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According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes

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GHIBI
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According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink] New post   21 Jan 2008, 21:17
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According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes of the Mississippi Delta, among the finest wetlands in the world, are vanishing at a rate of 39 square miles a year, as fast as two and a half times the rate that was previously thought.

A) as fast as two and a half times the rate that was
B) two and a half times as fast as it had been
C) two and a half times faster than
D) a rate two and a half times as fast as
E) which is a rate two and a half times faster than had been

I selected A. But the OA is B. Could you please explain in details.
What is the flaw in A?
I think the tense is correct. --> " the rate that was previously thought"
But i'm not sure about the comparison structure of "two and a half times as fast as" and "as fast as two and a half times". Are both of them in a correct form?

Thank you. :-D



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Re: According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 22 Jan 2008, 12:37
In my mind 'as fast as' is already comparing identical rates -- Person 1 runs as fast as Person 2 does or Person 2 runs twice as fast as Person 3 so there is no need for 'rate' in choice A.

You could however say a rate two and a half times faster than...but note you drop the usage of 'as' in this construction.

Hence B is better than A.

Originally posted by solaris1 on 22 Jan 2008, 10:09.
Last edited by solaris1 on 22 Jan 2008, 12:37, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink] New post   22 Jan 2008, 11:24
The key problem is redundancy.

"as fast as" implicitly suggests rate.

C removes this problem.
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Re: According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink] New post   22 Jan 2008, 15:51
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what's faster by two and a half times? the rate, correct? but there's no reference to 'rate' in that sentence. that's the problem with C.

AVakil wrote:
What is wrong with C?
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Re: According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink] New post   22 Jan 2008, 21:16
Solaris1.

You always have a nice explanation.
Thank you very much. +1 for you! :-D
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Re: According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink] New post   22 Jan 2008, 21:37
are vanishing at rate X, .....A is wrong.... uses past tense incorrectly.

are vanishing at rate X, .....B is wrong.... uses past perfect continuos tense incorrectly.

are vanishing at rate X, .....C is correct

are vanishing at rate X, .....D is wrong.... a rate brings in redundancy os same word

are vanishing at rate X, .....E is wrong.... which is a rate is wordy, redundant because it is rate is already clear.

Therefore "C"

I am still unclear why it's not "C". Could someone throw in more explanation? And what's wrong in my explanation above?
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Re: According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink] New post   22 Jan 2008, 21:38
LM wrote:
are vanishing at rate X, .....A is wrong.... uses past tense incorrectly.

are vanishing at rate X, .....B is wrong.... uses past perfect continuos tense incorrectly.

are vanishing at rate X, .....C is correct

are vanishing at rate X, .....D is wrong.... a rate brings in redundancy os same word

are vanishing at rate X, .....E is wrong.... which is a rate is wordy, redundant because it is rate is already clear.

Therefore "C"

I am still unclear why it's not "C". Could someone throw in more explanation? And what's wrong in my explanation above?


Is "C" missing .. " it was" previously thought.

It of some referent? Does B use correct tense?
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Re: According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink] New post   23 Jan 2008, 08:15
Yes. In "C", it sounds illogical comparison.
Compare rate with "something" ....previously thought.



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Re: According to a government study, the lush swamps and marshes [#permalink]
23 Jan 2008, 08:15
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