1000 SC question No. 375

[isisalaska]

371. In cold-water habitats, certain invertebrates and fish convert starches into complex carbohydrates called glycerols, in effect manufacturing its own antifreeze.
(A) in effect manufacturing its own antifreeze
(B) effectively manufacturing antifreeze of its own
(C) in effect manufacturing their own antifreeze
(D) so that they manufacture their own antifreeze
(E) thus the manufacture of its own antifreeze

Answer is C. I though the pronoum has to agree with the noum closer to the pronoum. Example:
John and his friends like soccer
His friends and John likes soccer

[vk.neni]

Hi Isis Alaska,
From what I remember from the Manhattan SC book, whenever you've an and between two subjects (singular or otherwise), the composite subject should be treated as plural .. the composite one would be the subject, not the one closer to the verb. That's why, I think C would be the correct answer.

-Neni

[isisalaska]

I need to double check the Manhattan book...

[isisalaska]

Ok so I was completly wrong. I got confused with "Neither...nor"

Neither Joe hor his friend ARE
Neither his friend nor Joe IS

[gmat740]

[spoiler]D) so that they manufacture their own antifreeze [/spoiler]

why is D wrong?

[mehravikas]

'D' is wrong because 'they' is ambiguous.

[spoiler]D) so that they manufacture their own antifreeze [/spoiler]

why is D wrong?

[ioric18]

Example:
John and his friends like soccer
His friends and John likes soccer

His friends and John like soccer
should be the correct phrase.

'And' is always considered plural regardless of the sentence's pronouns sequence. On the other hand, sentences with conjunctions like 'with, together with, along with...etc' are the ones that that you should pay attention to the latter pronoun and not the first.

Eg. John's friends, together with John's toy, Uptimus Prime, is playing soccer.

[thetrystero]

371. In cold-water habitats, certain invertebrates and fish convert starches into complex carbohydrates called glycerols, in effect manufacturing its own antifreeze.
(A) in effect manufacturing its own antifreeze
(B) effectively manufacturing antifreeze of its own
(C) in effect manufacturing their own antifreeze
(D) so that they manufacture their own antifreeze
(E) thus the manufacture of its own antifreeze

My answer: B

[crackgmat007]

'D' is wrong because 'they' is ambiguous.

[spoiler]D) so that they manufacture their own antifreeze [/spoiler]

why is D wrong?

why is they ambigous here? is it because they can refer to either invertibrates or fish?

[jiaming1]

'D' is wrong because 'they' is ambiguous.

[spoiler]D) so that they manufacture their own antifreeze [/spoiler]

why is D wrong?

why is they ambigous here? is it because they can refer to either invertibrates or fish?

According to New Oriental GMAT Lecture of China:

Both C and D are grammartically correct.

However,

C and original sentence are emphasizing on result, while D changed its focus.


So Answer C.

[aspirant2011]

Answer should be C

A,B wrong because of the use of "its", since inveterbrates and fish are being used therefore plural form is required............left with C,D and E..............

D- wrong because of the use of improper idiom as the proper idiom is "so x that y"
E- awkward...............

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Also guyzzzz!!! you missed out on something important!!!

Option D changes the meaning of the sentence... by saying that invertibrates and fish convert starches into complex carbohydrates called glycerols for the purpose of manufacturing their own antifreeze. Option D specifies a purpose already.
On the other hand, Option C just says a statement that invertibrates and fish while converting starches into complex carbohydrates called glycerols in effect manufacturi ces their own antifreeze.
Something like a by-product.

So in option C the focus is still on glycerols but in option D the focus shifts to the antifreeze stating that thing as more important.

So the basice difference is one is stating a by-product and the other is stating a main product. I hope this helps you guyzzz... I mean this is what i could figure out. You all are open to point out my mistake....