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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 12:09
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

So argument says anthill networks were constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and
anthill networks are extending across the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia

Constructed and sprawling are modifiers modifying anthill networks and hence A looks correct

(A) sprawling
Correct due to explanation above
(B) sprawls
here a massive complex that consists of....... and sprawls is not parallel. Also constructed and sprawls is not parallel. Also anthill networks is plural so sprawls is wrong
(C) sprawled
Constructed and sprawled though look parallel changes the meaning means the networks no longer exist now or sprawl across
(D) it sprawled
it sprawled is not parallel with a massive complex and hence incorrect
(E) is sprawling
a massive complex and is sprawling is not parallel. Anthills constructed and is sprawling is not parallel. Plus anthill networks is plural so is sprawling does not look right
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 13:03
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling
(B) sprawls
(C) sprawled
(D) it sprawled
(E) is sprawling

Let us do it

Meaning is most important factor,

a massive complex that something and something structure from overall meaning. Here, both something are parallel structure, in that case ,
a massive complex that consists of ..... and sprawls across .. is good structure

Answer; B
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 14:05
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling
(B) sprawls
(C) sprawled
(D) it sprawled
(E) is sprawling


 


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The question is similar to an OG question :dazed

(A) sprawling - Correct as we need something parallel to "constructed " a modifier.
(B) sprawls - Incorrect parallelism. We need a modifier not a verb.
(C) sprawled - Incorrect parallelism. We need a modifier not a verb.
(D) it sprawled - Incorrect parallelism. Multiple possible referent of it.
(E) is sprawling - Incorrect parallelism. We need a modifier not a verb.

IMO A
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 15:10
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Analysing the parallelism of the sentence, we get:
A massive complex that
(1) ...consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks...
(2) ...sprawls across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

-> Our verb follows after "that" clause and develops the massive complex discovered, not the "interconnected anthill networks"

(A) sprawling - doesn't follow the sentence structure
(B) sprawls - the only correct answer
(C) sprawled - unsuitable tense
(D) it sprawled - unsuitable in the sentence
(E) is sprawling - unsuitable tense
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 18:48
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.
=>spawling-> spawled
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 18:52
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Subject Verb Agreement. Sprawling has to match with a massive complex. A massive complex is sprawling across... correct the sentence.

(A) sprawling
(B) sprawls
(C) sprawled
(D) it sprawled
(E) is sprawling
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 19:17
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling
(B) sprawls - correct as it is parallel with consists, both consists and sprawls describe “a massive complex”
(C) sprawled
(D) it sprawled
(E) is sprawling
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 19:22
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling Wrong usage of tense
(B) sprawlssame as A
(C) sprawled correct
(D) it sprawled Wrong Pronoun
(E) is sprawling Same as A
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 19:33
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Bunuel
Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling
(B) sprawls
(C) sprawled
(D) it sprawled
(E) is sprawling


 


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Sprawled should be parallel to 'constructed' and modify 'networks'. C is the answer.
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 19:59
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Sprawled is correct verb- Answer C
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C

(A) sprawling. not in parallel with "constructed"
(B) sprawls. modifies complex? if so, it should be " complex that consists ... and that sprawls" to be parallel.
(C) sprawled.
(D) it sprawled. Not in parallel, and wrong meaning.
(E) is sprawling. wrong tense, and not in parallel.
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 20:56
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling - Correct as Constructed and Sprawling both are parrallel and modifies networks

(B) sprawls - Wrong - as it is not parrallel

(C) sprawled - Wrong - We have a verb in the past tense that cannot be parallel to a modifier. Also the networks is still Sprawling. It is still there. So use of past tense is wrong anyway.

(D) it sprawled - Wrong - as it is not parrallel

(E) is sprawling - Wrong - This is a verb and a verb cannot be parallel to a modifier.
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 21:18
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This question tests Parallelism. The parallelism trigger here is "and".
"a massive complex" is described by two statements:- first is "consists of over ..... ants some 100 years ago" and second is "sprawling across ..... , and Asia".

(A) We need parallelism in "that consists" and "that sprawling", hence this is a wrong option

(B) "sprawls" is parallel with "consists". Hence this is a correct option.

(C) "sprawled" is not parallel with "consists", hence wrong option.

(D) "it sprawled" is not parallel with "consists", also "it" is unnecessary here, it makes the sentence as:- "a massive complex that it sprawled ...." which is clearly wrong.

(E) "is sprawling" is not parallel with "consists", hence wrong option.
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 21:19
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Bunuel
Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling
(B) sprawls
(C) sprawled
(D) it sprawled
(E) is sprawling


 


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Parallelism
participial phrases in parallel "constructed... and sprawling..."
(A) sprawling Correct.
(B) sprawls Not parallel with constructed
(C) sprawled It should be present participle because it is active: the network "sprawls" itself, not "is sprawled."
(D) it sprawled Not parallel with constructed
(E) is sprawling Not parallel with constructed
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 21:22
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Core action or main/ independent sentence: Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants
Noun-noun modifier is modifying "what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants" : a massive complex (Noun) + that clause (modifies "a massive complex")
Look at the absolute modifier 'Noun + that clause':
"a massive complex that consists of ... networks constructed by... and sprawling across..."
and -> parallel marker => sprawl may parallel to the past participle "constructed", or the Verb "consists"
In this case, "constructed..." and "sprawling" are participle modifiers that perfectly modify the noun "networks" and perfectly parallel.
Hence there is no problem with the original sentence.

(A) sprawling
keep A

(B) sprawls
The absolute modifier becomes as below.
"a massive complex that consists of ... networks constructed by... and sprawls across..."

in this case "sprawls" will be verb for "that" i.e. a massive complex
- Meaning: what sprawls across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia? I think more likely is "over 22 million interconnected anthill networks", this part talks about how huge the networks are.
- Grammar: if "sprawl" is verb, "and that sprawls" will make it clearer and less ambiguous.
Clearly A is better than B.

(C) sprawled
If sprawled is a Verb in past tense, it will be verb for "that" i.e. a massive complex and parallel to "consists" but the past tense doesnot appropriate because this "sprawling" action still ongoing.
If sprawled is a past participle modifier and parallel to "constructed". "sprawled" doesnt make sense, the networks are not sprawled they sprawls across some countries.

(D) it sprawled and (E) is sprawling
in these both cased the sprawl reflects action of "a massive complex"
as explained above, the sprawl is the action of the networks

A

Thanks for reading
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 19 Jul 2023, 23:06
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Meaning:Entomologists discovered that a colony of ants, a complex that consists 22 million anthill networks constructed...and sprawling... What is "sprawling" here? It's the networks . Because if "a complex" sprawls, the answer must contains "that sprawls" to make the two phrases parallel (a complex that consists...and that sprawls...)
A) As stated above, "sprawling" is a present participle and it is parallel with the word "constructed"-which is a past participle. This is completely normal in GMAT parallelism=>Correct
B) This answer lacks of the word "that" to make parallelism. We can't say that "sprawls" is parallel with "constructed" since verb can't parallel with past participle.
C) "sprawled" is wrong because we must use the active voice to make the correct meaning.
D) "it" can substitue for "a complex". But we don't have a colon before "and", so we can't connect 2 independent clause here=>Incorrect
E) "is sprawling" is wrong because we don't have any parallelism here.
The answer is A
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 20 Jul 2023, 00:15
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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling-- correct its // to connected
(B) sprawls--- cannot be // to modifier
(C) sprawled-- cannot be // to modifier
(D) it sprawled-- cannot be // to modifier
(E) is sprawling-- cannot be // to modifier

Ans A
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 20 Jul 2023, 00:33
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Bunuel
Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

(A) sprawling
(B) sprawls
(C) sprawled
(D) it sprawled
(E) is sprawling


 


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Entomologists have recently discovered what appears to be a global mega-colony of ants, a massive complex that consists of over 22 million interconnected anthill networks constructed by over 200 billion Argentinean ants some 100 years ago and sprawling across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

For the clause "a massive complex...", two items are connected with an "and"; therefore, the TWO ITEMS MUST BE PARALLEL.
that is followed by "consists"- use of simple present.
Hence the item followed by "and" should also be in simple present. Using the present tense for sprawl: the correct answer must contain "sprawls"
Hence the correct answer is B
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 20 Jul 2023, 00:34
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In this sentence, "sprawl" modifies subject "a massive complex", so it has to be paralleled with "consists"
-> Thus, we use "sprawls"
Answer B
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Around the World in 80 Questions (Day 3): Entomologists have recently 20 Jul 2023, 00:42
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(C) sprawled
here we need simple past to correctly denote the event
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