Almost like clones in their similarity to one another, the cheetah spe

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that cheetahs are almost like clones in their similarity to one another, and they are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Modifiers + Pronouns

• In a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun; this is one of the most frequently tested concepts on GMAT sentence correction.
• Collective nouns (such as “species” in this sentence) are always singular.

A: This answer choice incorrectly uses "Almost like clones in their similarity to one another" to modify "the cheetah species’ homogeneity", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that cheetahs are almost like clones in their similarity to one another; please remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option A incorrectly refers to the singular noun "cheetah species'" with the plural pronouns "their" and "them"; please remember, collective nouns (such as “species” in this sentence) are always singular.

B: This answer choice incorrectly uses "Almost like clones in their similarity to one another" to modify "the cheetah species", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that cheetahs are almost like clones in their similarity to one another; please remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option B incorrectly refers to the singular noun "the cheetah species" with the plural pronoun "their"; please remember, collective nouns (such as “species” in this sentence) are always singular.

C: This answer choice incorrectly uses "Almost like clones in their similarity to one another" to modify "the homogeneity", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that cheetahs are almost like clones in their similarity to one another; please remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option C incorrectly refers to the singular noun "homogeneity" with the plural pronoun "their".

D: This answer choice incorrectly uses "Almost like clones in their similarity to one another" to modify "homogeneity", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that cheetahs are almost like clones in their similarity to one another; please remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option D incorrectly refers to the singular noun "homogeneity" with the plural pronoun "their".

E: Correct. This answer choice correctly uses "Almost like clones in their similarity to one another" to modify "members of the cheetah species", conveying the intended meaning - that cheetahs are almost like clones in their similarity to one another. Further, Option E correctly uses the plural pronoun "their" to refer to the plural noun "members".

Hence, E is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Phrase Comma Subject" and "Subject Comma Phrase" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1minute):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

Straight E.

C and D wrongly compare clones to homogeneity.
Between B and E, E is better since 'members of the cheetah species' is plural and 'one another' rightly does the comparison.

Straight E

Its between B and E because of proper placement of word being modified.

Phrase "Almost like clones in their similarity to one another" suggested that this phrase should be modifying some plural subject. Thats why B is wrong.

Almost like clones in their similarity to one another, the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease.

A. the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease
--> "homogeneity" is wrongly compared to "clones" . We can say that one clone is smiliar to another clone. However, can we say that a homogeneity is similar to another homogeneity? ---> It is obviously that "homogeneity" can't be compared with "clones" . Also, "them" has no specific antecedent.

One gramma point noted by Vivek123 long ago:
1. The taciturn personality of Joana makes her difficult to approach. --> in this case, "her" is understood to refer to "Joana"
In another case:
2. Joana's taciturn personality makes her difficult to approach --> "her" cannot be used to refer to "Joana"
==> for above reasons, A is out.

B. the cheetah species is especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity
--> "its" has no specific antecedent, whether it's "species" or "disease" we don't know. --> B is out.

C. the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease
---> "homogeneity" is wrongly compared with "clones"
--> C is out.

D. homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease
---> Same reason as in C. --> out

E. members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity --> correct.

Almost like clones in their similarity to one another, the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease.

(A) the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease
Modifier error. It's not the cheetah species' homogeneity that is similar, it's the cheetah species.

(B) the cheetah speciesis especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity
The modifier is correct but it runs into a second problem. The species can't be vulnerable to disease, the cheetahs themselves are vulnerable to the disease. This error is fixed in E.

(C) the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease
Modifier error. It's not the cheetah species' homogeneity that is similar, it's the cheetah species.

(D) homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease
Modifier error. It's not the cheetah species' homogeneity that is similar, it's the cheetah species.

(E) members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity
Correct

The modification error clearly removes three choices namely A, C and D. It is not the homogeneity that is like clones but the members of the Cheetah species.
B is out for reasons of subject – pronoun number disagreement by using their for the singular species.E is the final survivor

we have "their" in dependent clause so in the independent clause we would need PLURAL subject.

(A) the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease
homogineity is singular. and wrong subject.

(B) the cheetah species is especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity

(C) the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease

(D) homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease

(E) members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity

Almost like clones in their similarity to one another, the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease.

(A) the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease - Illogical modification - homogeneity cannot be like clones ; do not have an antecedent for “them”
(B) the cheetah species is especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity - “Like” illogically compares “the cheetah species” with clones. The cheetah species is not like clones; it’s the members that are like clones ; “species” is singular here, there is no antecedent for “their”.
(C) the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease - “Like” illogically compares “homogeneity” with clones ; No antecedent for “their”.
(D) homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease - “Like” illogically compares “homogeneity” with clones
(E) members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity- Correct

Answer E

Almost like clones in their similarity to one another, the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease.

(A) the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease -misplaced modifier
(B) the cheetah species is especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity -species is singular, thus "their" can't refer to species
(C) the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease -misplaced modifier
(D) homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease -misplaced modifier
(E) members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity - Correct. Plural their goes hand in hand with members

Almost like clones in their similarity to one another, the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease.

(A) the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease
"Them" intends to refer to "the cheetah species", but it is not found in (A). (A)'s main subject is species's "homogeneity".

(B) the cheetah species is especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity
"Almost like clones in their similarity to one another"

(C) the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease
"it" wrongly refer to "the homogeneity. Homogeneity does not make homogeneity vulnerable.

(D) homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease
"Almost like clones in their similarity to one another" is not modifying "homogeneity".

(E) members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity

Correct me if my explanations are wrong.

The comparison should be between clones and cheetah. So, eliminate options: A,C,D (comparison of clones with homogeneity is wrong) and option B ("is" is wrong because its singular)
(A)the cheetah species’ homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease
(B) the cheetah species is especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity
(C) the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease
(D) homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease
(E) members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity

Hello shilpibansal,

Congratulations on solving this official sentence correct. You have done a neat job in quickly solving this problem correctly. Keep up the good work.

I would just like to say that from your analysis of Choice B, it appears that you think that species is a plural noun and hence use of single is incorrect.

Please note that word species is considered singular when it has been used in connection of one entity.

Since this official sentence talks about cheetah species, the word species is singular.

Choice B is incorrect because like other choice, this choice also presents illogical comparison between clones (individual units) and cheetah species.


Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Can easily pick E by considering S-V agreement. Only E has a plural subject, which matches 'their'.

Hello megakee9,

Your reason is absolutely sound to reject all answer choices and select Choice E as the correct answer for this official sentence.

However, the basis on which you have made this selection is not S-V agreement as there is no Verb engaged in your logical analysis.

Their is a plural pronoun that must agree in number with its noun antecedent that it refers to. So you made your selection on the basis of Pronoun- Antecedent number agreement.


Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

I'm not able to grasp completely what do you mean by "Please note that word species is considered singular when it has been used in connection of one entity."
Please elaborate that for me. Thank you.

Hello chandra004,

Thank you for the query.

The word species in general is a singular noun.

When used as many species or in a context when the word has been used for more than one living being, then it acts as a plural.

Long story short, species can be used as both singular and plural noun. The usage will depend on the context of the sentence.


Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Hi GMATNinja,
I haven't completely grasped the point of your explanation.
why it need to be followed by a plural noun, just because of "their" in the non-underlined portion?
first, i think "their" refers to "clones"
second, i don't thinks plural noun need follow because i read a sentence from MANHATTAN SC guidance:
UNLKIE her parents, she has green eyes --her parents is plural noun, she is singular,

Many posts discussed in this forum point out that it need to be followed by a plural noun because of their, but i havenot gotten. Please help,

Hi mikemcgarry, GMATNinjaTwo, MagooshExpert Carolyn,
sayantanc2
VeritasPrepKarishma

if you experts are available, please join.

Thanks in advance

Have a nice day
>_~