Comparisons 700: Get your knives out!

1 c
2 e
3 d
4 b
5 e

OAs please.

Thanks for posting questions.

C E D B E ..

NICE SET OF QUESTIONS ...POST SOME QUESTIONS ON TENSES AND COMPARISIONS

1. Like many of his contemporaries did, Bob Dylan wrote songs that became anthems for a generation of antiwar activists.

• Like many of his contemporaries did, Bob Dylan wrote songs
• Bob Dylan wrote songs like many of his contemporaries
• As did many of his contemporaries, Bob Dylan wrote songs
• Like the songs of his contemporaries, Bob Dylan wrote songs
• As did many of Bob Dylan’s contemporaries, he wrote songs

2. Unlike Mozart, whose funeral was sparsely attended being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s was attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms.

• being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s was attended by about thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms
• being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s funeral was attended by about thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place was near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery
• and he was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven was given a funeral attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery
• and who was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s funeral was attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms
• and who was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven was given a funeral attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and lies buried near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery

3. Like in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed the economy this January.

• Like in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed
• Like in 2004, first-time buyers bought cars as often, if not more often than, return customers and that buoyed
• As in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often as, if not more often than, to return customers and it buoyed
• As in 2004, first-time buyers bought cars as often as, if not more often than, return customers, buoying
• As in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed

4. From the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and the sailors who have fought America’s wars.

• the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• the Civil War to the Vietnam war, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• soldiers in the Civil War and soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• soldiers in the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers to
• the Civil War and the Vietnam war, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and

5. During the rule of Emperor Claudius, which was known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded any city in the Roman Empire.

• which was known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome was exceeded by no other
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded that of any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, ancient Rome exceeded any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded that of any other

My take:

1.c
2.e
3.d
4.b
5.e

OAs please

1.C, 2.E, 3.D, 4.B, 5.E.

OA plz?

1. Like many of his contemporaries did, Bob Dylan wrote songs that became anthems for a generation of antiwar activists.

• Like many of his contemporaries did, Bob Dylan wrote songs
=> Like X, Y: X and Y must be parallel, X, Y must be Noun or noun phrase. Eliminate A since X is a clause
• Bob Dylan wrote songs like many of his contemporaries => this choice is ambiguos in meaning since it misplaces "like many of his contemporaries" after "songs". Therefore, B out.
• As did many of his contemporaries, Bob Dylan wrote songs
=> As X, Y: X and Y are clauses and parallel, So this is the correct ans.
• Like the songs of his contemporaries, Bob Dylan wrote songs
=> Songs and Bob Dylan are not parallel
• As did many of Bob Dylan’s contemporaries, he wrote songs
=> it changes the meaning of the original sentence. The sentence implies the action done by Bob Dylan compared with his contemporaries.

2. Unlike Mozart, whose funeral was sparsely attended being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s was attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms.

=> Unlike X, Y: X and Y are Noun or noun phrases and must be parallel. X is Mozart, Y is therefore Name of a person or refers to people. Eliminate A, B, D.
Between B and E, E is better since in B: "whose funeral was sparsely attended" (a phrase) isnt parallel to "he was buried in an unmarked common grave" (a clause)

• being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s was attended by about thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms

• being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s funeral was attended by about thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place was near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery
• and he was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven was given a funeral attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery
• and who was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s funeral was attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms
• and who was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven was given a funeral attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and lies buried near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery

3. Like in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed the economy this January.
=> "as + adj/adv + as", so eliminate A, B, E since these choices omit "as" after "as often".
in C: "car sales to first-time buyers as often as, if not more often than, to return customers" lacks verb. thus, E is correct.

• Like in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed
• Like in 2004, first-time buyers bought cars as often, if not more often than, return customers and that buoyed
• As in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often as, if not more often than, to return customers and it buoyed
• As in 2004, first-time buyers bought cars as often as, if not more often than, return customers, buoying
• As in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed

4. From the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and the sailors who have fought America’s wars.

=> From X to Y, both X and Y: X and Y must be nouns, phrases and parralel. From X and Y is not correct idiom, so is both X to Y. Eliminate A, D, E for this error. C repeats "soldiers", making this choice awkward and wordy.
B is correct


• the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• the Civil War to the Vietnam war, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• soldiers in the Civil War and soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• soldiers in the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers to
• the Civil War and the Vietnam war, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and

5. During the rule of Emperor Claudius, which was known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded any city in the Roman Empire.

=> use of "which" will be incorrectly refers to Emperor Claudius, the author wants to compare the population of ancient Rome to the population of any OTHER city in Roman empire. Therefore, A, B, D are incorrect. Between C and E, E is better since E correctly compare the population of Rome to that of any OTHER city.

• which was known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome was exceeded by no other
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded that of any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, ancient Rome exceeded any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded that of any other

mine :

1 - C
2 - E
3 - D
4 - B
5 - E

1. Like many of his contemporaries did, Bob Dylan wrote songs that became anthems for a generation of antiwar activists.

• Like many of his contemporaries did, Bob Dylan wrote songs
• Bob Dylan wrote songs like many of his contemporaries
• As did many of his contemporaries, Bob Dylan wrote songs
• Like the songs of his contemporaries, Bob Dylan wrote songs
• As did many of Bob Dylan’s contemporaries, he wrote songs


2. Unlike Mozart, whose funeral was sparsely attended being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s was attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms.

• being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s was attended by about thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms
• being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s funeral was attended by about thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place was near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery
• and he was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven was given a funeral attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery
• and who was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s funeral was attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms
• and who was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven was given a funeral attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and lies buried near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery





4. Like in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed the economy this January.

• Like in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed
• Like in 2004, first-time buyers bought cars as often, if not more often than, return customers and that buoyed
• As in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often as, if not more often than, to return customers and it buoyed
• As in 2004, first-time buyers bought cars as often as, if not more often than, return customers, buoying
• As in 2004, car sales to first-time buyers as often, if not more often than, to return customers buoyed


4. From the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and the sailors who have fought America’s wars.

• the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• the Civil War to the Vietnam war, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• soldiers in the Civil War and soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• soldiers in the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers to
• the Civil War and the Vietnam war, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and

5. During the rule of Emperor Claudius, which was known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded any city in the Roman Empire.

• which was known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome was exceeded by no other
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded that of any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, ancient Rome exceeded any
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded that of any other[/quote]

1. Like many of his contemporaries did, Bob Dylan wrote songs that became anthems for a generation of antiwar activists.
Comparison : Like takes noun or noun phrase and As takes clause.
• Like many of his contemporaries did, Bob Dylan wrote songs [Like cant take clause. BD is compared with action of C]
• Bob Dylan wrote songs like many of his contemporaries [song Vs C]
• As did many of his contemporaries, Bob Dylan wrote songs [Two action r compared.]
• Like the songs of his contemporaries, Bob Dylan wrote songs
• As did many of Bob Dylan’s contemporaries, he wrote songs

2. Unlike Mozart, whose funeral was sparsely attended being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s was attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms.
Unlike Noun1,Noun2 ....
• being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s was attended by about thirty-thousand mourners [and ] his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms [two clauses r not connected properly]
• being buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s funeral was attended by about thirty-thousand mourners and his final resting place was near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery [same as A & modifier issue]
• and he was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven was given a funeral attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners [and ] his final resting place lies near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery [Same issue as A and B & ||sm issue]
• and who was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven’s funeral was attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners [and] his final resting place lies in a famous Vienna cemetery near the graves of Schubert and Brahms
• and who was buried in an unmarked common grave, Beethoven was given a funeral attended by more than thirty-thousand mourners and lies buried near the graves of Schubert and Brahms in a famous Vienna cemetery
4. From the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and the sailors who have fought America’s wars.
Both X and Y , x & y need to be ||
From X to Y. same ||sm rule as above
• the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• the Civil War to the Vietnam war, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• soldiers in the Civil War and soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and
• soldiers in the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers to
• the Civil War and the Vietnam war, Smith & Wesson, the legendary arms maker, equipped both the soldiers and

5. During the rule of Emperor Claudius, which was known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded any city in the Roman Empire.
Comparison is between the population of AR and population of any other city.
• which was known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded any [Pop Vs City]
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome was exceeded by no other [Pop Vs City]
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded that of any [missing other]
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, ancient Rome exceeded any [AR Vs city]
• known for his military expeditions against the German tribes of the Chauci and Catti, the population of ancient Rome exceeded that of any other

1.c
2.e
3.e
4.b
5.e
where are the OA's ?

What is the OA for 3? Many have responded as D, but E looks correct to me.

One of the reasons to take E out is that we need to finish the as... with another as.

... as often, if not more often than,...

VeritasKarishma

Can you pls confirm the answer to Q3 in this post

What is the source of this problem? No option is convincing.

We do need "as often as" so will consider options (C) and (D).

In (D), "first-time buyers bought cars as often as ... (did) return customers"

Also, we are comparing two actions across two different time frames: As in 2004, X did Y this January.

When we put "this January" in a participle modifier at the end of the clause, "buoying the economy this January" (which is the effect of the action), we lose this comparison.

for question 1 option 'E' seems alright as per the latest standards on the pronoun referent part right ?
Though it is wrong in terms of meaning as its comparing the action with Bob dylan.
because a question like this one -
https://gmatclub.com/forum/although-she ... 08881.html

uses subject pronoun to refer back to a possesive .

any expert please clarifyt this doubt

That question is discussed in detail here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/like-many-of ... 93765.html

Hope it helps.

Yes this clarifies the doubt.
However my question was whether a subject Pronoun can refer back to a possesive ?

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