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Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major

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nakib77
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Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 25 Nov 2019, 06:09
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Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts.

(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing

Originally posted by nakib77 on 29 Oct 2005, 05:55.
Last edited by Bunuel on 25 Nov 2019, 06:09, edited 2 times in total.
Edited the question.
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   06 Dec 2018, 14:47
Easy to see this one.

Efforts = plural therefore plural verb is needed.

(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing - overly wordy and changes the meaning.
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   24 Jan 2019, 01:18
nakib77 wrote:
The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 11th Edition, 2005

Practice Question
Question No.: SC 34
Page: 642

Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts.

(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing


look at choice E
"reduction" in choice E can not refer to subject "effort ". So, it is unclear who makes the reduction. this in unclear meaning. E is gond
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   08 Aug 2020, 09:26
(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(1) SV disagreement - “Efforts….has…”; (2) odd meaning – “gaps”; are there more than one gap between the rich and the poor?; (3) tense error – “existing” says that it’s currently existing, for a truism, you want simple present

(B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(1) SV disagreement - “Efforts….has…”; (2) distorted meaning – “efforts…has not been significant”; presumably, the reduction is (not) significant

(C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(1) SV disagreement - “Efforts….has…”;

(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
Best option

(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing
1) odd meaning – “gaps”; are there more than one gap between the rich and the poor?; (2) distorted meaning – “efforts…has not been significant”; presumably, the reduction is (not) significant
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Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   21 Oct 2020, 16:22
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My perfect version of this sentence:

Although a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970s, efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts have not significantly reduced the gaps between the richest and poorest districts.

"That exist" is totally unnecessary--even though it's in every choice to some degree. Also, what's up with the apostrophe in "1970's"??

The sentence would also benefit from a clear contrast word such as "although," and a more direct connection between the subject and is verb (notice how I eliminated the 2nd comma by rearranging the clauses more logically).

Here's a 3-minute video I made to help explain this question:

https://youtu.be/FF6WjHURYoA
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Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   27 Oct 2020, 21:26
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Here's the official explanation provided by the GMAC for this question:

The plural subject of this sentence, efforts,. does not agree with the singular verb has… reduced. Efforts requires the plural verb have reduced..

Option A: Has reduced does not agree with efforts

Option B: Subject and verb do not agree; changes make the construction wordy

Option C: efforts does not agree with has reduced; made a significant reduction in is wordy

Option D: In this clear, concise sentence, efforts agrees with the plural verb have… reduced.

Option E: E This alternative is wordy and awkward

The correct answer is D.

Please note that I'm not the author of this explanation. I'm just posting it here since I believe it can help the community.
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   01 Dec 2020, 10:24
ChiranjeevSingh VeritasKarishma GMATNinja - I wanted to focus on the non-underlined part a bit (given I know it is accurate)

The last word in the sentence is "Districts"

Should it not be district ?

I understand the non underlined bit is accurate so i am not questioning it, just trying to understand the theory/logic behind why it should be Districts and not district ?

If the OA : D has the word "GAP" -- should it not be "District" ?

Thank you !
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   02 Dec 2020, 02:08
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jabhatta2 wrote:
ChiranjeevSingh VeritasKarishma GMATNinja - I wanted to focus on the non-underlined part a bit (given I know it is accurate)

The last word in the sentence is "Districts"

Should it not be district ?

I understand the non underlined bit is accurate so i am not questioning it, just trying to understand the theory/logic behind why it should be Districts and not district ?

If the OA : D has the word "GAP" -- should it not be "District" ?

Thank you !


The usage of richest 'districts' is not a problem. It refers to the top districts. Even when you use superlative, it could refer to multiple people/things.
e.g.
Some of my best friends are musicians.
This just means I am very very good friends with a bunch of people and some of them are musicians. Then there are some other friends I have to whom I am not very close.
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   18 Jan 2021, 10:02
So if it says "a major goal..." that doesn't make the subject singular???
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   06 Sep 2022, 00:41
bmwhype2 wrote:
bmwhype2 wrote:
273. Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts.

(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing


I think the difference is in the meanings of the sentences.

E implies the efforts have not been significant whereas D implies the reduction has not been significant. We cannot change the meaning of the stem.

In sentence correction, passive answers are not always wrong. In addition, concise answers are not always wrong.

I think its important to keep in mind that both reasons that vishalsuri said are "secondary" reasons. it is more important to look at the structure of the sentences for blatant grammar mistakes. :read


Both meaning are fine. I picked D because it is concise and as per VAN rule - reduced > a reduction (verb>adj>noun)
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Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   14 Mar 2023, 09:10
nakib77 wrote:
Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts.

(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing


Hi Experts GMATNinja KarishmaB

It may sound dumb, but can "Efforts" do action as in (D). Can efforts reduce the gaps between.....??
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   14 Mar 2023, 21:13
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GMATking94 wrote:
nakib77 wrote:
Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts.

(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing


Hi Experts GMATNinja KarishmaB

It may sound dumb, but can "Efforts" do action as in (D). Can efforts reduce the gaps between.....??


Yes, we don't have to get too literal. We do routinely say: "His efforts have yielded results." etc.
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink] New post   15 Mar 2023, 09:44
KarishmaB wrote:
GMATking94 wrote:
nakib77 wrote:
Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major goal of education reformers and many states in the 1970’s, has not significantly reduced the gaps existing between the richest and poorest districts.

(A) has not significantly reduced the gaps existing
(B) has not been significant in reducing the gap that exists
(C) has not made a significant reduction in the gap that exists
(D) have not significantly reduced the gap that exists
(E) have not been significant in a reduction of the gaps existing


Hi Experts GMATNinja KarishmaB

It may sound dumb, but can "Efforts" do action as in (D). Can efforts reduce the gaps between.....??


Yes, we don't have to get too literal. We do routinely say: "His efforts have yielded results." etc.


Thanks KarishmaB

Much appreciated.
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Re: Efforts to equalize the funds available to school districts, a major [#permalink]
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