire and
facing are not parallel.
Eliminate D.
The correct answer is
E.
Also note the following:
X instead of Y typically implies that
Y had been expected, but X happened INSTEAD.
John chose a pen instead of a pencil.
Implication: John had been expected to choose a pencil, but he chose a pen INSTEAD.
In the SC above,
instead implies the following: it had been expected that doctors would elect to face the threats of lawsuits, but they have elected to retire early INSTEAD.
Not the intended meaning.
X rather than Y typically implies that
X is preferred to Y.
John chose a pen rather than a pencil.
Implicated: John PREFERRED a pen.
This is the intended meaning of the SC above:
Doctors do not want to face the threats of lawsuits.
They PREFER to retire early.
The result is the wording in the OA:
Doctors have elected to retire early RATHER THAN face the threats of lawsuits.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
