GMATPrep 2: The army cutworm moth

[OGMATTERS]

The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.

(A) bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as
(B) bears; overturning rocks to find the insects, up to
(C) bears, overturning rocks to find them, as many as
(D) bears, and they overturn rocks to find them, up to
(E) bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as

Source: GMATPrep 2

IMO E

[GMATBootcamp]

A couple of different rules are being tested in this problem. (1) pronoun reference and (2) use of the semicolon.

In answer choice A, " bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as," the use of the word them results in an ambiguous pronoun reference. Them is plural and grammatically refers to bears, when logically it needs to refer to the insects.

Only answer choices B and E resolve this problem. This allows you to immediately eliminate answer choices A, C, and D.

Between answers B and E, choice B uses a semicolon and E does not. On the GMAT, semicolons are used between closely-related independent clauses not conjoined with a coordinating conjunction. Anytime you see a semicolon, your first thought should be to identify if it is used correctly.

Answer B does not use the semicolon correctly because "overturning rocks to find the insects, up to.." is not an independent clause. B can be eliminated, so the answer must be E.

[rockeyb]

Two main rules are tested in this question .Pronoun reference and use of comma(,) and semicolon(;).

first let us look at the semicolon and comma options .

Rule says if two sentences are joined by semicolon(;) each should be able to stand on its own , that is each clause should be independent.
Now option B clearly violates this rule eliminate B.

Option C connects two parts of the sentence with a comma (,) and thus violates the rule that when two clause have the same subject then do not separate them with a comma (,) .

Option A ,D and E do not violate any of the comma or semicolon rules so they are ok. But A and D have an ambiguous pronoun THEM . In this case it can have two antecedents BEARS and WORMS .

Option E resolves all the problem by inserting WHICH that puts in a subject for the second clause thus both clause will have own subject and uses the word insect to refer to worms thus avoiding the pronoun THEM.

[nakul_anand]

Hello...

'D' looks like the right answer but isn't 'which' used to modify only things?

[gmatv09]

In D - them is the problem

IMO E

[mmslf75]

In D - them is the problem

IMO E

SOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/08/scien ... wanted=all

[umaa]

The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.

(A) bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as
(B) bears; overturning rocks to find the insects, up to
(C) bears, overturning rocks to find them, as many as
(D) bears, and they overturn rocks to find them, up to
(E) bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as

Source: GMATPrep 2

IMO E

IMO E.

A - "to find THEM" wrong as moth is singlar
B - OVERTURNING changes the meaning
C - Same as B
D - Same as A
E - Correct

[hrishi19884]

The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.

(A) bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as
(B) bears; overturning rocks to find the insects, up to
(C) bears, overturning rocks to find them, as many as
(D) bears, and they overturn rocks to find them, up to
(E) bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as

Source: GMATPrep 2

IMO E

IMO E.

A - "to find THEM" wrong as moth is singlar
B - OVERTURNING changes the meaning
C - Same as B
D - Same as A
E - Correct

Absolutely agree, I guess should be E

[sahilchaudhary]

In D - them is the problem

IMO E

I marked D as I missed the word 'them'.
Now, I got it.

[theCodeToGMAT]

The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.

(A) bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as
(B) bears; overturning rocks to find the insects, up to
(C) bears, overturning rocks to find them, as many as
(D) bears, and they overturn rocks to find them, up to
(E) bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as

Source: GMATPrep 2

IMO E

[A] - Antecedent for "them" is missing. Incorrect
- "Verb+Ing" after comma is used for Casue-Effect cases.. Incorrect
[C] - "Verb+Ing" after comma is used for Casue-Effect cases.. Incorrect
[D] - Antecedent for "them" is missing. Incorrect
[E] - Correct

Also, this sentence shows that we can use "which" for animals.

[GMATGuruNY]

The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.

(A) bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as
(B) bears; overturning rocks to find the insects, up to
(C) bears, overturning rocks to find them, as many as
(D) bears, and they overturn rocks to find them, up to
(E) bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as

IMO E

In A, C and D, them (plural) cannot serve to refer to the army cutworth moth (singular).
Eliminate A, C and D.

A semi-colon must connect two complete clauses, each with its own subject and verb.
In B, the phrase that follows the semi-colon (overturning...day) has neither a subject nor a verb.
Eliminate B.

The correct answer is E.

[Md.Belal Hossain]

The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.

(A) bears; they overturn rocks to find them, as many as
(B) bears; overturning rocks to find the insects, up to
(C) bears, overturning rocks to find them, as many as
(D) bears, and they overturn rocks to find them, up to
(E) bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as

IMO E

In A, C and D, them (plural) cannot serve to refer to the army cutworth moth (singular).
Eliminate A, C and D.

A semi-colon must connect two complete clauses, each with its own subject and verb.
In B, the phrase that follows the semi-colon (overturning...day) has neither a subject nor a verb.
Eliminate B.

The correct answer is E.

Sir,
I want to learn something from the pattern of the correct answer.
I know that non restrictive clause is normally separated by comma in both sides.
My question: if a sentence has double comma after subject and verb, is it always a non restrictive clause.
[if this rule is true, how the correct option is logical?]
If there are alternative explanations explanations for double comma (not as a non restrictive clause or introductory modifier ), please explain.
Thanks in advance.

[GMATGuruNY]

Sir,
I want to learn something from the pattern of the correct answer.
I know that non restrictive clause is normally separated by comma in both sides.
My question: if a sentence has double comma after subject and verb, is it always a non restrictive clause.
[if this rule is true, how the correct option is logical?]
If there are alternative explanations explanations for double comma (not as a non restrictive clause or introductory modifier ), please explain.
Thanks in advance.

Sometimes a single comma will serve dual purposes.
The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.
Here, the second comma serves dual purposes:
1. In conjunction with the first comma, it encloses the preceding which-modifier in red, an indication that this which-modifier is nonessential.
2. It indicates that the following green modifier also is nonessential, as in the following sentence:
The bears overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.

[Md.Belal Hossain]

Sometimes a single comma will serve dual purposes.
The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.
Here, the second comma serves dual purposes:
1. In conjunction with the first comma, it encloses the preceding which-modifier in red, an indication that this which-modifier is nonessential.
2. It indicates that the following green modifier also is nonessential, as in the following sentence:
The bears overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.[/quote]

Sir,
Thank you for such a clear explanation.
I think Rule 02 is applicable in this question and Rule 01 will make the sentence illogical.
is my reasoning right?
If so, can we say that the second comma is used either to complete the non-essential modifier or to show that next portion (after comma )
is the modifier of the portion located before comma.

Another question: in rule 02, ",as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day" is not enclosed by second comma. How this portion can be a nonessential modifier witithout a second comma. Please explain whether it is possible to make a nonessential modifier witithout a second comma.
Thank you sir.

[GMATGuruNY]

Sometimes a single comma will serve dual purposes.
The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.
Here, the second comma serves dual purposes:
1. In conjunction with the first comma, it encloses the preceding which-modifier in red, an indication that this which-modifier is nonessential.
2. It indicates that the following green modifier also is nonessential, as in the following sentence:
The bears overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.

Sir,
Thank you for such a clear explanation.
I think Rule 02 is applicable in this question and Rule 01 will make the sentence illogical.
is my reasoning right?
If so, can we say that the second comma is used either to complete the non-essential modifier or to show that next portion (after comma )
is the modifier of the portion located before comma.

In the OA, the core of the sentence is as follows:
The moth is a critical source of fat for grizzly bears.

If we want to end this sentence with a nonessential modifier, only one comma is required, as follows:
The moth is a critical source of fat for grizzly bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects.

If we want to extend the sentence beyond the nonessential modifier, then a second comma is required, as in the following case:
The moth is a critical source of fat for grizzly bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, and for many other animals.

Thus, in the OA, one purpose of the second comma is to enclose the nonessential which-modifier.

Another question: in rule 02, ",as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day" is not enclosed by second comma. How this portion can be a nonessential modifier witithout a second comma. Please explain whether it is possible to make a nonessential modifier witithout a second comma.
Thank you sir.

Bears overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.
Here, the modifier is green is nonessential and ends the sentence.
For this reason, only one comma is required, as per the discussion above.

OA: The army cutworm moth is a critical source of fat for as many as a third of Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears, which overturn rocks to find the insects, as many as 40,000 per bear in a single day.
Here, the second comma is required for two reasons:
Because the sentence extends beyond the nonessential which-modifier in red, a second comma is required to enclose the nonessential which-modifier.
The as-modifier in green is nonessential and thus must be preceded by a comma.
Thus, the second comma serves dual purposes.