OG VERBAL REVIEW 18 - In early Mesopotamian civilization

[saswata4s]

In early Mesopotamian civilization, castor oil served not only as a laxative, but also a skin-softening lotion and it was a construction lubricant for sliding giant stone blocks over wooden rollers.

A. not only as a laxative, but also a skin-softening lotion and it was a construction
B. as not only a laxative, but also a skin-softening lotion, and it was a construction
C. not only as a laxative but also as a skin-softening lotion and as a construction
D. as not only a laxative but as a skin-softening lotion and in construction, as a
E. not only as a laxative, but a skin-softening lotion and in construction, a

OA: C.

Why B is wrong?

[Ali Tariq]

Why B is wrong?

Major issue-
Faulty logical parallelism.

Minor issue-
castor oil was a construction lubricant
is not same as
castor oil served as a construction lubricant

This difference cannot be ignored, more so when castor oil's other usages/benefits are also mentioned and that too in underlined portion.

Have a look at this official SC-

In some species of Cricket, the number of chirps per minute used by the male for attracting females rise and fall in accordance with the surrounding temperature, and they can in fact serve as an approximate thermometer

A. for attracting females rise and fall in accordance with the surrounding temperature, and they can in fact serve
B. for attracting females rises and falls in accordance with the surrounding temperature, which can in fact serve
C. in attracting females rise and fall in accordance with the surrounding temperature, in fact possibly serving
D. to attract females rises and falls in accordance with the surrounding temperature, and it can in fact serve
E. to attract females rises and falls in accordance with the surrounding temperature, in fact possibly serving
OA D

Because the number of chirps per minute ( used by males to attract females) has a relationship with surrounding temperature, it can serve as a thermometer(which measures temperature); this measuring of the surrounding temperature is one of the usages/benefits of the number of chirps per minute ( used by males to attract females)

Also, note the difference in the language used by the author in this official SC-

Marconi's conception of the radio was as a substitute for the telephone, a tool for private conversation; instead, it is precisely the opposite, a tool for communication with a large, public audience.

(A) Marconi's conception of the radio was as a substitute for the telephone, a tool for private conversation; instead, it is
(B) Marconi conceived of the radio as a substitute for the telephone, a tool for private conversation, but which is
(C) Marconi conceived of the radio as a tool for private conversation that could substitute for the telephone; instead, it has become
(D) Marconi conceived of the radio to be a tool for private conversation, a substitute for the telephone, which has become
(E) Marconi conceived of the radio to be a substitute for the telephone, a tool for private conversation, other than what it is,
OA C

it is precisely the opposite
is not same as
it has become precisely the opposite.