For decades Surgeon Generals have warned that smoking

Question

For decades Surgeon Generals have warned that smoking increases the risk of lung diseases, including lung cancer and emphysema, and  can complicate pregnancy, and increases the risk of low birth weight .
(A) can complicate pregnancy, and increases the risk of low birth weight
(B) can complicate pregnancy, and increases low birth weight risks
(C) can complicate pregnancy, increasing the risks of low birth weight
(D) can complicate pregnancy by increasing the risks of low birth weight
(E) complicating pregnancy by increasing the risks of low birth weight

OA later.

nverma · Answer

Parallel form : Smoking  can increase  +  can complicate 
E: is out

A and B: These options treats "risk of low birth rates" as one MORE disease/effect.
A and B : Also not parallel, if these options treats "risk of low birth rates" as one MORE disease/effect.

C: "increasing" improperly modifies the complete clause "smoking increases the risk of lung diseases, including lung cancer and emphysema, and can complicate pregnancy"....increase in risk should only modify "pregnancy"

D: Correct.

OA plz.

nverma · Answer

Can you please post the Official explanation (OE) for C and D.

ykaiim · Answer

C and D are close.

In C:  increasing the risks of low birth weight  - an explainatory clause modifies the noun, pregnancy.

In D: This seems to be a passive construction. I have doubt on part with   BY  . The construction   by increasing the risks of low birth weight   says that smoking by increasing the risks of low birth weight can increase...and can complicate...:

For decades Surgeon Generals have warned that smoking   by increasing the risks of low birth weight.

cano · Answer

Uhh, I just noticed that I did a big mistake. Sorry guys for that. I posted several questions from Kaplan the other day, and I must have confused it. I'll have to review the other questions as well. Sorry for the inconveniences.

Official Answer follows:

The original sentence has an unnecessary and before can complicate, but its larger problem is that the final item, increases the risk of low birth weight, should be subordinated to the previous, can complicate pregnancy, since the two problems are related. Choices (C), (D), and (E) all subordinate the final section by using a participle (increasing). (C) loses out in comparison to (D) and (E) since increasing is less clear than by increasing. (D) is better than (E). (E) wrongly subordinates can complicate pregnancy by replacing it with complicating pregnancy. The change makes no sense because, by subordinating this phrase to the previous one, (E) suggests that pregnancy complications are a type of lung disease. (D) it is.

ykaiim · Answer

So, you mean to say D is the OA or C?

seekmba · Answer

can someone explain what is gramatically wrong in option (C)????

For decades Surgeon Generals have warned that smoking increases the risk of lung diseases, including lung cancer and emphysema, and  can complicate pregnancy, and increases the risk of low birth weight .

(C) can complicate pregnancy, increasing the risks of low birth weight
(D) can complicate pregnancy by increasing the risks of low birth weight

C: "increasing" improperly modifies the complete clause "smoking increases the risk of lung diseases, including lung cancer and emphysema, and can complicate pregnancy"....increase in risk should only modify "pregnancy"

>>>  I thought "increasing the risks of low birth weight" correctly modifies only "can complicate pregnancy" because this clause (can complicate pregnancy) is separated by commas.....am I wrong in my analysis?

cano · Answer

The OE only says that C loses out in comparison to D and E since  increasing  is less clear than  by increasing.  I hope this is helpful.

ykaiim · Answer

Though I marked C, but I when I later ponder over it, D really makes sense. You may find the attached explanation useful. Surgeons.JPG

roro555 · Answer

Parallel form : Smoking can increase + can complicate
E: is out
A and B : Also not parallel, if these options treats "risk of low birth rates" as one MORE disease/effect.
C is tricky but confusing
D: Correct

chesstitans · Answer

GMATNinjaTwo 
My question is how to know exactly the main idea of a SC sentence.
 I picked C b/c I thought "pregnancy leads to higher risks of low birth weight"
D is actually the answer.

VerbalBot · Answer

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For decades Surgeon Generals have warned that smoking

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