3 SC from PowerPrep

[rabab]

1. As a result of the ground-breaking work of Barbara McClintock, many scientists now believe that all of the information encoded in 50,000 to 100,000 of the different genes found in a human cell are contained in merely three percent of the cell's DNA.

a) ...
b) 50,000 to 100,000 of the human cell's different genes are contained in a mere
c) the 50,000 to 100,000 different genes found in human cells are contained in merely
d) 50,000 to 100,000 of human cells' different genes is contained in merely
e) the 50,000 to 100,000 different genes found in a human cell is contained in a mere

i picked c. correct ans- e. explain pls.



2. The number of undergraduate degrees in engineering awarded by colleges and universities in the United States increased by more than twice from 1978 to 1985.

a) increased by more than twice
b) increased more than 2 times
c) more than doubled
d)was more than doubled
e) had more than doubled

i picked a. but correct ans: c. but that just didn't sound right to me. explain pls?

3. The decision by one of the nation's largest banks to admit to $3 billion in potential losses on foreign loans could mean less lending by commercial banks to developing countries and increasing the pressure on multi government lenders to supply the funds.

a)..
b)the increasing pressure
c) increased pressure
d) the pressure increased
e) the pressure increasing

i picked b. but the correct ans: c.however the answer seemed it just doesn't go with 'less lending'.

[loki.gmat]

i agree with the OA for 1 & 2.
but i think C is better for 3.



Thanks!

[rabab]

i agree with the OA for 1 & 2.
but i think C is better for 3.



Thanks!

Any explanation for that?

[vivek.kapoor83]

1. in ques 1..look that it is talking about information which is singular thts y E is rite n c is wrong

2. in this ...the degrees are more than double is rite comparison than more than twice.. as twice aS is used whn we talk about comparng 2 things which are equal.

[EricLien9122]

rabab:

Did you copy the question correctly for #3? "The decision by" just doesn't look right to me, should it be the decision made by?

[codesnooker]

1. As a result of the ground-breaking work of Barbara McClintock, many scientists now believe that all of the information encoded in 50,000 to 100,000 of the different genes found in a human cell are contained in merely three percent of the cell's DNA.

a) ...
b) 50,000 to 100,000 of the human cell's different genes are contained in a mere
c) the 50,000 to 100,000 different genes found in human cells are contained in merely
d) 50,000 to 100,000 of human cells' different genes is contained in merely
e) the 50,000 to 100,000 different genes found in a human cell is contained in a mere

i picked c. correct ans- e. explain pls.

It is very simple. Look the options (C) and (E) very carefully. What is the difference between those two options?
It is usage of MERE and MERELY. So basically, here GMAC wants to test our knowledge about the usage of the ADJECTIVE and ADVERB.

Rules about ADVERB and ADJECTIVE

ADJECTIVE modifies noun and pronoun.
ADVERB modifies verb, adjective and adverb.

In the above question, since MERE/MERELY is modifying 3%, which is a NOUN, so MERE is the correct usage over here.

Hope this helps...

[codesnooker]

2. The number of undergraduate degrees in engineering awarded by colleges and universities in the United States increased by more than twice from 1978 to 1985.

a) increased by more than twice
b) increased more than 2 times
c) more than doubled
d)was more than doubled
e) had more than doubled

i picked a. but correct ans: c. but that just didn't sound right to me. explain pls?

(A) is wrong as compare to option (C) because of passive construction and concision.

[jayjk78]

1. A.B.C eliminate..information are is wrong. E in a mere too wordy ANS D
2. increased and twice mean the same so eliminate a, b. D..past tense not required, E Has doubled present perfect not required ANS C
3. C Less lending...increased pressure parallel

[mals24]

1. Subject is information which is singular. Hence we need the singular 'IS' and not the plural 'ARE'. So we can eliminate A,B & C
Now option D 'merely three percent' is wrong since merely is an adverb which can NEVER modify a noun.

Hence answer is E

2. Agree with codesnooker A uses passive voice which is not required. Hence C is the answer

3. The decision could mean less lending (adjective noun) and increasing the pressure (verb noun) hence not parallel

In option B the decision could mean "the increasing pressure"---doesnt sound right.

The only option that maintains the parallelism is C less lending and increased pressure (adjective noun)

[rabab]

Thanks everyone. It's all clear now.