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egmat
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean Updated on: 04 Jan 2012, 14:42
Originally posted by egmat on 03 Jan 2012, 11:13.
Last edited by egmat on 04 Jan 2012, 14:42, edited 1 time in total.
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C
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

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15% (low)

Question Stats:

81% (01:26) correct 19% (01:39) wrong based on 683 sessions

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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Meaning based problems. Correct and best explanation will get a Kudos from us and a free subscription for 1 month to our[highlight]OG Verbal 2 solutions for Sentence Correction[/highlight]. OG Verbal 2 solutions contain solutions to all SC questions using e-GMAT 3 step process- amounting to 14 hrs of audio visual content.

The rise in American exports was possible because international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants.
    A. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    B. America lowered international trade barriers and the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in unprecedented gains in efficiency
    C. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    D. international trade barriers were lowered, obtaining unprecedented gains in efficiency through the automated use of robotic equipment in manufacturing plants of America
    E. America lowered trade barriers internationally and the use of unprecedented automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in efficiency gains

Also Check out 5 strategies that GMAT uses to distort the meaning of the original sentence
5-strategies-that-gmat-uses-to-distort-meaning-124296.html
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C
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 04 Jan 2012, 06:02
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I would like to see a few more attempts WITH DETAILED ANALYSIS before I post the official answer!
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 04 Jan 2012, 08:39
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C

The rise in American exports was possible because international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants.
A. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants

not parallel

B. America lowered international trade barriers and the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in unprecedented gains in efficiency

distortion in meaning . America didn't lower the trade barriers

C. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
parallel. correct

D. international trade barriers were lowered, obtaining unprecedented gains in efficiency through the automated use of robotic equipment in manufacturing plants of America

distiorted meaning; as if because the barriers were lowered the efficiency was obtained
E. America lowered trade barriers internationally and the use of unprecedented automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in efficiency gains

distortion in meaning . America didn't lower the trade barriers
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 04 Jan 2012, 12:53
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The rise in American exports was possible because international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants.

A. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants

HAD BEEN not necessary, stay in simple past "was possible" because x's were lowered, y were obtained (C)

B. America lowered international trade barriers and the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in unprecedented gains in efficiency
meaning- not sure whether it was American lowering intl barriers or intl barriers globally, more importantly the use of x was not what made the rise possible, the gains in efficiency was one of the reasons

C. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
Correct- meaning and verb tense

D. international trade barriers were lowered, obtaining unprecedented gains in efficiency through the automated use of robotic equipment in manufacturing plants of America
wrong modifier, not rise in exports

E. America lowered trade barriers internationally and the use of unprecedented automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in efficiency gains
meaning wrong with only America lowering and again robotic equip is not a reason
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 04 Jan 2012, 14:44
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@jitbec - Congratulations. You win the OG Verbal review Solutions access for 1 month. Accurate and to the point analysis! Send me a PM with your e-GMAT user id information so that we can upgrade your account.

Quote:

egmat wrote:
The rise in American exports was possible because international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants.
    A. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    B. America lowered international trade barriers and the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in unprecedented gains in efficiency
    C. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    D. international trade barriers were lowered, obtaining unprecedented gains in efficiency through the automated use of robotic equipment in manufacturing plants of America
    E. America lowered trade barriers internationally and the use of unprecedented automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in efficiency gains
Show more

Here is the official explanation for this question:

Understand the Meaning of the Original Sentence



This sentence presents a cause and effect. The effect is – rise in American exports. There are two causes:
• international trade barriers were lowered
• unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained. This was done through the use of automated robotic equipment in US plants.

Find the Errors in the Original Sentence


1. The risein American exportswas possible
2. because
international trade barriers were lowered and
unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants

All SV pairs are accounted for and agree in number. This sentence has verb tense error. Logically there is no reason to indicate one of the causes in simple past tense and the other cause in past perfect tense. There is no basis for such sequencing. Thus the verb – had been obtained – should be expressed as ‘were obtained’.

Review Answer Choices to do POE


Choice B – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – By changing the causes from passive voice to active voice, this choice adds information that is not present in the original choice. It is not stated that America lowered the international trade barriers. Thus, this choice is incorrect.

Choice C – Correct choice. The verb tense error has been corrected.

Choice D – This choice distorts the intended meaning. It links the two rather independent tasks in causal relationship. Per this choice, the international trade barriers were lowered and this led to achieving gains in efficiency through use of automatic equipment. This is neither logical nor the intended meaning.

Choice E – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – This choice repeats the error in Choice B. It further changes the intended meaning by using “unprecedented” to describe “automated robotic equipment” instead of “efficiency gains”.

TAKE AWAYS


1. Always understand the intended meaning of the original sentence.
2. It is very important to note ALL the information present in the sentence.
3. The correct choice should communicate ALL that information – no more and no less – in a grammatically correct manner.
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 16 Jul 2013, 09:31
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egmat



Here is the official explanation for this question:

Understand the Meaning of the Original Sentence



This sentence presents a cause and effect. The effect is – rise in American exports. There are two causes:
• international trade barriers were lowered
• unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained. This was done through the use of automated robotic equipment in US plants.

Find the Errors in the Original Sentence


1. The risein American exportswas possible
2. because
international trade barriers were lowered and
unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants

All SV pairs are accounted for and agree in number. This sentence has verb tense error. Logically there is no reason to indicate one of the causes in simple past tense and the other cause in past perfect tense. There is no basis for such sequencing. Thus the verb – had been obtained – should be expressed as ‘were obtained’.

Review Answer Choices to do POE


Choice B – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – By changing the causes from passive voice to active voice, this choice adds information that is not present in the original choice. It is not stated that America lowered the international trade barriers. Thus, this choice is incorrect.

Choice C – Correct choice. The verb tense error has been corrected.

Choice D – This choice distorts the intended meaning. It links the two rather independent tasks in causal relationship. Per this choice, the international trade barriers were lowered and this led to achieving gains in efficiency through use of automatic equipment. This is neither logical nor the intended meaning.

Choice E – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – This choice repeats the error in Choice B. It further changes the intended meaning by using “unprecedented” to describe “automated robotic equipment” instead of “efficiency gains”.

TAKE AWAYS


1. Always understand the intended meaning of the original sentence.
2. It is very important to note ALL the information present in the sentence.
3. The correct choice should communicate ALL that information – no more and no less – in a grammatically correct manner.
Show more

I have a small doubt. Are the sentences B (America lowered international trade barriers and the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants) and E(America lowered trade barriers internationally and the use of unprecedented automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants) grammatically parallel?
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 02 Jan 2014, 06:15
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egmat
@jitbec - Congratulations. You win the OG Verbal review Solutions access for 1 month. Accurate and to the point analysis! Send me a PM with your e-GMAT user id information so that we can upgrade your account.

Quote:

egmat wrote:
The rise in American exports was possible because international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants.
    A. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    B. America lowered international trade barriers and the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in unprecedented gains in efficiency
    C. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    D. international trade barriers were lowered, obtaining unprecedented gains in efficiency through the automated use of robotic equipment in manufacturing plants of America
    E. America lowered trade barriers internationally and the use of unprecedented automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in efficiency gains

Here is the official explanation for this question:

Understand the Meaning of the Original Sentence



This sentence presents a cause and effect. The effect is – rise in American exports. There are two causes:
• international trade barriers were lowered
• unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained. This was done through the use of automated robotic equipment in US plants.

Find the Errors in the Original Sentence


1. The risein American exportswas possible
2. because
international trade barriers were lowered and
unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants

All SV pairs are accounted for and agree in number. This sentence has verb tense error. Logically there is no reason to indicate one of the causes in simple past tense and the other cause in past perfect tense. There is no basis for such sequencing. Thus the verb – had been obtained – should be expressed as ‘were obtained’.

Review Answer Choices to do POE


Choice B – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – By changing the causes from passive voice to active voice, this choice adds information that is not present in the original choice. It is not stated that America lowered the international trade barriers. Thus, this choice is incorrect.

Choice C – Correct choice. The verb tense error has been corrected.

Choice D – This choice distorts the intended meaning. It links the two rather independent tasks in causal relationship. Per this choice, the international trade barriers were lowered and this led to achieving gains in efficiency through use of automatic equipment. This is neither logical nor the intended meaning.

Choice E – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – This choice repeats the error in Choice B. It further changes the intended meaning by using “unprecedented” to describe “automated robotic equipment” instead of “efficiency gains”.

TAKE AWAYS


1. Always understand the intended meaning of the original sentence.
2. It is very important to note ALL the information present in the sentence.
3. The correct choice should communicate ALL that information – no more and no less – in a grammatically correct manner.
Show more


looking at the sentence in the below format, im little confused.

isnt it possible that (2) has happened in time before that of (1)? Such that 1 (happening at presnt) and 2 (happened before 1) is causing the rise in american exports?


The rise in American exports was possible because

1.international trade barriers were lowered
and
2.unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained

through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants


Thanks,
M
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 13 Sep 2016, 12:00
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egmat
jitbec - Congratulations. You win the OG Verbal review Solutions access for 1 month. Accurate and to the point analysis! Send me a PM with your e-GMAT user id information so that we can upgrade your account.

Quote:

egmat wrote:
The rise in American exports was possible because international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants.
    A. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    B. America lowered international trade barriers and the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in unprecedented gains in efficiency
    C. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    D. international trade barriers were lowered, obtaining unprecedented gains in efficiency through the automated use of robotic equipment in manufacturing plants of America
    E. America lowered trade barriers internationally and the use of unprecedented automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in efficiency gains

Here is the official explanation for this question:

Understand the Meaning of the Original Sentence



This sentence presents a cause and effect. The effect is – rise in American exports. There are two causes:
• international trade barriers were lowered
• unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained. This was done through the use of automated robotic equipment in US plants.

Find the Errors in the Original Sentence


1. The risein American exportswas possible
2. because
international trade barriers were lowered and
unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants

All SV pairs are accounted for and agree in number. This sentence has verb tense error. Logically there is no reason to indicate one of the causes in simple past tense and the other cause in past perfect tense. There is no basis for such sequencing. Thus the verb – had been obtained – should be expressed as ‘were obtained’.

Review Answer Choices to do POE


Choice B – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – By changing the causes from passive voice to active voice, this choice adds information that is not present in the original choice. It is not stated that America lowered the international trade barriers. Thus, this choice is incorrect.

Choice C – Correct choice. The verb tense error has been corrected.

Choice D – This choice distorts the intended meaning. It links the two rather independent tasks in causal relationship. Per this choice, the international trade barriers were lowered and this led to achieving gains in efficiency through use of automatic equipment. This is neither logical nor the intended meaning.

Choice E – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – This choice repeats the error in Choice B. It further changes the intended meaning by using “unprecedented” to describe “automated robotic equipment” instead of “efficiency gains”.

TAKE AWAYS


1. Always understand the intended meaning of the original sentence.
2. It is very important to note ALL the information present in the sentence.
3. The correct choice should communicate ALL that information – no more and no less – in a grammatically correct manner.
Show more

Hello ma'am,
If we do not specify who or how the international trade barriers were lowered, will it not be a case of dangling modifier?
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 01 May 2017, 03:38
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egmat
jitbec - Congratulations. You win the OG Verbal review Solutions access for 1 month. Accurate and to the point analysis! Send me a PM with your e-GMAT user id information so that we can upgrade your account.

Quote:

egmat wrote:
The rise in American exports was possible because international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants.
    A. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    B. America lowered international trade barriers and the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in unprecedented gains in efficiency
    C. international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants
    D. international trade barriers were lowered, obtaining unprecedented gains in efficiency through the automated use of robotic equipment in manufacturing plants of America
    E. America lowered trade barriers internationally and the use of unprecedented automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants resulted in efficiency gains

Here is the official explanation for this question:

Understand the Meaning of the Original Sentence



This sentence presents a cause and effect. The effect is – rise in American exports. There are two causes:
• international trade barriers were lowered
• unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained. This was done through the use of automated robotic equipment in US plants.

Find the Errors in the Original Sentence


1. The risein American exportswas possible
2. because
international trade barriers were lowered and
unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained through the use of automated robotic equipment in American manufacturing plants

All SV pairs are accounted for and agree in number. This sentence has verb tense error. Logically there is no reason to indicate one of the causes in simple past tense and the other cause in past perfect tense. There is no basis for such sequencing. Thus the verb – had been obtained – should be expressed as ‘were obtained’.

Review Answer Choices to do POE


Choice B – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – By changing the causes from passive voice to active voice, this choice adds information that is not present in the original choice. It is not stated that America lowered the international trade barriers. Thus, this choice is incorrect.

Choice C – Correct choice. The verb tense error has been corrected.

Choice D – This choice distorts the intended meaning. It links the two rather independent tasks in causal relationship. Per this choice, the international trade barriers were lowered and this led to achieving gains in efficiency through use of automatic equipment. This is neither logical nor the intended meaning.

Choice E – Grammatically Correct but Incorrect Choice – This choice repeats the error in Choice B. It further changes the intended meaning by using “unprecedented” to describe “automated robotic equipment” instead of “efficiency gains”.

TAKE AWAYS


1. Always understand the intended meaning of the original sentence.
2. It is very important to note ALL the information present in the sentence.
3. The correct choice should communicate ALL that information – no more and no less – in a grammatically correct manner.
Show more


Hello e-gmat and verbal experts

Can we use past perfect for the causes ?

international trade barriers had been lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency had been obtained
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 06 Sep 2017, 10:10
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correct answer is C because international trade barriers were lowered and unprecedented gains in efficiency were obtained written correctly.
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This question is the second practice problem in the 4th series of Mean 06 Aug 2021, 20:18
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