Big Bang and Interstellar dust

[nravinandan]

Pls discuss the following question:

Astronomers have theorized that the Big Bang governs the behavior of interstellar dust, particles that comprise the atoms and molecules created in the progenitive explosion and persisting in even the emptiest regions of space.

a. persisting
b. persists
c. persisted
d. they persist
e. are persisting

[Jatinder]

IMO D

A: Lacks parallelism
B:SV Error
C:Wrong tense
E:same as C

[moneyman]

Its a parallelism question..I feel the answer is B

D cannot be the answer because "they" may refer to particles as well as astronomers.

What is the OA?

[stop@800]

I would say it to be A

Reason as already stated........
B: Subject / verb
particles / comprise / persists

C
means particles persisted in the past
wrong


D
they is wrong

E also wrong bcoz tense

[raunekk]

imo: A

[jsl]

Wow - a difficult one for such a small underlined sentence.

I would go for A.

I don't think this is a parallelism issue. We have to figure out what persisted here. Either the particles or molecules. I would go for the former.

If persist (singular) were in the list, that would also be an option as that would be parallel with comprise.

OA?

[amitabhprasad]

I will go with "A" as well.
Confused between "A" and "E"
but I feel use of verb "are" will make 2nd phrase a clause there by not parallel with the 1st phrase.
"C" is wrong for being thing of the past.
"D" use of "they"

[Karen]

It's A.

This problem is clearly based on the "giant fungus in the forest of Michigan" problem in OG-11 (sorry I forget which number that item is; I can look it up later if necessary), and the same solution applies.

The key here is that "persisting" is parallel to "created". In other words, this part of the sentence means the same as "the atoms and molecules that were created in the progenitive explosion and that persist in even the emptiest regions of space."

You may be wondering how an -ed form (a past participle) can be parallel to an -ing (a gerund). Well, even though they don't *look* very similar to each other, they're considered parallel in terms of their grammatical function. They're both adjectives formed from verbs. The -ing form is sometimes even called the "present participle," so you can see the similarity to the "past participle." So in other words, combinations like "recently lost and still missing," "shot and bleeding," or "diversified and growing" are all parallel.

B is wrong because it would have incorrect verb agreement.

C is wrong because it wouldn't be parallel -- C is a past tense form, which superficially *looks* like the past participle "created" but isn't the same kind of grammatical thing. "created" in this sentence is a participle, like "broken" or "thrown," not a past tense verb.

D is wrong because the subject 'they' makes this clause not parallel to anything else in the sentence. It can't be parallel to "that comprise the atoms and molecules... etc." (think of it this way -- could you say 'particles tha comprise the atoms and molecules created in the progenitive explosion and _that_ they persist..."??) And "they persist" is clearly not parallel to "created" either.

E "are persisting" is awkward and a strange choice of verb tense -- "are persisting" uses present progressive tense, which is used for temporary situations, things that are going on right around now but not for too much longer. It makes it sound like these particles are just hanging around for a little while -- the opposite of what the sentence is saying.

[iamcste]

Similar to Q 39 OG 11

[logitech]

It's A.

This problem is clearly based on the "giant fungus in the forest of Michigan" problem in OG-11 (sorry I forget which number that item is; I can look it up later if necessary), and the same solution applies.

The key here is that "persisting" is parallel to "created". In other words, this part of the sentence means the same as "the atoms and molecules that were created in the progenitive explosion and that persist in even the emptiest regions of space."

You may be wondering how an -ed form (a past participle) can be parallel to an -ing (a gerund). Well, even though they don't *look* very similar to each other, they're considered parallel in terms of their grammatical function. They're both adjectives formed from verbs. The -ing form is sometimes even called the "present participle," so you can see the similarity to the "past participle." So in other words, combinations like "recently lost and still missing," "shot and bleeding," or "diversified and growing" are all parallel.

B is wrong because it would have incorrect verb agreement.

C is wrong because it wouldn't be parallel -- C is a past tense form, which superficially *looks* like the past participle "created" but isn't the same kind of grammatical thing. "created" in this sentence is a participle, like "broken" or "thrown," not a past tense verb.

D is wrong because the subject 'they' makes this clause not parallel to anything else in the sentence. It can't be parallel to "that comprise the atoms and molecules... etc." (think of it this way -- could you say 'particles tha comprise the atoms and molecules created in the progenitive explosion and _that_ they persist..."??) And "they persist" is clearly not parallel to "created" either.

E "are persisting" is awkward and a strange choice of verb tense -- "are persisting" uses present progressive tense, which is used for temporary situations, things that are going on right around now but not for too much longer. It makes it sound like these particles are just hanging around for a little while -- the opposite of what the sentence is saying.

I love you Karen!

[sam98034]

Astronomers have theorized that the Big Bang governs the behavior of interstellar dust, particles that comprise the atoms and molecules created in the progenitive explosion and persisting in even the emptiest regions of space.

My guess is that you're making this too complicated. Particles is implied a second time in the sentence but is removed.

"...particles that comprise the atoms and molecules created in the progenitive explosion and [particles] persisting in even the emptiest regions of space."

In English we don't need to add the second one.
People live and learn...people live and [people] learn. I would remove the junk and shorten this whole thing in my head to a definition:

Interstellar dust: Particles created and [particles] persisting in space.
you wouldn't say:
Particles created and [persists, persisted, they persist, are persisting] in space.

Am I right?

[nravinandan]

Wow!! what a good discussion. Isnt it a tricky question. Yes, its very similar to Q39 OG11.

OA: A

As already pointed out this sentence has the participles "created" and "persisting" in parallel. Atoms and molecules created in .... and (Atoms and molecules) persisting in ....

The present participle "persisting" parallels the past participle "created". "created" refers to something that happened in the past, while "persisting" refers to something that continues into the present.


Other options are wrong (As posted by Karen below)

If we had an option "persist" would it be the right option??
Well... it matches with the subject "Atoms and molecules"... but

"persist" is a present tense verb, not the participle (persisting) needed for the parallel structure.

[vivek.kapoor83]

Karen
Thanks for the help.can u expolre the parallelism a bit more...i couldnt get it completely. Or if some1 has got it...pls explain a bit./

[Jatinder]

It's A.

This problem is clearly based on the "giant fungus in the forest of Michigan" problem in OG-11 (sorry I forget which number that item is; I can look it up later if necessary), and the same solution applies.

The key here is that "persisting" is parallel to "created". In other words, this part of the sentence means the same as "the atoms and molecules that were created in the progenitive explosion and that persist in even the emptiest regions of space."

You may be wondering how an -ed form (a past participle) can be parallel to an -ing (a gerund). Well, even though they don't *look* very similar to each other, they're considered parallel in terms of their grammatical function. They're both adjectives formed from verbs. The -ing form is sometimes even called the "present participle," so you can see the similarity to the "past participle." So in other words, combinations like "recently lost and still missing," "shot and bleeding," or "diversified and growing" are all parallel.

B is wrong because it would have incorrect verb agreement.

C is wrong because it wouldn't be parallel -- C is a past tense form, which superficially *looks* like the past participle "created" but isn't the same kind of grammatical thing. "created" in this sentence is a participle, like "broken" or "thrown," not a past tense verb.

D is wrong because the subject 'they' makes this clause not parallel to anything else in the sentence. It can't be parallel to "that comprise the atoms and molecules... etc." (think of it this way -- could you say 'particles tha comprise the atoms and molecules created in the progenitive explosion and _that_ they persist..."??) And "they persist" is clearly not parallel to "created" either.

E "are persisting" is awkward and a strange choice of verb tense -- "are persisting" uses present progressive tense, which is used for temporary situations, things that are going on right around now but not for too much longer. It makes it sound like these particles are just hanging around for a little while -- the opposite of what the sentence is saying.

What an awesome explanation!!!! ...I love you too Karen