A new study finds that the more hostility people show in their behavio

Question

A new study finds that the more hostility people show in their behavior and attitudes,  then calcium deposits are more likely to be  in the arteries of their hearts.

(A) then calcium deposits are more likely to be
(B) then the more likely calcium deposits are
(C) the more there are likely to be calcium deposits
(D) the more likely they are to have calcium deposits
(E) the more likely there are to be calcium deposits

Please could some one explain the difference between d and e.

daagh · Accepted Answer

There are a couple of clues to the right answer choice; first, in ' the more x, the more y ' templates, you don’t need a connector such as ‘ then ’. A B are gone. Second, you have to have a noun or a pronoun in the second part to // the people in the first part. D wins

amma4u · Answer

Daagh has given a very good explanation but for learners like me, when I see "to be" I am cautious using it because it is passive and GMAT does not prefer it.

There is a clear parallelism THE MORE X, THE MORE Y in D, also in E, there should be used when a place is in context. Here people are referred, hence we need "they".

D does it all.

Hope I was of some help

daagh · Answer

The word ‘ there ’ in C and E is used as an expletive subject and does not refer to a place. Therefore it may not be right to score them out on that count. The alternate explanation that ‘ there ’ does not parallel people is more reasonable.

gmat1220 · Answer

Yeah well explained - "there", "when" spoilers. except d every choice is gone.

vivesomnium · Answer

subject verb combination should remain consist in the more x does Y, the more .... type of consturction.

the more people show.., the more they have.. is right construction.hence D

eybrj2 · Answer

106. A new study finds that the more hostility people show in their behavior and attitudes,  then calcium deposits are more likely to be  in the arteries of their hearts.

A. then calcium deposits are more likely to be
B. then the more likely calcium deposits are
C. the more there are likely to be calcium deposits
D. the more likely they are to have calcium deposits
E. the more likely there are to be calcium deposits

In d, is it possible to say "they are to have"?

MichaelS · Answer

Perfectly fine.

The reason it looks funny here is because it would ordinarily be expressed "they are more likely to have calcium deposits," rather than "more likely they are to have calcium deposits. But in that  The more X, the more Y  structure, word order can get jumbled. Notice that the other part of the comparison is also jumbled: outside of this structure "hostility people show," would be expressed "people show hostility."

metallicafan · Answer

+1 D

"they" is important because eliminates the ambiguity about who have the calcium depositits.

iwillcrackgmat · Answer

in 'the more x, the more y' is the correct idiom

So between D n E

to be is a passive form - E eliminated

D is the answer

law258 · Answer

Correct answer is D

A. then calcium deposits are more likely to be --> eliminated due to parallelism missing
B. then the more likely calcium deposits are --> eliminated due to parallelism missing
C. the more there are likely to be calcium deposits --> incorrect
D. the more likely they are to have calcium deposits --> correct; sounds better against C and E 
E. the more likely there are to be calcium deposits --> incorrect

svasan05 · Answer

A new study finds that the more hostility people show in their behavior and attitudes,  then calcium deposits are more likely to be  in the arteries of their hearts.

(A) then calcium deposits are more likely to be  The correct expression is "the more X, the more Y" - unnecessary use of "then" as a conjunction. Eliminate.

(B) then the more likely calcium deposits are  The correct expression is "the more X, the more Y" - unnecessary use of "then" as a conjunction. Eliminate.

(C) the more there are likely to be calcium deposits  "the more ...  people ..." has nothing in parallel in the second half. Eliminate.

(D) the more likely they are to have calcium deposits  Correct answer - above errors are rectified and no new errors are introduced.

(E) the more likely there are to be calcium deposits "the more ...  people ..." has nothing in parallel in the second half. Eliminate.

Hope this helps.

VIGHNESHKAMATH · Answer

By expletive subject, you mean the one which merely act as a placeholder? If yes, would subjects such as ''it'', ''those'', ''this'' could also act as expletive subjects, as I have seen some GMAT questions which use such placeholders, without any referent for them?

Regards
Vighnesh

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