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29 Sep 2021, 00:01
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E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
35%
(medium)
Question Stats:
64% (01:24) correct
36%
(01:48)
wrong
based on 408
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is one of the first research groups to consider the human mind to be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate it in order to design computers that think.
A) to be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate it
B) should be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempt to recreate that system
C) as being nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempting to recreate that system
D) as if it was nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempt to recreate that system
E) nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate that system
29 Sep 2021, 00:05
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
THE PROMPT
• ISSUE - PARALLELISM
→ In the underlined portion of the sentence, there appears to be part of a list. Be on the lookout for parallelism errors.
→ In order to be parallel, items in a list must be the same part of speech and must play the same logical role in the sentence.
→ Careful. We are actually looking for a list of two verbs, though it may appear that we are looking for a list that includes parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and ______.
We are not doing so.
The appositive a thermodynamic system "redescribes" the noun phrase "nothing more than parts and energy." Those two phrases are not items in a list.
We are not looking for a three-item list but for two verbs that, connected by AND, are parallel.
• ISSUE - PRONOUN
→ The underlined portion of the sentence contains the pronoun it.
Check answers to make sure that there is noun-pronoun agreement.
Also be alert to the possibility of pronoun ambiguity: does the pronoun have only one logical antecedent?
• ISSUE - IDIOM - CONSIDER
→ SEE NOTES, BELOW
Correct and common: consider X, Y
Correct but rare: consider to be
Wrong: Consider as
Wrong: Consider ... should
THE OPTIONS in a slightly shortened sentence
→ does it refer to the human mind or to a thermodynamic system?
→ GMAC allows more pronoun flexibility than most aspirants realize, but if more than one logical antecedent exists, the sentence contains fatal pronoun ambiguity.
That state of affairs exists here.
We cannot tell whether it refers to the human mind or a thermodynamic system—both are logical antecedents of the pronoun it.
True pronoun ambiguity is relatively rare on the GMAT, though all else being equal, choose the sentences that have zero ambiguity if you can.
The ambiguity in this instance is glaring and fatal.
• verbs in this option are okay
This option contains a list of verbs that are in parallel (to consider, to attempt).
• Consider X to be Y is not common but allowed. See Notes, below.
(In other words, do not eliminate this option based on an incorrect belief that Consider to Be is always wrong. Eliminate this option on the basis of pronoun ambiguity.)
The pronoun ambiguity is fatal.
ELIMINATE A
→ to consider and attempt are not parallel
→ Wrong: DARPA is one of the first groups to consider XYZ should be ABC. . . and attempt to recreate ABC.
In a sentence this long, if we want to say, "D. was one of the first to consider something a system and to attempt to recreate that system," we need to repeat the word to. Too many words intervene between to and attempt, including the slightly startling appositive a thermodynamic system.
→ If you believe that the "to" before consider "carries over" to the verb attempt, look at options A and E.
In both, the word to has been repeated before attempt.
When the word to is repeated, no parallel verb issues exist.
• idiom error
→ there is no such thing as to consider X . . . should
That construction is not even on the map.
In Notes, below, I explain two acceptable idioms and one highly tested incorrect idiom.
ELIMINATE B
→ to consider (infinitive) and attempting (gerund, i.e. verbING) are not parallel.
In fact, "attempting" is not even a verb.
• not idiomatic: Consider AS
→ Consider X as Y is not idiomatic. GMAC throws this particular construction into the mix when it tests consider, because consider and regard are similar, and regard X as Y is idiomatic.
(See Notes, below, for a list of idioms that involve consider and regard.)
ELIMINATE C
→ the verbs to consider and attempt are not parallel.
• idiom error: Consider AS
→ Consider X as Y is not correct.
• subjunctive error
→ AS IF implies a hypothetical, contrary-to-fact situation.
→ In that situation (AS IF), we use "As if it were, not "As if it was."
Similar: He threw the huge rock as if it were a tiny pebble. (But the rock isn't a tiny pebble.)
ELIMINATE D
→ This option may sound a bit strange.
Whether you are a native or non-native speaker, do not trust your ear on this sentence.
It properly deploys the idiom Consider X, Y.
• Verbs are correct: to consider and to attempt are parallel
• The idiom is correct: Consider X, Y. (Not having a comma is fine.)
In this correctly written idiom Consider X Y:
X = the human mind
Y = nothing more than parts and energy
→ . . . groups to consider the human mind [X] nothing more than parts and energy [Y]. . .
KEEP
The answer is E.
NOTES
• IDIOMS: CONSIDER
(And REGARD, because consider and regard are related.
In fact, what is allowed for one is not allowed for the other and vice versa.)
GMAC tests this idiom a decent bit.
Correct and common: consider X, Y
Correct but rare: consider to be
Correct: regard as
Wrong: Consider as
Wrong: Regard to be
Wrong: Regard X, Y
On the GMAT, Consider X, Y is tested fairly often.
You will have been told that consider to be is not idiomatic.
That information conflicts with two recent official questions.
Consider to be is not common, but the construction is acceptable.
One official question uses only "consider to be" in all of its answer choices.
That official question is here.
A couple of other official questions use consider to be in the non-underlined portion of the prompt.
You can find one of those official questions by clicking here.]
I know that many sources, including one top-notch SC book, contend that consider to be is suspect or unidiomatic.
When a non-official source conflicts with an official source, the official source wins. Every time.
The phrase consider to be is used in both the underlined and non-underlined portions of official sentence correction questions.
When someone writes that"consider to be" and "consider as" are unidiomatic on the GMAT, ignore the "consider to be" part.
That fact may have been true at the time the person posted the comment or wrote the book.
If the comment is from late 2017 to the present, then its author is just repeating a belief that no longer holds.
I've linked you to two recent official questions that use consider to be.
COMMENTS
These answers range from very good to excellent, despite a misstep or two.
(Not to worry. You all reasoned yourselves to the correct answer.)
Nicely done. Stay safe, everyone.
Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1)
THE PROMPT
Quote:
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is one of the first research groups to consider the human mind to be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate it in order to design computers that think.
• ISSUE - PARALLELISM
→ In the underlined portion of the sentence, there appears to be part of a list. Be on the lookout for parallelism errors.
→ In order to be parallel, items in a list must be the same part of speech and must play the same logical role in the sentence.
→ Careful. We are actually looking for a list of two verbs, though it may appear that we are looking for a list that includes parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and ______.
We are not doing so.
The appositive a thermodynamic system "redescribes" the noun phrase "nothing more than parts and energy." Those two phrases are not items in a list.
We are not looking for a three-item list but for two verbs that, connected by AND, are parallel.
• ISSUE - PRONOUN
→ The underlined portion of the sentence contains the pronoun it.
Check answers to make sure that there is noun-pronoun agreement.
Also be alert to the possibility of pronoun ambiguity: does the pronoun have only one logical antecedent?
• ISSUE - IDIOM - CONSIDER
→ SEE NOTES, BELOW
Correct and common: consider X, Y
Correct but rare: consider to be
Wrong: Consider as
Wrong: Consider ... should
THE OPTIONS in a slightly shortened sentence
Quote:
A)DARPA is one of the first research groups to consider the human mind to be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate it in order to design computers that think.
• pronoun ambiguity→ does it refer to the human mind or to a thermodynamic system?
→ GMAC allows more pronoun flexibility than most aspirants realize, but if more than one logical antecedent exists, the sentence contains fatal pronoun ambiguity.
That state of affairs exists here.
We cannot tell whether it refers to the human mind or a thermodynamic system—both are logical antecedents of the pronoun it.
True pronoun ambiguity is relatively rare on the GMAT, though all else being equal, choose the sentences that have zero ambiguity if you can.
The ambiguity in this instance is glaring and fatal.
• verbs in this option are okay
This option contains a list of verbs that are in parallel (to consider, to attempt).
• Consider X to be Y is not common but allowed. See Notes, below.
(In other words, do not eliminate this option based on an incorrect belief that Consider to Be is always wrong. Eliminate this option on the basis of pronoun ambiguity.)
The pronoun ambiguity is fatal.
ELIMINATE A
Quote:
B) DARPA is one of the first research groups to consider the human mind should be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and [TO] attempt to recreate that system in order to design computers that think.
• not parallel→ to consider and attempt are not parallel
→ Wrong: DARPA is one of the first groups to consider XYZ should be ABC. . . and attempt to recreate ABC.
In a sentence this long, if we want to say, "D. was one of the first to consider something a system and to attempt to recreate that system," we need to repeat the word to. Too many words intervene between to and attempt, including the slightly startling appositive a thermodynamic system.
→ If you believe that the "to" before consider "carries over" to the verb attempt, look at options A and E.
In both, the word to has been repeated before attempt.
When the word to is repeated, no parallel verb issues exist.
• idiom error
→ there is no such thing as to consider X . . . should
That construction is not even on the map.
In Notes, below, I explain two acceptable idioms and one highly tested incorrect idiom.
ELIMINATE B
Quote:
C) DARPA is one of the first research groups to consider the human mind as being nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempting to recreate that system in order to design computers that think.
• not parallel→ to consider (infinitive) and attempting (gerund, i.e. verbING) are not parallel.
In fact, "attempting" is not even a verb.
• not idiomatic: Consider AS
→ Consider X as Y is not idiomatic. GMAC throws this particular construction into the mix when it tests consider, because consider and regard are similar, and regard X as Y is idiomatic.
(See Notes, below, for a list of idioms that involve consider and regard.)
ELIMINATE C
Quote:
D) DARPA is one of the first research groups to consider the human mind as if it was nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempt to recreate that system in order to design computers that think.
• not parallel→ the verbs to consider and attempt are not parallel.
• idiom error: Consider AS
→ Consider X as Y is not correct.
• subjunctive error
→ AS IF implies a hypothetical, contrary-to-fact situation.
→ In that situation (AS IF), we use "As if it were, not "As if it was."
Similar: He threw the huge rock as if it were a tiny pebble. (But the rock isn't a tiny pebble.)
ELIMINATE D
Quote:
E) DARPA is one of the first research groups to consider the human mind nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate that system in order to design computers that think.
• No errors→ This option may sound a bit strange.
Whether you are a native or non-native speaker, do not trust your ear on this sentence.
It properly deploys the idiom Consider X, Y.
• Verbs are correct: to consider and to attempt are parallel
• The idiom is correct: Consider X, Y. (Not having a comma is fine.)
In this correctly written idiom Consider X Y:
X = the human mind
Y = nothing more than parts and energy
→ . . . groups to consider the human mind [X] nothing more than parts and energy [Y]. . .
KEEP
The answer is E.
NOTES
• IDIOMS: CONSIDER
(And REGARD, because consider and regard are related.
In fact, what is allowed for one is not allowed for the other and vice versa.)
GMAC tests this idiom a decent bit.
Correct and common: consider X, Y
Correct but rare: consider to be
Correct: regard as
Wrong: Consider as
Wrong: Regard to be
Wrong: Regard X, Y
On the GMAT, Consider X, Y is tested fairly often.
You will have been told that consider to be is not idiomatic.
That information conflicts with two recent official questions.
Consider to be is not common, but the construction is acceptable.
One official question uses only "consider to be" in all of its answer choices.
That official question is here.
A couple of other official questions use consider to be in the non-underlined portion of the prompt.
You can find one of those official questions by clicking here.]
I know that many sources, including one top-notch SC book, contend that consider to be is suspect or unidiomatic.
When a non-official source conflicts with an official source, the official source wins. Every time.
The phrase consider to be is used in both the underlined and non-underlined portions of official sentence correction questions.
When someone writes that
That fact may have been true at the time the person posted the comment or wrote the book.
If the comment is from late 2017 to the present, then its author is just repeating a belief that no longer holds.
I've linked you to two recent official questions that use consider to be.
COMMENTS
These answers range from very good to excellent, despite a misstep or two.
(Not to worry. You all reasoned yourselves to the correct answer.)
Nicely done. Stay safe, everyone.
General Discussion
Anuragsharma93
Joined: 07 Apr 2020
Last visit: 05 Apr 2022
Posts: 100
Given Kudos: 313
Location: India
Schools: ISB'22 IESE '24 Kenan-Flagler '24 LBS '24 NTU NUS Rotman '24 Tepper '24
GMAT 1: 680 Q48 V35
GPA: 3.6
Products:
Schools: ISB'22 IESE '24 Kenan-Flagler '24 LBS '24 NTU NUS Rotman '24 Tepper '24
GMAT 1: 680 Q48 V35
Posts: 100
29 Sep 2021, 00:33
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IMO E -
Consider XY is the idiom
A) to be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate it -- Consider To be is unidiomatic
B) should be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempt to recreate that system -- Consider should be is Redundant.
C) as being nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempting to recreate that system-- consider As is unidiomatic
D) as if it was nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempt to recreate that system- Consider As if is unidiomatic.
E) nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate that system -- To consider and To attempt are parellel. Also notice nice Appositive phrase "A thermodynamic System". This is the right answer.
Consider XY is the idiom
A) to be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate it -- Consider To be is unidiomatic
B) should be nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempt to recreate that system -- Consider should be is Redundant.
C) as being nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempting to recreate that system-- consider As is unidiomatic
D) as if it was nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and attempt to recreate that system- Consider As if is unidiomatic.
E) nothing more than parts and energy, a thermodynamic system, and to attempt to recreate that system -- To consider and To attempt are parellel. Also notice nice Appositive phrase "A thermodynamic System". This is the right answer.
