Based on pinto beans and corn tortillas, the Pima Indians have a diet

Question

Based on pinto beans and corn tortillas, the  Pima Indians have a diet that derives  70 percent of its protein from vegetable sources and only 30 percent from animal foods, the reverse of the typical North American diet.

(A) Pima Indians have a diet that derives

(B) Pima Indians in their diet derive

(C) diet of the Pima Indians derives

(D) diets of the Pima Indians have derived

(E) diet of the Pima Indians, deriving

Himalayan · Answer

C. because the introductory phrase "Based on pinto beans and corn tortillas" should be modified by "the dite of the pima indians" not by "the pima indians".
 
dite is singular so derives is ok.

bmwhype2 · Answer

The diets are based on pinto beans rather than the Pima Indians.  diet  correctly modifies  based on pinto beans and corn tortillas . 

As such, AB are wrong. 


D is wrong because  the reverse of the typical North American  diet  .

E is a run on sentence.

OA is C.

goalsnr · Answer

There is also a IIlism twist here.

 diet of the Pima Indians derives ......the reverse of the typical North  American diet

simonsanchez · Answer

Here's my explanation for why the answer is  C : (please forgive any redundancy)
"based on" modifies the diet, not the indians, so A & B are goner's
"its protein" tells us that there is only one diet, so D is out
and E does not allow for a subject and a verb, just a subject with dependent clauses. 
It has to be  C , if nothing else by POE.  C  is the only option with SV agreement.

asaf · Answer

Modifier 'Based on pinto beans and tortila' can only modify 'diet' not 'Indians'.
So, left with C, D and E.
A, a present simple, is simple and clean and may be the only choice.

BassanioGratiano · Answer

160. Based on pinto beans and corn tortillas, the  Pima Indians have a diet that derives  70 percent of  its  protein from vegetable sources and only 30 percent from animal foods, the reverse of the typical North American diet.
(A) Pima Indians have a diet that derives  You can't base pinto beans and corn tortillas on Pima Indians. It has to be their diet 
(B) Pima Indians in their diet derive  Same as A 
(C) diet of the Pima Indians derives  Correct. The singular "diet" accurately reflects "its"  
(D) diets of the Pima Indians have derived  "Diets" has to be singular to reflect "its" 
(E) diet of the Pima Indians, deriving  "deriving" is wrong

Please explain  why  an answer is wrong.

AJ0038810 · Answer

What is Based on pinto beans and corn tortillas ? Ans is diet of P Indians and not the P Indians themselves

..So first split omits A& B. Split 2 : Diet is singular and hence C looks best

.

rocky620 · Answer

Hi All,
i agree that, the diet is based on "Pinto beans and..." and not the PIMA INDIANS. But even so how can a diet derive proteins, its the humans who derives protein from their diet?
A diet can be composed of, structured with etc.

I am having a confusion in the meaning of this sentence.
 GMATNinja   generis  can you help in this?

mba757 · Answer

(A) Pima Indians have a diet that derives
 Pima Indians are NOT based on pinto beans - illogical meaning

(B) Pima Indians in their diet derive
 Pima Indians are NOT based on pinto beans - illogical meaning

(C) diet of the Pima Indians derives
 bingo

(D) diets of the Pima Indians have derived
 there aren’t multiple diets – “its protein” signals singular diet

(E) diet of the Pima Indians, deriving
 incomplete sentence; no action verb

PranjalJ · Answer

Based on pinto beans and corn tortillas, the Pima Indians have a diet that derives 70 percent of its protein from vegetable sources and only 30 percent from animal foods, the reverse of the typical North American diet.

(A) Pima Indians have a diet that derives ->  Based on pinto beans...., Pima Indians: How can Pima Indians be based on beans and tortillas ->    INCORRECT

(B) Pima Indians in their diet derive ->  same as A ->   INCORRECT

(C) diet of the Pima Indians derives ->  "Based on pinto beans..." is correctly modifying "diet" ->   CORRECT

(D) diets of the Pima Indians have derived ->  "its protein" referring to singular noun which is "diet" not "diets" ->   INCORRECT

(E) diet of the Pima Indians, deriving ->  modifier is used correctly but the whole sentence lacks a verb("deriving" is participle) ->   INCORRECT

brianmontanaweb · Answer

A, and B can be eliminated since "Pima Indians" can be "based on pinto beans"

D in correctly uses "diets" of "Prima Indians" that doesn't make sense. "A diet of a culture/people" is the correct phrasing.

E is incorrect because of ", deriving 70 percent of its protein" doesn't modify any phrase logically.

C is correct and addresses the issues seen in A and E

TanyaJ · Answer

1. SVA - Verb should agree with the subject. 
In the non underlined part, we have "its protein" -  Its   should refer to singular subject "Diet"  
"Pima Indians" - plural Eliminate A and B 
"Diets" - Plural Eliminate D

2.  comma subject rule  - based on pinto beans.....,the Pima Indians/Diet/Diets

We know Diet can be based on Pinto beans and corn tortillas   and Indians can't be based on food items. Therefore, Eliminate A and B

3. Now left with C and E 
, +ing - modifies whole clause and we can ignore the sentence between commas.

Diet of Pima Indians ,  deriving.....foods ,  the reverse of the typical North American diet 
  
Therefore, we eliminate E

Hence. C is the Correct ans.

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Based on pinto beans and corn tortillas, the Pima Indians have a diet

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Based on pinto beans and corn tortillas, the Pima Indians have a diet

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