In addition to having more protein than wheat does, the protein in ric

The first part of this sentence sets up a comparison.

When we get to the comma, we should STOP and ask the question that the introduction raises.

So, once we read, In addition to having more protein than wheat does, we should stop and ask . . .

"Who or what has more protein than wheat does?"

If the sentence is properly constructed, the part that immediately follows the comma will answer that question in a logical manner.

Reading on we get...

A) the protein in rice...
What? The protein (in rice) has more protein that wheat does?
Makes no sense.
ELIMINATE A

B) rice ....
So rice has more protein that wheat does.
This makes sense.
KEEP B

C) the protein in rice...
The protein (in rice) has more protein that wheat does?
Makes no sense.
ELIMINATE C

D) rice protein...
Rice protein has more protein that wheat does?
Makes no sense.
ELIMINATE D

E) rice ....
So rice has more protein that wheat does.
This makes sense.
KEEP E

We're down to B and E
B) rice has protein of higher quality than that in
The word that properly serves as a placeholder for protein
In other words, rice has protein of higher quality than the protein in wheat...
PERFECT!

E) rice has a protein higher in quality than wheat
This is a faulty comparison
It suggests that rice PROTEIN is better than WHEAT.
The intended meaning is that rice PROTEIN is better than wheat PROTEIN.
ELIMINATE E

Answer: B

Cheers,
Brent

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to getting this question correct; the intended core meaning of this sentence is that the protein found in rice is higher in quantity as well as quality than the protein found in wheat is.

Concepts tested here: Comparison + Meaning

• Comparison must always be made between similar elements.

A: This answer choice incorrectly compares “the protein in rice to “wheat", illogically implying that the protein in rice has more protein than wheat does; the intended meaning is that the protein found in rice is higher in quantity than the protein found in wheat is; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements.

B: Correct. This answer choice correctly compares "rice" with "wheat", conveying the intended meaning - that the protein in rice is higher in quantity than the protein in wheat is. Further, Option B uses the phrase "than that in", conveying the intended meaning - that the protein in rice is higher in quality than the protein in wheat is.

C: This answer choice incorrectly compares “the protein in rice" to “wheat", illogically implying that the protein in rice has more protein than wheat does; the intended meaning is that the protein found in rice is higher in quantity than the protein found in wheat is; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements. Moreover, Option C further alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "than it is in"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that the protein in rice is higher in quality than the same protein is when it is in wheat; the intended meaning is that the protein in rice is higher in quality than the protein in wheat is.

D: This answer choice incorrectly compares “rice protein" to “wheat", illogically implying that the protein in rice has more protein than wheat does; the intended meaning is that the protein found in rice is higher in quantity than the protein found in wheat is; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements. Moreover, Option D further alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "than it is in"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that the protein in rice is higher in quality than the same protein is when it is in wheat; the intended meaning is that the protein in rice is higher in quality than the protein in wheat is.

E: Trap. This answer choice incorrectly compares "a protein" to "wheat", illogically implying that a particular protein found in rice is higher in quality than wheat as a whole is; the intended meaning is the specific protein found in rice is higher in quality than the specific protein found in wheat is; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements.

Hence, B is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Two things to keep in mind are:
a) What is the opening phrase modifying?
b) What are the two things being compared?

The answer to the first question can help us eliminate at least 2 answer choices in this question.

The subject here is ‘rice,’ and it should come immediately after the comma.

We can eliminate the following options for having the wrong subject:

Option A – the protein
Option C – the protein
Option D – rice protein

Between Options B and E, it is not a struggle to decide.

Here is why: E says ‘a protein’ which is incorrect.

Eliminate Option E.

Option B is the best choice.

Hope this helps!

This is a standard GMAT question -
In addition to having more protein -than wheat does, the protein in rice is higher quality than that in wheat,with more of the amino acids essential to the human diet.

comparison is b/w WHEAT and the thing in red!

so eliminate- A,C,D because RICE has to be compared with Wheat not the PROTEIN OR RICE PROTEIN!

B/W B AND E

eliminate E because -"rice has a protein higher in quality than wheat
incorrect comparison ..!

Here's how to do this in < 30 seconds

Step 1) On basis of Apples Vs Oranges framework, note you are comparing "wheat" with whatever is after the comma.
The only two that make sense is (B) and (E) - because they each mention RICE as the subject.

Step 2) For (E) - "rice has a protein higher in quality than wheat" - it's missing "does" at the end.

Only (B) - " rice has protein of higher quality than that in wheat" makes sense.

You are comparing the protein of rice vs that [the protein] in wheat.

Make sure you are comparing apples to apples.

This part is an initial modifier

In addition to having more protein than wheat does, ---- it refers to the next noun.
If you put the word "protein" right after it, you are saying that "the protein [in addition to having more protein than wheat does]" <--this is not correct : it's logically flawed.

Who/what has more protein than wheat ? the rice. Hence the word rice should follow that modifier.

Hope it's clear

Hi Experts, can you please explain why E is wrong - To me it seems like rice has a protein higher in qality than wheat has. What is wrong.
Also, in B - I dont think its correct. rice has proein of higher quality than THAT - what THAT refers to.?

Both your questions are in fact related: The comparison must between the protein in rice and the protein in wheat.

In B, the pronoun "that" is used to refer to protein (creating a new copy of the antecedent - a typical use of "that": see below*).

In E, the comparison is between protein (in rice) and wheat. (If the word "has" were there, the comparison would be alright. But without "has", the comparison becomes problematic.)

(*Use of "that" to create new copy: The car I have is bigger than that you have.)

Hi adkikani
E is comparing Protein with Wheat. Here's the comparison,
rice has a protein higher in quality than Wheat .
Hence, its an incorrect comparison.

With the insertion of "that" as in B, the comparison becomes correct,
rice has protein of higher quality than that[=protein] in wheat.

Also note that, in most cases, there will be more than one split. In E, "a protein" is also incorrect. Another reason to eliminate E.

Cheers !!

Dear Brent,

If there were not any introductory modifier (In addition to having more protein than wheat does), does the comparison in choice A correct?

Thanks in advance for your help

The comparison itself would be correct, but "is of higher quality" sounds better than "is higher quality".

1. As stated by sayantanc2k in the above post, so there is no meaning ambiguity in option E? So, we can't eliminate E on the basis of parallelism?
2. the only reason that one can eliminate E is the usage of "a protein"?

AjiteshArun , GMATNinja , MagooshExpert , GMATGuruNY , VeritasPrepBrian , MartyTargetTestPrep , DmitryFarber , VeritasKarishma , generis , jennpt , other experts - please enlighten

The comparison in (E) is ambiguous.

"... rice has a protein higher in quality than wheat,..."

We could be comparing the protein qualities of rice and wheat.
or
We could be comparing the quality of rice protein with the quality of wheat.

Both are logical comparisons.
I would not accept this option even if we did not have "a protein". We do have a much better construction in (B).

Dear GMATGuruNY AjiteshArun MartyTargetTestPrep,

Why is E. wrong?

Why isn't "does/has" understood behind "wheat"?

Rice has a protein higher in quality than wheat (does/has) is incorrect?

Also, it clearly illogical to read E. as rice has a protein higher in quality than rice has wheat

Hi varotkorn,

To address the broader issue here: while meaning is definitely tested in SC questions, we cannot say that to read something a particular way is illogical and therefore it cannot be read that way. That is just not how language (especially English) works, and it is not how GMAT verbal works. In this case, what we must ask ourselves is not whether E is possible, but whether it is the best (of the 5). That is, is there another option that is free of other errors and is less open to misinterpretation than E is?

I addressed a similar question here. The takeaway is that very few things in verbal are "absolute" ("absolute" in the sense that they will always be applied the same way in every, or almost every, possible situation).

An ER-adjective is called a comparative.

SUBJECT + VERB + COMPARATIVE + OBJECT
Generally, this structure is appropriate when the intent is to compare the SUBJECT to another subject:
JOHN has a larger house than MARY.
Implied comparison:
John has a larger house than Mary [has a large house].

SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT + COMPARATIVE
Generally, this structure is appropriate when the intent is to compare the OBJECT to another noun:
John has A HOUSE larger than Mary's.
Implied comparison:
John has a house [that is] larger than Mary's [house is large]

In E, the comparative appears AFTER the object.
E: Rice has a protein higher in quality than wheat.
Since this structure typically serves to compare the OBJECT to another noun, the following comparison seems to be implied:
Rice has a protein [that is] higher in quality than wheat [is high in quality].
Not the intended comparison.

The intention is compare one PROTEIN to another PROTEIN, as in the OA:
Rice has PROTEIN of higher quality than THAT in wheat.
Implied comparison:
Rice has PROTEIN [that is] of higher quality than THE PROTEIN in wheat [is of high quality].

AjiteshArun VeritasKarishma AnthonyRitz

i am still unsure about the correct reference of 'THAT' in option B.

As per my understanding,grammatically 'that' refers to 'Protein' mentioned in the introductory phrase i.e ' In addition to having more protein than wheat does '& not to the Protein in the main clause i.e rice has protein of higher quality

is my understanding w.r.t pronoun reference correct