Harsh2111s wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
After Woodrow Wilson had a massive right-hemisphere stroke, he could not read more than a few lines at a time, he was subject to outbursts of temper and tears, and his periods of alertness alternated between periods that were lethargic and withdrawal.
A. between periods that were lethargic and withdrawal
B. with periods of lethargy and withdrawal
C. those that were of lethargy and of withdrawal
D. withdrawal with periods of lethargy
E. between periods of being lethargic and withdrawn
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VeritasKarishma GMATNinja Why the use of "being" in option E is wrong?
Meaning is more clearer in option E than B.
use of "with" doesn't give the intended meaning.
alternate between is much better than alternate with.
Kindly explain
The problem with (E) is the meaning. It's okay to say, "his periods of alertness alternated between [x] and [y]." And it's also probably okay to alternate between (1) periods of
being [x] and (2) periods of
being [y].
But in choice (E), are his periods of alertness alternating between (1) periods of being lethargic and (2) withdrawn?? Again, it's probably okay to alternate between (1) periods of
being lethargic and (2) periods of
being withdrawn. But it doesn't make sense to have "withdrawn", by itself, alternating with "periods of
being lethargic".
At this point you might be thinking, "Well, the entire prepositional phrase 'of being lethargic and withdrawn' modifies the word 'period' right before it, so what you just said doesn't matter!" But if that's the case, what are we alternating between?? We have, "his periods of alertness alternated between (1) periods of being lethargic and withdrawn ... (umm, wait, where's the 2nd thing??)". We need to alternate between [x] and [y], but in this case we only get an [x].
Most importantly, think about the logical meaning here: we are not trying to say that his
periods of alertness, themselves, alternated between [x] and [y]. Instead, we are trying to say that his periods of alertness alternated
with periods of lethargy and withdrawal.
You could say, for example, that his
mental state alternated between (1) periods of alertness and (2) periods of lethargy and withdrawal. But we don't have that structure in this question. Instead we have [x] alternated
with [y], so (B) is the best choice.
I hope that helps!
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