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Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.
(A) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he
(B) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made,
(C) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he
(D) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,
(E) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he
Source : GMATPrep Default Exam Pack
(A) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he
(B) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made,
(C) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he
(D) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,
(E) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he
Source : GMATPrep Default Exam Pack
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19 Dec 2012, 15:57
Kudos
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Hi all.
Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.
Since it is not difficult to understand the meaning of this sentence, let’s quickly get into the error analysis:
1. Use of past perfect tense is correct because 1609, the telescope had been already made and after that Galileo made his own version of the instrument. So there are two past events and “had been” correctly denotes that telescope was first made and then Galileo came up with his own version.
2. “but” correctly presents the contrast.
3. No errors.
PoE:
a) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Correct for reasons stated above.
b) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made, Incorrect.
1. Use of “had not invented” is incorrect because the sentence here just presents a general fact that should be written in simple past tense.
2. Use of “having been made” is also incorrect in this choice.
3. This choice also misses the subject “he” for the verb “built”.
c) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Incorrect.
1. Same verb tense error as in Choice B.
2. Use of pronoun “he” after “even though” is incorrect because Galileo has already been mentioned in the beginning of the sentence. This construction makes Galileo hanging without a verb.
3. Use of “even though” is incorrect. This expression is used to present contrast in that it denotes two opposite situations. For example:
Even though he is poor, he has managed to go to a good B school.
However, this choice does not present opposite situations. It simply says that Galileo did not invent telescope but he later developed one. There is co opposite things going on in here.
d) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect as in Choice C.
2. Absence of “he” before “built” leaves this verb without any subject.
e) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect.
2. Use of “but” is redundant because “even though” already presents the contrast.
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he quickly built his own device from an organ pipe and spectacle lenses.
Since it is not difficult to understand the meaning of this sentence, let’s quickly get into the error analysis:
1. Use of past perfect tense is correct because 1609, the telescope had been already made and after that Galileo made his own version of the instrument. So there are two past events and “had been” correctly denotes that telescope was first made and then Galileo came up with his own version.
2. “but” correctly presents the contrast.
3. No errors.
PoE:
a) Galileo did not invent the telescope, but on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Correct for reasons stated above.
b) Galileo had not invented the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument having been made, Incorrect.
1. Use of “had not invented” is incorrect because the sentence here just presents a general fact that should be written in simple past tense.
2. Use of “having been made” is also incorrect in this choice.
3. This choice also misses the subject “he” for the verb “built”.
c) Galileo, even though he had not invented the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made, he: Incorrect.
1. Same verb tense error as in Choice B.
2. Use of pronoun “he” after “even though” is incorrect because Galileo has already been mentioned in the beginning of the sentence. This construction makes Galileo hanging without a verb.
3. Use of “even though” is incorrect. This expression is used to present contrast in that it denotes two opposite situations. For example:
Even though he is poor, he has managed to go to a good B school.
However, this choice does not present opposite situations. It simply says that Galileo did not invent telescope but he later developed one. There is co opposite things going on in here.
d) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, on hearing, in 1609, that such an optical instrument had been made,: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect as in Choice C.
2. Absence of “he” before “built” leaves this verb without any subject.
e) Even though Galileo did not invent the telescope, but when he heard, in 1609, of such an optical instrument being made, he: Incorrect.
1. Use of “even though” is incorrect.
2. Use of “but” is redundant because “even though” already presents the contrast.
Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
07 Dec 2010, 15:36
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hey guys,
I've always liked this question. My approach:
First, whenever I see a question with a large portion underlined and without a clear (to me) decision point in that underline, I like to look at the first and last word of the answer choices to see if I can find a quick decision point. Very frequently the first or last words are different and you can determine whether you need one or the other.
Here, three use the last word "he" and two do not, so that became a first decision point for me. You'd need "he" in this case to refer back to Galileo unless the verb that follows "quickly built" is set up as a parallel verb to another past tense event before it. Because that doesn't happen in B or D, they're both incorrect.
The first words, either "Galileo" or "Even though Galileo", also note a decision to be made - here, you have to set up a transition between "did not invent the telescope" and "built one quickly after it was invented (paraphrase)". That can be done either with "Even though" at the beginning or "but" halfway through, but not with both. Therefore, E, which does both, is incorrect.
Keeping on that theme, check C for that transition - C uses "even though", but does so as a modifier to describe Galileo. Because modifiers separated by commas are nonessential information, you can remove them to check the rest of the sentence. Here, you'd then have:
Galileo he quickly built...
That's a redundant, unnecessary use of a pronoun and it's used without separation, so it's incorrect. A, although incredibly awkward to the ear, is the only one left standing without error, and is therefore correct.
I've always liked this question. My approach:
First, whenever I see a question with a large portion underlined and without a clear (to me) decision point in that underline, I like to look at the first and last word of the answer choices to see if I can find a quick decision point. Very frequently the first or last words are different and you can determine whether you need one or the other.
Here, three use the last word "he" and two do not, so that became a first decision point for me. You'd need "he" in this case to refer back to Galileo unless the verb that follows "quickly built" is set up as a parallel verb to another past tense event before it. Because that doesn't happen in B or D, they're both incorrect.
The first words, either "Galileo" or "Even though Galileo", also note a decision to be made - here, you have to set up a transition between "did not invent the telescope" and "built one quickly after it was invented (paraphrase)". That can be done either with "Even though" at the beginning or "but" halfway through, but not with both. Therefore, E, which does both, is incorrect.
Keeping on that theme, check C for that transition - C uses "even though", but does so as a modifier to describe Galileo. Because modifiers separated by commas are nonessential information, you can remove them to check the rest of the sentence. Here, you'd then have:
Galileo he quickly built...
That's a redundant, unnecessary use of a pronoun and it's used without separation, so it's incorrect. A, although incredibly awkward to the ear, is the only one left standing without error, and is therefore correct.
14 Mar 2022, 04:02
Kudos
Bookmarks
Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
Concepts tested here: Tenses + Grammatical Construction + Awkwardness/Redundancy
• The simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past.
• The past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past".
• Information vital to the core meaning of the sentence must not be placed between comas.
• “being” is only to be used when it is part of a noun phrase or represents the passive continuous verb tense; the use of passive continuous must be justified in the context.
A: Correct. This answer choice acts upon the independent subject “Galileo” with the active verbs “invent” and “built” to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence. Further, Option A correctly uses the simple past tense to refer to an action that concluded in the past. Additionally, Option A avoids the grammatical construction error seen in Option C, as it only places extra information between commas. Besides, Option A is free of any awkwardness/redundancy.
B: This answer choice incorrectly uses the past perfect tense verb “had not invented” to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past". Further, Option B needlessly uses the passive verb construction “having been made”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
C: This answer choice incorrectly uses the past perfect tense verb “had not invented” to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past". Further, Option C incorrectly places information vital to the core meaning of the sentence – the fact that Galileo did not invent the telescope – between two commas; please remember information vital to the core meaning of the sentence must not be placed between comas.
D: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; “invent”, “hearing”, and “had been made” are all parts of modifying phrases, meaning there is no active verb to act upon “Galileo”.
E: This answer choice redundantly uses “Even though” alongside “but”, rendering it awkward and needlessly wordy. Further, Option E incorrectly uses the word “being”, leading to further awkwardness and redundancy; remember, “being” is only to be used when it is part of a noun phrase or represents the passive continuous verb tense; the use of passive continuous must be justified in the context; “being” is only to be used when it is part of a noun phrase or represents the passive continuous verb tense; the use of passive continuous must be justified in the context.
Hence, A is the best answer choice.
To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
To understand the concept of "Past Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
To understand the concept of "Extra Information Between Commas" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
chunjuwu
Concepts tested here: Tenses + Grammatical Construction + Awkwardness/Redundancy
• The simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past.
• The past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past".
• Information vital to the core meaning of the sentence must not be placed between comas.
• “being” is only to be used when it is part of a noun phrase or represents the passive continuous verb tense; the use of passive continuous must be justified in the context.
A: Correct. This answer choice acts upon the independent subject “Galileo” with the active verbs “invent” and “built” to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence. Further, Option A correctly uses the simple past tense to refer to an action that concluded in the past. Additionally, Option A avoids the grammatical construction error seen in Option C, as it only places extra information between commas. Besides, Option A is free of any awkwardness/redundancy.
B: This answer choice incorrectly uses the past perfect tense verb “had not invented” to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past". Further, Option B needlessly uses the passive verb construction “having been made”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
C: This answer choice incorrectly uses the past perfect tense verb “had not invented” to refer to an action that concluded in the past; please remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to events that concluded in the past, and the past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past". Further, Option C incorrectly places information vital to the core meaning of the sentence – the fact that Galileo did not invent the telescope – between two commas; please remember information vital to the core meaning of the sentence must not be placed between comas.
D: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; “invent”, “hearing”, and “had been made” are all parts of modifying phrases, meaning there is no active verb to act upon “Galileo”.
E: This answer choice redundantly uses “Even though” alongside “but”, rendering it awkward and needlessly wordy. Further, Option E incorrectly uses the word “being”, leading to further awkwardness and redundancy; remember, “being” is only to be used when it is part of a noun phrase or represents the passive continuous verb tense; the use of passive continuous must be justified in the context; “being” is only to be used when it is part of a noun phrase or represents the passive continuous verb tense; the use of passive continuous must be justified in the context.
Hence, A is the best answer choice.
To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
To understand the concept of "Past Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
To understand the concept of "Extra Information Between Commas" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
