Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung : Sentence Correction (EA only)

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

22 Sep 2019, 10:20

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hazelnut wrote:

Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung dynasty have withstood earthquakes well because the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating many joints and few nails, is flexible.

(A) used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating
(B) used in them has four times the tensile strength of steel has and the timber frame, incorporating
(C) that was used in them has four times the tensile strength steel has, and the timber frame, incorporating
(D) that was used has four times as much tensile strength as steel, and the timber frame incorporates
(E) that was used has four times the tensile strength steel does, and the timber frame incorporates

SC73561.01

Official Explanation

Logical predication; Grammatical construction

The sentence presents two reasons the Chinese buildings built under the code described have withstood earthquakes: the white cedar used in them has four times the tensile strength of steel, and the timber frame, which incorporates many joints and few nails, is flexible. The sentence is correct as worded because it clearly specifies these reasons.

A. Correct. As stated above, this version clearly conveys the intended meaning.

B. The construction has four times the tensile strength of steel has is idiomatically incorrect. The correct construction is has four times the tensile strength of steel.

C. The comma after has breaks up the sentence in such a way that only the great tensile strength of white cedar is offered as an explanation of the buildings' ability to withstand earthquakes, rather than both white cedar's tensile strength and the timber frame's flexibility. The statement regarding the timber frame's flexibility is mentioned simply as a separate fact not falling under the scope of because.

D. This choice presents a similar problem to the one in choice C: the comma after steel breaks up the sentence in such a way that only the great tensile strength of white cedar is offered as an explanation of the buildings' ability to withstand earthquakes, rather than both white cedar's tensile strength and the timber frame's flexibility. Furthermore, the timber frame incorporates many joints and few nails, is flexible is ungrammatical.

E. The construction has four times the tensile strength steel does is incorrect. The correct construction is has four times the tensile strength of steel. Furthermore, the comma after does creates the same problem that the initial commas in choices C and D cause, suggesting that the only factor allowing the buildings to withstand the earthquakes is the white cedar's tensile strength. Finally, the sentence ends with the same ungrammatical construction as in choice D: the timber frame incorporates many joints and few nails, is flexible.

The correct answer is A.

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

24 Sep 2019, 00:59

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gmatt1476 wrote:

C. The comma after has breaks up the sentence in such a way that only the great tensile strength of white cedar is offered as an explanation of the buildings' ability to withstand earthquakes, rather than both white cedar's tensile strength and the timber frame's flexibility. The statement regarding the timber frame's flexibility is mentioned simply as a separate fact not falling under the scope of because.

So, usage of comma is pretty much the only thing that wreaks meaning-related havoc in C.

To avoid this kind of a meaning related issue, I would have expected an additional because in the correct answer choice:

.....because the white cedar... and because the timber frame..

Interesting! Thanks for posting OE.

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

07 Jun 2020, 10:47

GMATNinja MentorTutoring EducationAisle AjiteshArun

Can this question be done on the basis of parallelism solely ? is my understanding stated below is correct ?

Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung dynasty have withstood earthquakes well because the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating many joints and few nails, is flexible.

Quote:

(A) used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating

Both look parallel, seem okay. Hold.

Quote:

(B) used in them has four times the tensile strength of steel has and the timber frame, incorporating

Not parallel because of [Noun + verb] "the tensile strength of steel has and the timber frame [Noun]

Quote:

(C) that was used in them has four times the tensile strength steel has, and the timber frame, incorporating

the timber frame is not parallel with The tensile strength steel, also "tensile strength steel" seems wrong, because tensile strength is made an adjective.

Quote:

(D) that was used has four times as much tensile strength as steel, and the timber frame incorporates

"the timber frame incorporates" is not structurally parallel with "The White cedar", neither it seems meant to be parallel with "The white cedar"

Quote:

(E) that was used has four times the tensile strength steel does, and the timber frame incorporates

Tensile strength steel is wrong.
X has four times tensile strength does - does should have been has ?

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

07 Jun 2020, 13:37

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hero_with_1000_faces wrote:

GMATNinja MentorTutoring EducationAisle AjiteshArun

Can this question be done on the basis of parallelism solely ? is my understanding stated below is correct ?

Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung dynasty have withstood earthquakes well because the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating many joints and few nails, is flexible.

Quote:

(A) used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating

Both look parallel, seem okay. Hold.

Quote:

(B) used in them has four times the tensile strength of steel has and the timber frame, incorporating

Not parallel because of [Noun + verb] "the tensile strength of steel has and the timber frame [Noun]

Quote:

(C) that was used in them has four times the tensile strength steel has, and the timber frame, incorporating

the timber frame is not parallel with The tensile strength steel, also "tensile strength steel" seems wrong, because tensile strength is made an adjective.

Quote:

(D) that was used has four times as much tensile strength as steel, and the timber frame incorporates

"the timber frame incorporates" is not structurally parallel with "The White cedar", neither it seems meant to be parallel with "The white cedar"

Quote:

(E) that was used has four times the tensile strength steel does, and the timber frame incorporates

Tensile strength steel is wrong.
X has four times tensile strength does - does should have been has ?

Hello, hero_with_1000_faces. I am not sure whether some of the talking points you have highlighted above would fall under the label of parallelism, not that that fundamentally changes the weight of those points. For example, in choice (A), the timber frame is simply the subject of a second independent clause—the timber frame... is flexible, whereas the tensile strength of steel is the latter part of a comparison within a dependent clause that exists in the first independent clause—buildings... have withstood earthquakes. I would say that, grammatically speaking, has and as much... as in the other choices draw attention to incorrect idioms. The idiom (for whatever reason history has handed down to us) for a comparison of tensile strength is the tensile strength of, and nothing else. Choices (C), (D), and (E) all fail immediately because they are lacking the correct idiom. Although (B) preserves the of, it includes a redundant has when of steel already marks the end of the comparison.

I would like to point out that there are often several ways in which you can eliminate answers, even in tougher questions, as long as more than, say, a single word is underlined. Here, you can quickly eliminate (D) and (E) for creating a second independent clause that is grammatically flawed: the timber frame incorporates many joints and few nails, is flexible. Of the remaining options, both (B) and (C) include this element of overkill in in them that actually muddles the meaning. The white cedar used in earthquakes? It is less clear than just saying used. I bring up these points to caution that an overly simplified approach may lead to more errors than a holistic approach.

Thank you for bringing the question to my attention. (It took me 1.07 to solve, and I felt certain about (A).)

- Andrew

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

07 Jun 2020, 19:53

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Hi Andrew/ MentorTutoring

Your approach is very slick, I am going to make some notes on this question in my errorlog.

Quote:

I would say that, grammatically speaking, has and as much... as in the other choices draw attention to incorrect idioms. The idiom (for whatever reason history has handed down to us) for a comparison of tensile strength is the tensile strength of, and nothing else. Choices (C), (D), and (E) all fail immediately because they are lacking the correct idiom. Although (B) preserves the of, it includes a redundant has when of steel already marks the end of the comparison.

However, I have got some more question after reading your answer on the structure.

Quote:

Hello, hero_with_1000_faces. I am not sure whether some of the talking points you have highlighted above would fall under the label of parallelism, not that that fundamentally changes the weight of those points. For example, in choice (A), the timber frame is simply the subject of a second independent clause—the timber frame... is flexible, whereas the tensile strength of steel is the latter part of a comparison within a dependent clause that exists in the first independent clause—buildings... have withstood earthquakes.

I am not sure if I understand the underlined part above, but ill try to present my view on this answer choice.

Quote:

the timber frame is simply the subject of a second independent clause

If the above is true than according to me the following changes should exits in the correct answer choice.

There should be a comma before "and the timber frame"; I understand comma is a stylistic matter, however I think the comma should exist. correct me please.
Also, IMO, incorporating many joints and few nails, modifies the previous clause "the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel "
If "the timber frame is flexible" is second independent clause, that means the modifier above, will modify "The Timber", however there should not be a comma, before "incorporating many joints and few nails".

Ill try to construct the sentence to make it clear:

Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung dynasty have withstood earthquakes well because the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel,and the timber frame incorporating many joints and few nails, is flexible.

In this case, the used becomes a "-ed" modifier, and is flexible is a verb for "The white cedar".

also, when second part is made an independent clause, the meaning is not clear to me as it sounds like:

Quote:

Buildings erected have withstood earthquakes because The white cedar used has something and the timber frame is flexible

shouldn't it be "the timber frame used is flexible", in case we want to make it independent.

IMO, what sentence is trying to say is:

the white cedar has x times the strength of both steel and timber frame.

perhaps, "The tensile strength of steel and the timber frame" is parallel ?

Thank you for responding. Hope I am clear in expressing my thoughts.

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

08 Jun 2020, 04:53

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hero_with_1000_faces wrote:

Hi Andrew/ MentorTutoring

Your approach is very slick, I am going to make some notes on this question in my errorlog.

Quote:

I would say that, grammatically speaking, has and as much... as in the other choices draw attention to incorrect idioms. The idiom (for whatever reason history has handed down to us) for a comparison of tensile strength is the tensile strength of, and nothing else. Choices (C), (D), and (E) all fail immediately because they are lacking the correct idiom. Although (B) preserves the of, it includes a redundant has when of steel already marks the end of the comparison.

However, I have got some more question after reading your answer on the structure.

Quote:

Hello, hero_with_1000_faces. I am not sure whether some of the talking points you have highlighted above would fall under the label of parallelism, not that that fundamentally changes the weight of those points. For example, in choice (A), the timber frame is simply the subject of a second independent clause—the timber frame... is flexible, whereas the tensile strength of steel is the latter part of a comparison within a dependent clause that exists in the first independent clause—buildings... have withstood earthquakes.

I am not sure if I understand the underlined part above, but ill try to present my view on this answer choice.

Quote:

the timber frame is simply the subject of a second independent clause

If the above is true than according to me the following changes should exits in the correct answer choice.

There should be a comma before "and the timber frame"; I understand comma is a stylistic matter, however I think the comma should exist. correct me please.
Also, IMO, incorporating many joints and few nails, modifies the previous clause "the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel "
If "the timber frame is flexible" is second independent clause, that means the modifier above, will modify "The Timber", however there should not be a comma, before "incorporating many joints and few nails".

Ill try to construct the sentence to make it clear:

Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung dynasty have withstood earthquakes well because the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel,and the timber frame incorporating many joints and few nails, is flexible.

In this case, the used becomes a "-ed" modifier, and is flexible is a verb for "The white cedar".

also, when second part is made an independent clause, the meaning is not clear to me as it sounds like:

Quote:

Buildings erected have withstood earthquakes because The white cedar used has something and the timber frame is flexible

shouldn't it be "the timber frame used is flexible", in case we want to make it independent.

IMO, what sentence is trying to say is:

the white cedar has x times the strength of both steel and timber frame.

perhaps, "The tensile strength of steel and the timber frame" is parallel ?

Thank you for responding. Hope I am clear in expressing my thoughts.

Hello, hero_with_1000_faces. That marks the first time my approach has been called slick (which I take to mean smooth or streamlined). I like strange expressions that make me think. Thank you for the compliment. I think I see what you are getting at above, and I will say, first off, that I can now appreciate how the timber frame... may be acting as the second parallel item within the because clause. The shell of the sentence would then be the following:

buildings... have withstood earthquakes... because [clause 1] and [clause 2].

The dependent because clause acts as an adverb to explain why these buildings have withstood earthquakes well, and the lack of a comma before and is a tip-off that the above is likely the intended meaning. I would still say that incorporating many joints and few nails refers to the frame, rather than to white cedar. That is, a frame made of white cedar, by incorporating many joints and few nails, would be flexible, but a white cedar board is just a white cedar board, and a building is not constructed with a single piece of cedar.

In the end, I guess this goes to show that even if, as I had, you interpret the sentence in a different way from the meaning that may be intended, you can still walk away with the correct answer and feel certain of it. I appreciate your pursuit of a deeper knowledge with this one.

- Andrew

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

08 Jun 2020, 06:19

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Thanks andrew/MentorTutoring for the response.
I am really enjoying our geeky (intellectual) discussion. I agree with you, the answer can be found using different approaches. I try to rely on the foundational elements such as parallelism etc as taught by my tutor.

Further, in light our discussion, do you think the parallelism approach used by me in my 1st post, is sound and reliable ? thanks a lot for your support and appreciation.

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

08 Jun 2020, 06:56

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hero_with_1000_faces wrote:

Thanks andrew/MentorTutoring for the response.
I am really enjoying our geeky (intellectual) discussion. I agree with you, the answer can be found using different approaches. I try to rely on the foundational elements such as parallelism etc as taught by my tutor.

Further, in light our discussion, do you think the parallelism approach used by me in my 1st post, is sound and reliable ? thanks a lot for your support and appreciation.

Hello again, hero_with_1000_faces. Although I see the question as one centered on an idiomatic construct rather than on parallel elements, I am quite flexible (like the frame) in allowing for different perspectives on how to approach SC questions in general. If you want to consider parallel elements, though, in choice (A), then I would say you should be marking the white cedar and the timber frame. Otherwise, you would be comparing the tensile strength of white cedar to that of steel and a timber frame (made of the cedar itself), and the latter comparison does not make sense.

If you find a compelling, logic-based reason to cast aside answer choices, those that you can disprove for one reason or another (and not just rely on the way they sound), then however you choose to think of the flaws is fine, in my book. A correct answer is a correct answer, plain and simple.

- Andrew

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

16 Jul 2020, 19:06

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For those who are confused by a)

I disagree with those who say that a) is confusing because it makes it sound as though "White cedar has 4x the strength of steel and the timber frame". --> This would be ignoring the parallelism

Read it like this:
" [...]because the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame"

When read like this. You cleary see the parallelism after the subordinating conjunction "because"

Then the next parallelism needed is between he verb "is", which is at the end of the sentence and is NOT underlined, and the underlined verb, which should also appear in the present tense.

I am assuming said Chinese infrastructure is still standing, which is what the sentence seems to intend as a meaning

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

18 Jul 2020, 23:14

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Sentence Analysis

Certain Chinese buildings have withstood earthquakes well for two reasons:

The sentence is correct as is.

Option Analysis

A. used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating
Correct.

B. used in them has four times the tensile strength of steel has and the timber frame, incorporating
Incorrect. The second “has” has no subject. Neither “steel” not “tensile strength” can be a subject for this verb since “steel” is in a prepositional phrase (and thus cannot act as a subject) and “tensile strength” is an object for the first “has” and thus cannot act as a subject.

C. that was used in them has four times the tensile strength steel has, and the timber frame, incorporating
Incorrect. For the following reasons:
“that was used in them” adds no more meaning than “used” does. Thus, the option is overly wordy and lower in quality.

The clause “the timber frame is flexible” is presented as a separate independent clause joined by a comma+and rather than as a second ‘because’ clause. From the meaning standpoint, this clause is not a separate idea but provides a reason why buildings have withstood earthquakes well.

D. that was used has four times as much tensile strength as steel, and the timber frame incorporates
Incorrect. For the following reasons:

1. The two verbs – incorporates and is – for the subject “the timber frame” are not joined properly. There needs to be an “and” between the two verbs
2. The second issue of option C.

E. that was used has four times the tensile strength steel does, and the timber frame incorporates
Incorrect. For the following reasons:

1. The verb “does” is wrong. It needs to be “has” because steel “has” tensile strength and not “does” tensile strength.
2. The first error of option D
3. The second issue of option C.

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

13 Sep 2020, 22:01

generis daagh GMATNinja
AndrewN

Based on the OE, can we say that comma + IC in (C) gives a wrong meaning as the two thoughts become independent are not parallel anymore ?

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

14 Sep 2020, 09:13

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altairahmad wrote:

generis daagh GMATNinja
AndrewN

Based on the OE, can we say that comma + IC in (C) gives a wrong meaning as the two thoughts become independent are not parallel anymore ?

Yes, altairahmad, I would agree with that statement. The two thoughts do not seem to be falling under the same explanatory umbrella (dare I say framework?) anymore—i.e. because A and B—in addition to incorporating an idiomatic error in the has comparison.

Thank you for thinking to ask me. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

Updated on: 29 Oct 2020, 00:21

Hi,
I picked A as this choice seemed to be the best one. However, when answering this question I hesitated because of "Incorporating". I assumed that "Incorporating" was modifying "timber frame", but I've always thought that the modifier should modify the entire precedent clause.
Can someone help on that?
Does "Incorporating" modify the precedent clause or "timber frame"?
Thanks !

Originally posted by Baps on 28 Oct 2020, 09:58.
Last edited by Baps on 29 Oct 2020, 00:21, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

31 Dec 2020, 08:44

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Baps wrote:

Hi,
I picked A as this choice seemed to be the best one. However, when answering this question I hesitated because of "Incorporating". I assumed that "Incorporating" was modifying "timber frame", but I've always thought that the modifier should modify the entire precedent clause.
Can someone help on that?
Does "Incorporating" modify the precedent clause or "timber frame"?
Thanks !

Hello Baps,

Wish you a Very Happy 2021.

I know that you have already gotten a reply to this query. However, I feel that I shall chime in to provide an explanation.

Yes, it is true that a comma + verb-ing modifier acts as an action modifier that modifies the action in the preceding clause. However, in the correct answer choice A, the modifier incorporating many joints and few nails is NOT a comma + verb-ing modifier because this entire modifier is placed between two commas and is preceded by the subject noun. Generally, the verb-ing noun modifier, when placed between the subject and the verb, is enclosed between two commas. this is the structure we see here.

Both grammatically and logically, the verb-ing modifier incorporating many joints and few nails is a noun modifier for the preceding noun the white cedar.

I will also like to mention here that the clause after the conjunction and - the timber frame, incorporating many joints and few nails, is flexible. - is NOT an independent clause. It is a dependent clause. The word because that appears before the clause the white cedar used has four times the tensile strength of steel is understood before the clause the timber frame, incorporating many joints and few nails, is flexible..

The sentence presents two reasons why these particular buildings have endured earthquakes well. They have done so because of the use of two materials in these buildings - the white cedar and the timber frame.

Hope this helps.

Thanks.
Shraddha

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

14 Feb 2021, 00:16

Hi,

Could any of the experts comment specifically on the this part of option D —

“The white cedar has 4 times as much tensile strength as steel”

I just want to know if the above sentence is correct in terms of logic/meaning comparison? What if I say — “The white cedar has 4 times as much tensile strength as steel has”, would this be incorrect due to the inclusion of *has* ?

AjiteshArun VeritasKarishma GMATNinja

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

16 Feb 2021, 00:26

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goaltop30mba wrote:

Hi,

Could any of the experts comment specifically on the this part of option D —

“The white cedar has 4 times as much tensile strength as steel”

I just want to know if the above sentence is correct in terms of logic/meaning comparison? What if I say — “The white cedar has 4 times as much tensile strength as steel has”, would this be incorrect due to the inclusion of *has* ?

AjiteshArun VeritasKarishma GMATNinja

Posted from my mobile device

Use of 'has' is not a problem here. But even without 'has', I wouldn't worry. Tensile strength is the quality of white cedar and steel. So essentially we are comparing white cedar with steel.
"A has more X than B" or "A has more X than B has" - both would work.

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Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

13 Apr 2021, 03:53

GMATNinja wrote:

I made some mistakes on a long-ago post on this thread, so here's a full explanation as belated (and probably not-very-useful!) compensation.

Quote:

(A) used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating

I think this is awkward AF. (A) sounds like it’s saying that “the white cedar has four times the tensile strength of… the timber frame.”

(And yes, I wrote a boneheaded post about this some time ago, but have scrubbed it from the thread so that it doesn’t confuse anybody. But for the record: I messed this question up sometime in 2019.)

Anyway, if you look a little bit more carefully at the parallelism, it’s totally fine:

Hey, that’s pretty good, and we don’t have any other potential problems. Keep (A).

Quote:

(B) used in them has four times the tensile strength of steel has and the timber frame, incorporating

(B) is so goofy that it’s hard to explain why it’s goofy. Um, “...the white cedar used in them has four times the tensile strength of steel has...”? What?

I guess you could say that white cedar “has four times the tensile strength OF steel”, or maybe that white cedar “has four times the tensile strength THAT steel has” -- but it makes no sense to say that it “has four times the tensile strength OF steel has.”

Also, we could argue that the pronoun “them” is ambiguous, because it could refer back to “earthquakes” (the nearest plural noun, which would be nonsense), or “buildings.” Is this WRONG? Nope. But (A) avoids the potential ambiguity entirely, so that gives us one more reason to prefer (A) over some of the other answer choices.

But (B) is clearly out for the ridiculousness of the “of steel has” structure.

Quote:

(C) that was used in them has four times the tensile strength steel has, and the timber frame, incorporating

The biggest problem with (C) is that the pronoun “them” is ambiguous -- it could refer to “earthquakes” or “buildings.” That’s not an absolute crime, but (A) avoids that issue entirely.

There’s also a very subtle issue with the comma. Generally speaking, I don’t think it’s a good idea to worry much about commas on the GMAT, since they’re almost never a deciding factor on official questions. But the comma in (C) makes it seem like the last clause (“the timber frame… is flexible”) is random additional information, and that makes it harder to understand that the flexibility of the tinder frame is a reason WHY the buildings have withstood earthquakes well.

A dealbreaker? Nope. But given the choice between (A) and (C), (A) is clearer and better. Not by much, but still.

(D) and (E) have the same problems, so let’s take those two together:

Quote:

(D) that was used has four times as much tensile strength as steel, and the timber frame incorporates
(E) that was used has four times the tensile strength steel does, and the timber frame incorporates

Both options have a structural error in the clause about the timber frame: you can't have multiple actions associated with a single subject without connecting those actions with some kind of conjunction. So the phrase "... the timber frame incorporates...is flexible" is definitely incorrect.

For whatever it’s worth, there’s also no real need to say “that was used” when we could just say “used.” By itself, that’s not a great reason to eliminate these answer choices, but it’s not ideal, either.

So (A) is our winner, contrary to silly things I might have written in previous posts.

GMATNinja , in option C isn't the them logically and meaning wise referring to buildings? I understand that the closest plural noun is earthquakes but that doesn't make sense. I chose C because I thought in A it says used has four times the tensile strength of steel and the timber frame, incorporating.. But in C we have a clear division which makes it easier to understand although I understand the double commas issue. Also would it help the choice C if we removed the comma and used a THAT before the timber frame ? Or would it just be nonsensical

. Anyway this was a tough one.

gmatclubot

Re: Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung [#permalink]

13 Apr 2021, 03:53

GMAT Sentence Correction (EA only) Questions

Chinese public buildings erected under a construction code of the Sung