https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/30/science/observatory.htmlNothing quite that creepy is going on in California, but the state has been overrun by a species of ant that, researchers say, has essentially formed a single giant colony from San Diego to San Francisco and beyond. The researchers, from the University of California at San Diego, discovered a lack of genetic variation in the insect, the Argentine ant, which has allowed the species to spread to nooks and crannies up and down the state, particularly in coastal areas.
Individual ants are so close genetically, the researchers report in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
that they consider all their fellows to be close relatives and thus do not engage in the kind of fierce intercolony death matches that limit the ants in their native Argentina.
The Argentine Ant (A) Subject-Verb (struggles that limits); Noun-Noun (fellows … a close relative)
(B) Comparison (similar); Noun-Noun (fellows … a close relative)
(C) Comparison (similar); Subject-Verb (struggles that limits);
(D) CORRECT
(E) Subject-Verb (struggles that limits); Noun-Noun (fellows … a close relative)
First glanceThe answer choices begin with either
due to or
because of. Generally-accepted grammar rules state that
due to is used with nouns or noun phrases and
because of is used with clauses, though the distinction can sometimes be a judgment call.
For this reason, perhaps, the GMAT does not appear to test this issue formally;
the Official Guide explanations for all problems dealing with
because of vs.
due to do not address these differences. Therefore, ignore this issue.
Issues(1) Subject-Verb: struggles that limitsThe original sentence says the following:
the kind of struggles that limits the spread of this species. The word
that, when preceded by a noun, is a noun modifier. In this case, it is referring to the noun just before,
struggles: the
struggles limit the spread of the species. Answer (A) pairs a plural noun with a singular verb; eliminate it. Also eliminate answers (C) and (E), which repeat this error.
(2) Noun-Noun: fellows … a close relativeThe original sentence contains the language
the ants consider all their fellows to be a close relative.
All their fellows cannot be a single
relative; rather, they would be close relatives. Eliminate choices (A), (B), and (E) for this error.
(3) Comparison: similarIf one thing is similar to another, it is necessary to include the
another portion of the comparison. Answers (B) and (C) do not actually indicate what the
ant is
similar to. (Note: it is possible to omit the separate mention of another if a plural construction is used. For example, this is correct: The twins are so similar! Since there are two twins, the comparison is to each other.)
The Correct AnswerCorrect answer (D) properly pairs the plural noun
struggles with the plural verb
limit and the plural noun
fellows with the plural description
close relatives.
Note: this correct answer contains a
tempting trap that might cause someone to cross it off. The plural pronoun
they appears not to match the singular
Argentine ant mentioned at the beginning of the sentence. It’s true that this pronoun does not go with this noun; rather, it goes with the plural word
ants that appears after the pronoun
they.