GMAT Prep

[krishna239455]

Since the correct answer begins with would have, i am confused where from the conditional sentence requierement came from?

Experts pls help.

[Bill@VeritasPrep]

"Knowing a great deal more..." is the condition that has to be met for the demographers "to develop more accurate..."

We can still get to the right answer even if we can't choose between "have to know" and "would have to know":

A and E use the comparison "know...more than now," which is not parallel. We need a verb in the second half, as in B, C, and D: "know...more than they do now."

B and C both change "economic" to "economical", which means something entirely different.

Thus, we are left with D.

[GMATGuruNY]

To develop more accurate population forecasts, demographers have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economic determinants of fertility.

A. have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economic
B. have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and economical
C. would have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and economical
D. would have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and economic
E. would have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economic

One purpose of the subjunctive is to convey a situation that is CONTRARY-TO-FACT or HYPOTHETICAL.
The intended meaning here is to compare what demographers KNOW NOW -- in reality -- to what they WOULD HAVE TO KNOW -- hypothetically -- to develop more accurate forecasts.
To make it clear that one action is real while the other is hypothetical, the hypothetical action must be in the subjunctive mood (WOULD have to know). Eliminate A and B.

In C, economical -- which means thrifty -- does not convey the intended meaning. The needed word here is ECONOMIC (which means related to the economy). Eliminate C.

In E (demographers would have to know a great deal more than NOW), it is unclear what is being compared. To make it clear that a hypothetical action is being compared to an actual action, we need the contrasting verbs offered by D: demographers WOULD HAVE TO KNOW a great deal more than they DO [know] now. Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.

[krishna239455]

Hi Bill and Mitch

Thanks for the explaination.

I have recently posted a question, which appeared in a well known GMAT source question bank:

The increase in the number and scope of investigations into monopolistic business practices, have resulted in more antimonopoly litigation presently than ever before.
The correct answer as per the source is:

has resulted in more antimonopoly litigation at present than ever before.

I want to know that after than do we need to refer the comparion again (than antimonopoly litigation ever before) OR it is understood (ellipsis)?

[Bill@VeritasPrep]

My understanding is that we don't need a verb in the second half of the comparison because the increase only occurs in the first half. If we had a verb, it would look something like:

"...has resulted in more antimonopoly litigation at present than it ever has before"

Where "it" refers to "the increase." This implies that the increase occurs in both the present and the past, which doesn't make much sense.

[Mo2men]

To develop more accurate population forecasts, demographers have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economic determinants of fertility.

A. have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economic
B. have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and economical
C. would have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and economical
D. would have to know a great deal more than they do now about the social and economic
E. would have to know a great deal more than now about the social and economic

One purpose of the subjunctive is to convey a situation that is CONTRARY-TO-FACT or HYPOTHETICAL.
The intended meaning here is to compare what demographers KNOW NOW -- in reality -- to what they WOULD HAVE TO KNOW -- hypothetically -- to develop more accurate forecasts.
To make it clear that one action is real while the other is hypothetical, the hypothetical action must be in the subjunctive mood (WOULD have to know). Eliminate A and B.

In C, economical -- which means thrifty -- does not convey the intended meaning. The needed word here is ECONOMIC (which means related to the economy). Eliminate C.

In E (demographers would have to know a great deal more than NOW), it is unclear what is being compared. To make it clear that a hypothetical action is being compared to an actual action, we need the contrasting verbs offered by D: demographers WOULD HAVE TO KNOW a great deal more than they DO [know] now. Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.

Dear Mitch,

Regarding you explanation about choice 'E', you said it is unclear. However there is OG question the supports the same comparison in E such as the following:

The OA to SC93 in the OG12:
Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last.

The OA to SC90 in the OG16:
Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last.

Do you consider Choice 'D' provides more clear context than 'E'?

Thanks

[GMATGuruNY]

Dear Mitch,

Regarding you explanation about choice 'E', you said it is unclear. However there is OG question the supports the same comparison in E such as the following:

The OA to SC93 in the OG12:
Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last.

The OA to SC90 in the OG16:
Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year than last.

Do you consider Choice 'D' provides more clear context than 'E'?

Thanks

The OAs above and E are not analogous.

In the OAs above, the omitted verb is a form of to be:
Heated oil prices are expected to be higher this year than [they WERE] last [year].
were = simple past tense form of to be.

In E, the omitted verb is NOT a form of to be:
Demographers would have to know a great deal more than they [KNOW] now.
know = NOT a form of to be.

I discuss the difference in my two posts here:
https://www.beatthegmat.com/comparison-t289039-15.html