The Middle Stone Age, extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 50

There is no valid answer to this question. First off, the Middle Ages weren't "extended" by anyone or anything. This alone would leave only D, but D is not a complete sentence. (There's no main verb for The Middle Ages.) Here's a well-known official Q that deals with extended/extending: scientists-have-recently-discovered-what-could-be-the-9394.html

If we give that first issue a pass, we still have odd usages such as "the tribals, "the spears and arrows" (no article is needed here), and "mental and abstract perception."

The use of "they" in C is actually fine--it's not necessary to have only one possible antecedent if the meaning is clear--but this question as a whole does not model good English usage in any of the choices. Skip it.
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The Middle Stone Age, extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more abstract perception than modern technology


(A) extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than - "Extended" (past) then "IS" (present) awkward.

(B) was extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribal of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than - Incorrect

(C) extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than - No error

(D) extending for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, and marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than - extending looks present and then marked represent past

(E) extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than does - After than does is incorrect.


Kudos!!! If you like the explanation

(C) extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than


Shouldn't 'Which' always appear after a comma?

No, 'which' can appear without the preceding comma. It just has to obey the 'touch' rule.

I understand what you're getting at - as 'which' always introduces non-essential information, so it has to be separated by a preceding comma. But, I have seen a lot of examples where 'which' doesn't have a preceding comma.

Learning: Don't eliminate any options based on that.

The Middle Stone Age, extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more abstract perception than modern technology

A. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than
this is not marked now.

B. was extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribal of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than

C. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than

D. extending for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, and marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than
extending is in present continous tense-incorrect here.

E. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than does

A complex process that required far more mental and abstract perception than does modern technology

is correct here and implies the intended meaning rather than

A complex process that required far more mental and abstract perception than modern technology

So E is correct.

Refer below link for additional reference
https://e-gmat.com/blog/gmat-verbal/sen ... -sentences

The comparison is between the "Tribal process" & "Modern Technology"

Option E has incorrect comparison where "The complex process" is compared to the perceptions required in "Modern Technology"

in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than does

C. a complex process that, required far more mental and abstract perception
than required modern technology

this is illogical.

C seems to be the least awkward of all, however "they" in C has no clear antecedent.

Can someone explain if we are missing any other mistake in C?

A. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than - Incorrect - 'requires' should be used in past tense.

B. was extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribal of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than - Incorrect - Meaning error.

C. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than - Correct. 'they' refers to the tribals.

D. extending for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, and marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than - Incorrect - Missing verb error.

E. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than does - Incorrect - 'does' is not required here. Complex process is compared to perceptions of modern technology.

Answer: C

(C) extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than - No error

Not sure if I am correct, but 'they' refers to tribals. "In the Middle Stone Age, the intelligent manufacture was marked by the tribals, which they used..". So the tribals used the 'manufacture' for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows.

I hope this makes more sense!

The Middle Stone Age is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows
The Middle Stone Age is extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC,
a complex process that requires far more abstract perception than modern technology
in the absence empirical means of observation

Meaning :

Sentence Tells about the Age in the past & presents a Comparison between earlier technology and modern technology.

Process of Elimination:

A : a complex process that requires far more abstract perception than modern technology
Illogical comparison,
Verb is missing after "than"

B : was extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribal of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than

Clause, Verbed modifier cannot modify subject of the clause
No Verb in second clause
Verb is missing after "than"

C: extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than


Verb is missing after "than"

In GMAT, Usually "Comma" preceeds "which"


D:extending for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, and marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than

The Middle Stone Age,
extending for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC,
and
marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows,

a complex process that in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than

No verb after The middle stone Age.
Illogical That clause
Verb is missing after "than"

E: extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than does

The Middle Stone Age was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows,
The Middle Stone Age extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC,
a complex process that required far more mental and abstract perception than does modern technology

, in the absence empirical means of observation,


So E is the Correct Answer

IMO c is better than e.

According to this question, an important invention/innovation occurred in middle stone age. or you can say event also. What was that invention/event? Tribals got to know how to manufacture glues intelligently. They got to know about this improved process somehow that the middle stone age became famous for it. Now, to study or use (or for any other purpose) that process to manufacture glue you need/require either HIGH LVL OF ABSTRACT PERCEPTION or MODERN TECHNOLOGY.

For what purpose you need HIGH LVL OF ABSTRACT PERCEPTION and what HIGH LVL OF ABSTRACT PERCEPTION does to this process are neither mentioned nor needed to know. You just need HIGH LVL OF ABSTRACT PERCEPTION.

Hence the comparison is between HIGH LVL OF ABSTRACT PERCEPTION and MODERN TECHNOLOGY. Not what they do or did.
And in this question HIGH LVL OF ABSTRACT PERCEPTION wins. Means u need more HIGH LVL OF ABSTRACT PERCEPTION than (access to) MODERN TECHNOLOGY.

correct me if i'm wrong in my logic.

Though I got it wrong myself

(A) extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than --Is marked..requires..present tense is incorrect.

(B) was extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribal of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than --was extended --incorrect ---The "age extended" and NOT "was extended"(by whom??).

(C) extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than--CORRECT

(D) extending for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, and marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than
--Might be tempting but has a serious flaw. The subject "The Middle Stone Age" has no working verb![Has 2 modifiers (1)extending....and (2) marked...but no verbs]

(E) extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than does ----does is not required.

My only question with option C is The Middle Ages extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, AND was marked ..shouldn't there be an AND before was marked??

Can the Experts comment on this.

Thanks.

please explain why is E wrong where only difference between E and C was use of word does.

i think for correct comparison does should come as earlier process requires more mental perception than does the modern technology.

i think correct choice is E please help why is does wrong

It is alright to omit the repeated part ( including verbs) from the second item of parallel structure if the meaning is not obscured. Thus omission of "requires (does)" is alright. In fact omission in such cases is preferred because of concision.

Nonetheless in both options C and E, it would be better to use "used TO fix" rather than "used FOR Fixing".

A. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than

C. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than

Let's ignore other issues in this question. I would like to ask you whether past tense in C or present tense in A is correct? Please explain your reasoning!
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To answer your question, we need to understand when the action "marking" (meaning "identifying") took place - is it generally done in the present or was it done some time in the past? It makes sense to say that the identification occurred in the past. It also makes sense to say that the identification is generally done now-a-days. Thus, in my own, the tense issue cannot be a reason to eliminate an option.

A. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, is marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than - INCORRECT - verb after than is missing. abstract perception being wrongly compared to modern technology. Also instead of present tense, past tense should be used.

B. was extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribal of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than - INCORRECT - same as A (verb after than). Also, mail verb is missing.

C. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues which they used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than - INCORRECT. - same as A (verb after than).

D. extending for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, and marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that in the absence empirical means of observation, requires far more mental and abstract perception than - INCORRECT. Main verb missing

E. extended for 200,000 years from 300,000 BC TO 500,000 BC, was marked by the intelligent manufacture by the tribals of glues used for fixing honed heads to the spears and arrows, a complex process that, in the absence empirical means of observation, required far more mental and abstract perception than does - CORRECT

Calling into doubt the OA here. How can the correct answer use "extended for 200,000 years" as a modifier? To my ear, it should be "extending for 200,000 years."