GMAT Club Around The World!!! In the southern Pacific island nation of

Question

In the southern Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, whose highest elevation is just 15 feet above sea level, not only are residents vulnerable to encroaching sea levels resulting from climate change,  they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and  natural vegetation.

(A) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and

(B) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, buildings, and

(C) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, buildings, and

(D) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, with the effect of decimating crops and destroying buildings, in addition to

(E) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and

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Bunuel · Accepted Answer

Manhattan Prep Official Explanation

First Glance:  Differences in the answer choices provide clues about what a problem might be testing. Before reading the sentence, glance at the beginning of the underline and down the beginning (just the beginning!) of the five answer choices to look for one early clue as to what this sentence is testing. In this sentence, the underline starts just after a comma and the answers begin with either  they can also  or  but also . Keep an eye out for issues with Structure, Modifiers, or Parallelism.

Issues: 
 (1) Parallelism: R, S, and T list structure 
The sentence contains two parallelism structures. It uses the idiom  not only X but also Y  and the list structure R, S, and T. Start with whichever seems more straightforward to you.

The list structure in the original sentence is faulty:  decimate crops, destroy buildings, and natural vegetation . The first two elements of the list begin with verbs ( decimate and destroy ) but the third one is just a noun. All three have to be in the same form, so eliminate answer (A). Glance down the rest of the answers. Eliminate (E) for the same error.

Answer (D) changes the structure a bit:  with the effect of decimating crops and destroying buildings, in addition to natural vegetation.  This is an example of nested parallelism, or parallelism within parallelism. The innermost parallel structure is  decimating and destroying ; those two words are parallel. The outer parallel structure is as follows:  with the effect of  , in addition to   . In this structure, the Y elements are still verbs while the Z element is still just a noun,  natural vegetation . Eliminate answer (D) for faulty parallelism in the outer parallel structure.

(2) Parallelism:  Not only X but also Y  structure 
The sentence also contains a not only X but also Y structure. Examine it in the two remaining answer choices:
(B) not only are residents vulnerable …, they can also expect …
(C) not only are residents vulnerable …, but also expect …

There’s a really good trap here. The standard idiom is  not only X but also Y , but there are other ways you’re allowed to construct this idiom. It’s also acceptable to say  not only X but Y  and it’s even sometimes okay to have  not only X, also Y . And this is one of those times!

Here’s an example of a “normal” usage of the full idiom: She likes not only pizza but also ice cream. In this example, all of the pieces fit the not  only X but also Y  structure super neatly.

But that’s not how the sentence in this problem looks. There’s a complication going on here. The first part ( not only are residents vulnerable ) is an inverted sentence structure: That is, the subject  residents  comes after the verb  are . Because the X element is a complete sentence—that is, there’s a subject and a verb—the Y element also has to have a subject and verb. Answer (C) is missing the subject; it has only the verb  expect . Eliminate answer (C) as well as answer (E) for making this same mistake.

The Correct Answer: Answer (B)  fixes the original error with the parallel list at the end of the sentence ( decimate crops, buildings, and natural vegetation ). This choice also leaves in the original  not only X (but) also Y  construction from the original sentence—because it’s correct! When you have this weird construction in which the  not only  element is inverted, do *not* also invert the second half; instead, in the second element, the subject comes before the verb. Separately, you’re omitting the word  but , so the subject (and possibly the verb as well) will come first after the comma, before the word  also .

Correct: Not only are you really smart, but you’re also kind. 
Correct: Not only are you really smart, but you’re kind.
Correct: Not only are you really smart, you’re also kind.

In all of the examples, the  you’re  is before the  also  (when the  also  is present). It just seems weird in the third case because the word  but  is omitted (which is unusual but still allowed!), so it can sound to your ear as though the  you’re  is in the wrong place and should come later in the sentence.

The clue here is to pick up on the inverted sentence structure ( not only are residents ) in the first half and then make sure you do still have a complete sentence (subject and verb) for the second half. In this case, the second half probably won’t invert the structure and it may omit either the  but  or the  also .

ElninoEffect · Answer

The correct idiom is not only X but also Y.

A, B and D are out.  |also these sentences are not connected properly FANBOYS concept.

Between C and E
(C) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can  decimate crops, buildings,  and
 decimate crops is correct but not buildings. buildings are destroyed.

(E)   is the answer.

yashikaaggarwal · Answer

Not only X but also Y (Idiom)
Eliminate A, B, and D.

Between C and E.
Decimate = Destroy(synonyms)
Hence, using Destroy in E is redundant.

Answer should be C

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CountingBack · Answer

The answer is C.Because of not only but also

Arvind123 · Answer

Can someone explain why C is not right?

Bunuel · Answer

We'll be posting OE's for all "GMAT Club Around The World!!!" questions on January the 2nd.

ElninoEffect · Answer

SV agreement error:
There is no subject for the verb expect. In every clause there should be a subject assigned to every verb and vice versa.

That's why C is wrong.!

I am never again blindly following the idiom.

gmatophobia · Answer

(A) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can  decimate crops, destroy buildings, and

Incorrect parallelism

(B) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can  decimate crops, buildings, and

Correct parallelism

(C)  but also  expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, buildings, and

Incorrect usage

(D) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones,  with the effect of decimating crops and destroying buildings, in addition to

Wordy

(E) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can  decimate crops, destroy buildings, and

Incorrect parallelism

100mitra · Answer

Correct Option B

Original Sentence 
In the southern Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, 
whose highest elevation is just 15 feet above sea level, 
not only are residents vulnerable to encroaching sea levels resulting from climate change, 
 they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, 
which can decimate 
crops, 
destroy buildings, and  
natural vegetation.

Correct Option: 
(B) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, buildings, and

Eliminate A, and D - Parallelism Error - List of Noun is needed 
(A) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, 
which can 
decimate crops, 
destroy buildings,
and natural vegetation

(D) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, 
with the effect of decimating crops and destroying buildings, in addition to natural vegetation

Eliminate C, and E 
This is trap! (Not only  Noun , but also  VERB )
(C) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, 
which can decimate crops, buildings, and
(E) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and

ChakAvi · Answer

In the southern Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, whose highest elevation is just 15 feet above sea level, not only are residents vulnerable to encroaching sea levels resulting from climate change,  they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and  natural vegetation.

Not only resident.......but also residents... is the required structure. In cases of C & E, subject is missing becoz , 'also can..' doesnt contain the subject resident/they.... 
The list in the last part must be: decimate/destroy crops, buildings, and vegetation

(A) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and  Parallelism error... decimate X, Y and Z required

(B) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, buildings, and  Correct

(C) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, buildings, and  Subject of the 'expect' verb missing

(D) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, with the effect of decimating crops and destroying buildings, in addition to  Awkard construction of the list

(E) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and  Subject of the 'expect' verb missing

Answer B

behlmanmeet · Answer

In the southern Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, whose highest elevation is just 15 feet above sea level, not only are residents vulnerable to encroaching sea levels resulting from climate change,  they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and  natural vegetation.

Solution:

(A) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and :  The biggest issue here for me was the incorrect parallelism. "decimate crops, destroy buildings, and natural vegetation" In a parallel list it is a good idea to read the sentence using each element individually. If we use the last element in the list in such a way we get "Which can natural vegetation", which makes no sense.

(B) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, buildings, and :  Correct

(C) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, buildings, and :  Now the "Not only X but also Y" idiom requires parallelism between X and Y. The X in this sentence has both subject and verb, whereas the Y only has a verb. Not parallel.

(D) they can also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, with the effect of decimating crops and destroying buildings, in addition to :  Now using "with" to show the effect of cyclones changes the structure. In addition to natural vegetation here makes no sense because we don't understand what happens to the natural vegetation. Does the cyclone have the effect of decimating crops and destroying buildings in addition to natural vegetation means it adds natural vegetation to its surroundings? Makes no sense.

(E) but also expect additional devastation due to an increasing frequency of severe cyclones, which can decimate crops, destroy buildings, and :  "decimate crops, destroy buildings, and natural vegetation" In a parallel list it is a good idea to read the sentence using each element individually. If we use the last element in the list in such a way we get "Which can natural vegetation", which makes no sense.

joseset1234 · Answer

But isnt't it weird to say "decimate buildings"?

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