Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive

Question

The Official Guide for GMAT Review 2015

Practice Question  
Question No.: SC 108
Page: 692 
 Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.

(A) Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.

(B) Authoritative parents who are more likely than permissive parents to have adolescent children that are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.

(C) Children of authoritative parents, rather than permissive parents, are the more likely to be self-confident, have a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as adolescents.

(D) Children whose parents are authoritative rather than being permissive, are more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and be responsibly independent when they are an adolescent.

(E) Rather than permissive parents, the children of authoritative parents are the more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as an adolescent.

sudeep · Accepted Answer

Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.

A.Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.
 Only left
Though, I would prefer 'that' in place of 'who' in this case, if 'that' were given as an option. 
B.Authoritative parents who are more likely than permissive parents to have adolescent children that are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.
 incomplete sentence
Authoritative parents (who are...) ...no verb!! 
C. Children of authoritative parents, rather than permissive parents , are the more likely to be self-confident, have a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as adolescents.
 wrong comparison 
'the more' seems inappropriate 
D.Children whose parents are authoritative rather than being permissive, are more likely to have  self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and be responsibly independent  when they are an adolescent.
 not parallel 
E.Rather than  permissive parents ,  the children of authoritative parents  are the more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as an adolescent.
 wrong comparison
'the more' seems inappropriate here.  Opinions?

prasun9 · Answer

The concept tested in this question is Comparison. The comparison is between  Authoritative Parents  and  Permissive Parents  and the are compared on the basis of their Children's qualities.

A. Seems to do a great job of comparing the two parents based on their children's qualities -- Correct
B. Incomplete sentence, the sentence lacks a verb. Authoritative Parents + Bunch of Modifiers  Missing Verb  - Wrong
C. Compares  Children  of Authoritative Parents to  Permissive Parents  - Wrong Comparison
D. This sentence changes the intended meaning by stating that Children of authoritative parents rather than being permissive are more self confident. This is not the intended meaning of the original sentence. - Wrong
E. Compares  Permissive Parents  to the  Children of authoritative parents. - Wrong

This is a great example where instead of grammar rules the intended meaning of the sentence is enough to find the right answer.

lgon · Answer

Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.
 
E compares the children with parents.. which rules E out.
D makes children as subject ..ruled out
C .. has the close competition. hold it
B-Talks if only authoritative parents have adolscent children.. altered meaning and wrong construction. ... ruled out.
Now between A & C, A is more direct as subject of C is children .. also "are the more likely is wrong." 
A is the only answer
A.Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.
B.Authoritative parents who are more likely than permissive parents to have adolescent children that are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.
C.Children of authoritative parents, rather than permissive parents, are the more likely to be self-confident, have a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as adolescents.
D.Children whose parents are authoritative rather than being permissive, are more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and be responsibly independent when they are an adolescent.

E.Rather than permissive parents, the children of authoritative parents are the more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as an adolescent.

whamberto · Answer

I have chosen A for this question:

A. The sentence clearly compares authoritative parents to permissive parents. Also, the traits of the children are in parallel.

You can view the parallelism like this:

Children who as adolescents are:
-self confident 
-high in self esteem 
-responsibly independent

Although it may appear that they don't all have the same grammatical form, there is no other way to present the 3 elements without completely changing the structure.

B. This sentence is a fragment - the use of the word "who" is completely unnecessary.

C. Inaccurately compares children to permissive parents. Parallelism is also broken in this sentence - to be, have, and to be.

D. The word "being" disrupts the parallelism. We are trying to compare parents who are authoritative to parents who are permissive.

E. Children is being compared to permissive parents - bad comparison.

nanishora · Answer

Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.

A.Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.  correct 
B.Authoritative parents who are more likely than permissive parents to have adolescent children that are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.  misplaced who. Are they more likely to have adolescent children? 
C.Children of authoritative parents, rather than permissive parents, are the more likely to be self-confident, have a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as adolescents.  the more likely???, parallelism - have self steem, be self confident and be respo., incorrect comparison of children to parents. 
D.Children whose parents are authoritative rather than being permissive, are more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and be responsibly independent when they are an adolescent.  parallelism error 
E.Rather than permissive parents, the children of authoritative parents are the more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as an adolescent.  conmapres parents and children

smartyguy · Answer

Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent .

A.Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.
  Correct  
B.Authoritative parents who are more likely than permissive parents to have adolescent children that are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.
 wrong construction + lack \sm 
C.Children of authoritative parents, rather than permissive parents, are the more likely to be self-confident, have a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as adolescents.
 lack \sm + are the more wrong construction 
D.Children whose parents are authoritative rather than being permissive, are more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and be responsibly independent when they are an adolescent.
 Usage of being is almost wrong on gmat + comparison is not between the correct pair 
E.Rather than permissive parents, the children of authoritative parents are the more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as an adolescent
 wordy Construction+ lack \sm

Hence A
Ans!

Regards
SG

sayantanc2k · Answer

Here the function of  as  is to convey the meaning  in the role of . In this circumstance  as  is a preposition and  as adolescent  is a prepositional phrase modifier used to modify the relative pronoun  who .

If the prepositional phrase were to modify  children  directly, it could be placed before or after the modified element (children):

As adolescents children are self confident... correct.
Children as adolescents are self confident.... correct.

However in this case since the modified element is a relative pronoun  who  it is not possible to place the modifier before the modified element.

sayantanc2k · Answer

Good point. It is acceptable to omit the repeated portions (even verbs) form the second element of a parallel structure, if the meaning is not obscured.

I run faster than you (run)... correct. The verb "run" can be omiited from the second element ( you do ) of the comparison structure.

However if the meaning is ambiguous, then the verb cannot be omitted. Consider the following example:
I like sweets more than Jane.
meaning 1: I like sweets; Jane like sweets. I like sweets more than Jane does. (second verb CANNOT be omitted).
meaning 2: I like sweets; I like Jane. I like sweets more than I like Jane. (second verb CANNOT be omitted)

Nonetheless the subject question does not give rise to such ambiguity and hence it is alright to omit the verb.

Nightfury14 · Answer

Q10:  Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.

A.  Authoritative parents  are more likely than  permissive parents  to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent. -  Correct 
B. Authoritative parents  who are  more likely than permissive parents to have adolescent children that are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.  Incorrect - Lacks a Verb to complete the sentence 
C.  Children of authoritative parents , rather than  permissive parents,  are the more likely to be self-confident, have a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as adolescents. -Incorrect - Illogical Comparison 
D. Children whose parents are authoritative rather than  being permissive , are more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and be responsibly independent when they are an adolescent. 
E. Rather than  permissive parents , the  children of authoritative parents  are the more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly independent as an adolescent. -Incorrect - Illogical Comparison

BillyZ · Answer

Answer :  A

(A) makes a logical and unambiguous comparison and presents a parallel list of three items.

(A) self-confident, high in self-esteem, and independent

Answer (B) has a subject ( parents ), but  no main verb . The first instance of the verb  are  is part of the modifier  who are more likely , and the second instance is part of the modifier  that are self-confident . Eliminate answer (B) because it is a sentence fragment.

dabaobao · Answer

(A) Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive parents to have children who as adolescents are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.  - Correct

(B) Authoritative parents who are more likely than permissive parents to  have adolescent children  that are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.  - Wrong: 1) Meaning

(C) Children of authoritative parents, rather than permissive parents, are the more likely to be self-confident, have a high self-esteem, and  to  be responsibly independent as adolescents.  - Wrong: 1) Parallelism

(D) Children whose parents are authoritative rather than  being permissive , are more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and  be  responsibly independent  when they are an adolescent .  - Wrong: 1) 2 Parallelism issues 2) Meaning

(E) Rather than permissive parents,  the children  of authoritative parents are the more likely to have self-confidence, a high self-esteem, and to be responsibly  independent as an adolescent .  - Wrong: 1) Comparison 2) Parallelism

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

This question is based on Parallelism and Sentence Construction.

Option B is incomplete. The structure of the sentence as in Option B is – 
Authoritative parents  (Subject)  
who are more likely than permissive parents to have adolescent children  (subordinate clause modifying ‘parents’)  
that are self-confident, high in self-esteem, and responsibly independent.  (subordinate clause modifying children)

As can be seen in the split of the sentence, B is made up of a  Subject + subordinate clause + subordinate clause . There should have been a verb after the second clause to complete the sentence. Since it is missing,  the sentence is incomplete and so, Option B  can be eliminated.

Option C makes  an inaccurate comparison between “Children of authoritative parents” and “permissive parents”.  The comparison should have been with ‘children of permissive parents’. C also  lacks parallelism in the way the three qualities of the children are mentioned  -  to be  self-confident,  have  a high self-esteem, and  to be  responsibly independent as adolescents. So,  Option C  can also be eliminated.

Option D also  lacks parallelism  in the last part of the sentence – 
 to have  self-confidence,  a high self-esteem , and  be responsibly independent  when they are an adolescent. 
So,  Option D  can also be eliminated.

Option E  also makes an inaccurate comparison  between “permissive parents” and “children of authoritative parents”. There is  also a lack of parallelism  -
 to have  self-confidence,  a high self-esteem , and  to be  responsibly independent as an adolescent – For these reasons,  Option E  can be eliminated.

Option A makes  an accurate comparison between “Authoritative parents” and “permissive parents” .  The parallelism is maintained  in the option – 
adolescents are  self-confident ,  high in self-esteem , and  responsibly independent 
There are three adjective phrases to describe adolescents.  Therefore, A is the most appropriate option.

Jayanthi Kumar.

gambit07 · Answer

Isn't it weird to say that a set of parents are more likely to have children ?

I know there are no other better options but a better structure would have been " Children of xx parents than of yy parents are -----"

Taulark1 · Answer

sayantanc2k  , Hi could you please help me out with a doubt ! ,would really appreciate the help.

Regarding ambiguous comparison - question ->  https://gmatclub.com/forum/balding-is-much-more-common-among-white-males-than-males-of-other-race-92195.html#p2940528

In the referred question , i think there is no ambiguous comparison. Could you please help me out with this one as to what will be the correct reasoning behind the correct answer

100mitra · Answer

A. Authoritative  parents  = permissive  parents  -  Correct

B. Authoritative parents  who  = permissive parents - Wrong comparison
C.  Children  = permissive  parent  - Wrong comparison
D.  Children  =  parents  - Wrong comparison
E. permissive  parents  =  the children  of authoritative parents - Wrong comparison

waytowharton · Answer

Hi experts  KarishmaB ,

I am clear wrt comparison errors in Option C,D,E, but I would like to understand can we reject these options basis idiom more x rather than Y. It should be more x than Y. Please do help. Thanks!

KarishmaB · Answer

These options do not have 'more X rather than Y' comparison.

There are two diff comparisons happening here -

X rather than Y 
X - authoritative parents
Y - permissive parents
(between parents)

Children of X are more likely to have ... (compared with children of Y)
(between children)

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Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive

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Authoritative parents are more likely than permissive

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