NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 26 Apr 2024, 02:16 It is currently 26 Apr 2024, 02:16
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel

Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings

SORT BY:
Date
Kudos
Tags:
Find Similar Topics 
Show Tags
Hide Tags
User avatar
getgyan
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 11 Jul 2012
Affiliations: SAE
Posts: 380
Own Kudos [?]: 961 [20]
Given Kudos: 269
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Social Entrepreneurship
Schools: Schulich '15 (A) Neeley '15 (M$)
GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V37
GPA: 3.5
WE:Project Management (Energy and Utilities)
Send PM
Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 08 Oct 2012, 03:02
5
Kudos
15
Bookmarks
00:00
A
B
C
D
E

Difficulty:

45% (medium)

Question Stats:

56% (01:10) correct 44% (01:12) wrong based on 582 sessions
Hide Show timer Statistics
Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate an exclusive luxury again

A. had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
B. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings but now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
C. had once been the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage will make chocolate
D. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
E. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings although now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
D

Originally posted by getgyan on 07 Oct 2012, 23:07.
Last edited by getgyan on 08 Oct 2012, 03:02, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
getgyan
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 11 Jul 2012
Affiliations: SAE
Posts: 380
Own Kudos [?]: 961 [4]
Given Kudos: 269
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Social Entrepreneurship
Schools: Schulich '15 (A) Neeley '15 (M$)
GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V37
GPA: 3.5
WE:Project Management (Energy and Utilities)
Send PM
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan [#permalink] New post   08 Oct 2012, 03:07
2
Kudos
2
Bookmarks
aditi1903 wrote:
IMO E...
since we want a contrast to the habits of people in the present..
we need to use although...
earlier it was a luxury...but due to a shortage of cocoa... it is now again a luxury...
still confused...eh' !!!


Nope, We do not want a contrast.

Earlier only king used to have chocolate because it was a luxury item. If there is a shortage of cocoa today, the chocoltae will again become a luxury item. Where is the contrast? A contrast would have been there if we would have said "that now the chocolate is no more a luxury item" i.e. it is available to everyone.
The statement draws a parallel.

:-D
User avatar
Bluelagoon
Manager
Manager
Joined: 21 Jan 2010
Posts: 193
Own Kudos [?]: 610 [1]
Given Kudos: 12
Send PM
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan [#permalink] New post   07 Oct 2012, 23:46
1
Kudos
Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate an exclusive luxury again

A. had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
B. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings but now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
C. had once been the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage will make chocolate
D. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
E. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings although now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate

had been is not needed as their is no time sequence here. A simple past tense is suffice. Eliminate A and C. Among B, D and E , i think D wins as in B but is used and the author it trying to establish contrast here. Same with E.
User avatar
aditi1903
Manager
Manager
Joined: 29 Apr 2012
Posts: 53
Own Kudos [?]: 200 [1]
Given Kudos: 47
Location: United States
Concentration: International Business, Real Estate
GMAT Date: 10-22-2012
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan [#permalink] New post   08 Oct 2012, 00:56
1
Kudos
IMO E...
since we want a contrast to the habits of people in the present..
we need to use although...
earlier it was a luxury...but due to a shortage of cocoa... it is now again a luxury...
still confused...eh' !!!
User avatar
aditya8062
Retired Moderator
Joined: 05 Sep 2010
Posts: 506
Own Kudos [?]: 640 [1]
Given Kudos: 61
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2014, 08:46
1
Kudos
the answer is D: was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate

the usage of "BUT" is wrong here. there is no contrast. think it like this: Chocolate was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings-----> what does that mean? it means that "chocolate" was an exclusive luxury AND so is true even NOW .these two concept are similar concepts not contrasting.

a contrasting sentence would have been: Although Chocolate is tasty but it is bad for health
User avatar
aditya8062
Retired Moderator
Joined: 05 Sep 2010
Posts: 506
Own Kudos [?]: 640 [1]
Given Kudos: 61
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2014, 08:50
1
Kudos
Quote:
I beg to differ. There IS a contrast. The contrast is ... There was a time when chocolate (was abundant), BUT as a result of its shortage, it is now a luxury to drink coffee.. Unless my understanding of the use of 'But' and contrasting statements is flawed, this sentence is screaming contrast! Please enlighten me.


you are making wrong conclusion about the abundance of "chocolate". the fact that it was a drink of king is no testimony to the fact that it was abundant. but yes the fact that kings used to drink chocolate does prove that it was a luxury drink, after all kings would always have some thing more valuable
User avatar
S
Blackbox
Manager
Manager
Joined: 30 May 2012
Posts: 171
Own Kudos [?]: 521 [1]
Given Kudos: 151
Location: United States (TX)
Concentration: Finance, Marketing
GPA: 3.3
WE:Information Technology (Consulting)
Send PM
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2014, 09:00
1
Kudos
aditya8062 wrote:
Quote:
I beg to differ. There IS a contrast. The contrast is ... There was a time when chocolate (was abundant), BUT as a result of its shortage, it is now a luxury to drink coffee.. Unless my understanding of the use of 'But' and contrasting statements is flawed, this sentence is screaming contrast! Please enlighten me.


you are making wrong conclusion about the abundance of "chocolate". the fact that it was a drink of king is no testimony to the fact that it was abundant. but yes the fact that kings used to drink chocolate does prove that it was a luxury drink, after all kings would always have some thing more valuable


I am chuckling and shaking my head at my "rushed" thinking. Yes, you are correct. I should have paid more attention to the terminating words "luxury again". Yes, kings = luxury; shortage= luxury too. Sorry for my dumbness.

Thank you and kudos given :)
User avatar
S
Blackbox
Manager
Manager
Joined: 30 May 2012
Posts: 171
Own Kudos [?]: 521 [0]
Given Kudos: 151
Location: United States (TX)
Concentration: Finance, Marketing
GPA: 3.3
WE:Information Technology (Consulting)
Send PM
Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2014, 08:27
Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate an exclusive luxury again.

A. had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
B. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings but now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
C. had once been the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage will make chocolate
D. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
E. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings although now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
User avatar
S
Blackbox
Manager
Manager
Joined: 30 May 2012
Posts: 171
Own Kudos [?]: 521 [0]
Given Kudos: 151
Location: United States (TX)
Concentration: Finance, Marketing
GPA: 3.3
WE:Information Technology (Consulting)
Send PM
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2014, 08:36
What stumps me is the OE - "The use of 'but' is incorrect since no contrast is being implied in the sentence"

I beg to differ. There IS a contrast. The contrast is ... There was a time when chocolate (was abundant), BUT as a result of its shortage, it is now a luxury to drink coffee.. Unless my understanding of the use of 'But' and contrasting statements is flawed, this sentence is screaming contrast! Please enlighten me.
User avatar
aditya8062
Retired Moderator
Joined: 05 Sep 2010
Posts: 506
Own Kudos [?]: 640 [0]
Given Kudos: 61
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2014, 09:02
Quote:
Sorry for my dumbness.


do not worry !! we all make mistakes
User avatar
G
KB04
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Nov 2016
Posts: 97
Own Kudos [?]: 221 [0]
Given Kudos: 106
Concentration: General Management, Leadership
Schools: Rotman '20 HEC Montreal '20 Schulich Sept 18 Intake Ivey '20
GMAT 1: 480 Q34 V22
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings [#permalink] New post   11 Apr 2018, 06:38
Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate an exclusive luxury again

A. had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
B. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings but now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
C. had once been the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage will make chocolate
D. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings and now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate
E. was once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings although now a cocoa shortage may make chocolate

As this sentence is not trying to present any contrast, answer choices B and E are eliminated.
Use of had is incorrect as there are no two things taking place at different times in the past. Eliminate A and C.
The only answer left is D which indeed is the correct answer.
User avatar
B
kingcrimson282
Intern
Intern
Joined: 04 Mar 2018
Posts: 22
Own Kudos [?]: 6 [0]
Given Kudos: 63
Send PM
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings [#permalink] New post   13 Aug 2021, 08:14
Could someone explain why "D" is a better choice over "E"?

Thank you!
User avatar
VerbalBot
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Posts: 17227
Own Kudos [?]: 848 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings [#permalink] New post   01 Nov 2023, 08:21
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
GMAT Club Bot
gmatclubot
Re: Chocolate had been once the drink of Mayan and Aztec kings [#permalink]
01 Nov 2023, 08:21
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
6921 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
238 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions