Dear Mitch,GMATGuruNY wrote:ELLIPSIS is the omission of words whose presence is understood.aditya8062 wrote:
my doubt : while i do understand that A is wrong for many other reason but plz confirm whether the initial comparison in A is oki :While it costs about the same to run nuclear plants as other types of power plants
Here, it is not crystal clear what words have been omitted.
A reader might make the following interpretation:
While it costs about the same to run nuclear plants as other types of power plants [cost]...
The intended comparison is as follows:
While it costs about the same to run nuclear plants as [to run] other types of power plants...
Since a reader might be confused, eliminate the answer choice.
As you mentioned about choice C:
"It costs about the same to run nuclear plants as other types of power plants.
Here, we cannot assume the presence of cost to run in the second clause because this phrase does not appear in the first clause.
In the phrase cost to run, to run serves as a modifier.
But in the first clause, to run serves not as a modifier but as part of the SUBJECT.
In the first clause, it is an expletive standing in for the infinitive subject to run nuclear plants.
First clause: It costs about the same to run nuclear plants.
Conveyed meaning: To run nuclear plants costs about the same.
As you can see, the phrase cost to run is not included in the conveyed meaning.
Thus, we can not assume the presence of this phrase in the second clause."
OA:
While the cost of running nuclear plants is about the same as [the cost of running] for other types of power plants, the fixed costs that stem from building nuclear plants make the electricity they generate more expensive.
As I understate, ellipsis is in red part is implied and makes the construction ok. However, does not 'nuclear plants' part of the whole phrase (modifier) 'the cost of running nuclear plants' and hence should be attached in the ellipses part? I mean to be as follows:
While the cost of running nuclear plants is about the same as [the cost of running nuclear plants] for other types of power plants, the fixed costs that stem from building nuclear plants make the electricity they generate more expensive.
I know it will give nonsensical meaning I applied the same thinking of choice C in choice B.
Where did I go wrong?
Thanks in advance
