HOT Competition (Instagram): Dermatologists believe that facial pores

Question

Dermatologists believe  that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health .

A. that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health

B. that masks, cosmetics, and lotions can, if facial pores are covered by them much of the time, result in acne and a reduction in skin health

C. that, in covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, skin health can be reduced and acne can be caused

D. that covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can reduce skin health and cause acne

E. that, in spending much of the time covered by masks, cosmetics, and lotions, facial pores can cause acne and a reduction in skin health

V34-05

GMATNinja · Accepted Answer

The first thing that jumps out at me is the word “both”, since it’s a key parallelism trigger. But there’s interesting happening here: “acne” and “a reduction in skin health” are two parallel nouns, so we’re all good.

The other bit of parallelism, “... masks, cosmetics, and lotions”, looks fine, too.

So here aren’t any grammar issues here, but the meaning looks shaky: “... facial pores, if  , can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health.” Wait a minute: facial pores CAUSE acne under certain circumstances? And facial pores CAUSE a reduction in skin health?!?

That’s nonsense. (A) is out.

I don’t see any glaring grammatical errors here. That’s nice.

Let’s hold on to (B), at least for now.

We definitely have some meaning issues here. I don’t love the use of passive voice (“health can be reduced” and “acne can be caused”) here, because it makes the sentence unclear.

What, exactly, causes acne and a reduction in skin health? It's really hard to figure it out when you first read the sentence. I guess the answer is “in covering our facial pores… with masks, cosmetics, and lotions”, but that’s a mess. Imagine the following conversation:

Dermatologist: “You’re experiencing acne and a reduction in skin health.” 
Patient: “Oh, crap! What caused those things?”
Dermatologist: “In covering your facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions.” 
Patient: “I’m confused. I need a beer. Or at least a cookie.”

That’s a long-winded way of saying that (C) is hard to understand. We have better options, so let’s remove (C).

Hm, this looks better. What reduces skin health and causes acne? Not the masks, cosmetics, and lotions themselves -- it’s the act of “ covering  our facial pores” with those things.

Keep (D).

Um, facial pores cause acne? And facial pores cause a reduction in skin health? That’s nonsense. (E) is gone.

We didn’t eliminate (B) right away, so let’s line it up side-by-side with (D) to understand what’s happening here:
 
Which one of these makes more sense? Again, I don’t think that (B) is WRONG, exactly, but which one is clearer?

In (B), the message is muddier: masks, cosmetics and lotions CAN -- under certain circumstances -- cause bad things to happen to your skin. But why not just cut to the chase, and say that it’s the act of   covering   the pores that causes skin problems?

(D) is clearer, so it’s our winner.

yashikaaggarwal · Answer

Dermatologists believe that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health.

covered  (past)/  covering  (present)
  reduced  (past)/  Reduce  (Present)
The Statement intends to state the present action so using past action words are wrong.

A. that facial pores, if   covered   much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health

B. that masks, cosmetics, and lotions can, if facial pores are   covered   by them much of the time, result in acne and a reduction in skin health

C. that, in   covering   our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, skin health can be   reduced   and acne can be caused

D. that   covering   our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can   reduce   skin health and cause acne

E. that, in spending much of the time   covered   by masks, cosmetics, and lotions, facial pores can cause acne and a reduction in skin health

Answer is D

bidskamikaze · Answer

Dermatologists believe  that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health.

A. that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health
-  Facial pores do not cause anything; The act of covering them is the one that causes things.

B. that masks, cosmetics, and lotions can, if facial pores are covered by them much of the time, result in acne and a reduction in skin health
-  Important information is placed between two comma's: not acceptable.

C. that, in covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, skin health can be reduced and acne can be caused
-  "in covering our... incorrect.

D. that covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can reduce skin health and cause acne
-  Correct.

E. that, in spending much of the time covered by masks, cosmetics, and lotions, facial pores can cause acne and a reduction in skin health
-  Facial pores do not cause anything; The act of covering them is the one that causes things.

Answer D.

JonShukhrat · Answer

A.  that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health

If the sentence is read without the modifier in between commas, the sentence implies that “facial pores” cause both acne and a reduction in skin health. That’s nonsensical meaning. The sentence intends to say that “covering skin pores” may have repercussions, but NOT skin pores themselves. Note that “both noun and noun” idiom is used correctly with two parallel nouns.

B.  that masks, cosmetics, and lotions can, if facial pores are covered by them much of the time,  result in  acne and a reduction in skin health

The difference between “cause” and “result in” is that, while concrete nouns can cause something, they cannot result in something. What can result in something is actions or events. For example “covering” is an action and this action can result in something whereas “masks” cannot do so.

Moreover, the modifier “if facial pores are covered by them much of the time” should precede “can”. In such case, this modifier could logically refer to “masks and other stuff”. However, as it’s written now, it doesn’t make sense.

C.  that, in covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, skin health can be reduced and acne can be caused

Because “preposition + ing” takes the following subject as its performer, this choice implies that “skin health covers our facial pore” – clearly nonsensical meaning.

D.  that covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can reduce skin health and cause acne

Bingo! Finally, a sound meaning: “covering our face with masks and other similar stuff may have repercussions.

E.  that, in spending much of the time covered by masks, cosmetics, and lotions, facial pores can cause acne and a reduction in skin health

Ditto to A, E illogically implies that facial pores themselves deteriorate our skin. “in spending much of the time” refers to facial pores, and connotes that facial pores spend much of the time covered”.

Hence   D

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MayankSingh · Answer

IMO D

Dermatologists believe  that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health.

A. that facial pores,  if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions , can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health :   Incorrect  -  
Meaning Error- Portion within Comma is non essential. Sentence Written as such conveys-  "facial pores can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health" , Which doesn't make sense because facial pores by themselves cannot be the doer.

B. that masks, cosmetics, and lotions can,  if facial pores are covered by them much of the time , result in acne and a reduction in skin health:   Incorrect    
Meaning Error-  "Masks, Cosmetics, and lotions can result in acne and a reduction in skin health" - Masks, cosmetics & lotions cannot result in something. An action can result in some result.

C. that,  in  covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, skin health can be reduced and acne  can be caused :   Incorrect  -
   Cause & Effect relationship is missing.  This option is  indirect (passive)  & written as such sentence is not complete- "Skin health can be reduced and acne can be caused   (by ?) " - the result is on account of what/caused by what is missing.

D. that  covering  our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can  reduce  skin health and  cause  acne-   Correct  - 
 This choice is direct (Active Voice) and Clear. This option has clear cause & Effect relationship i.e  "doing something can result in something"  i.e Covering the face can reduce & cause

E. that, in spending much of the time covered by masks, cosmetics, and lotions, facial pores can cause acne and a reduction in skin health:   Incorrect  -  
Meaning Error. Written as such sentence conveys that  " Facial pores, in spending much of the time covered by masks, can cause......."  which doesn't make sense as facial mask cannot be a doer of action spending..

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unraveled · Answer

Dermatologists believe  that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health .

A. that  facial pores , if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions,  can cause  both acne and a reduction in skin health - INCORRECT. It suggests that facial pores cause acne... when its the act of covering them is the cause.

B. that masks, cosmetics, and lotions can, if facial pores are covered by them much of the time, result in acne and a reduction in skin health
D. that covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can reduce skin health and cause acne

C. that,  in covering  our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions,  skin health can be reduced  and  acne can be caused  - INCORRECT. Passive and badly structured.

D. that covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can reduce skin health and cause acne - CORRECT.

E. that, in spending much of the time covered by masks, cosmetics, and lotions,  facial pores can cause  acne and a reduction in skin health - INCORRECT. Same as A.

IMO Answer D.

berdibekov · Answer

Dermatologists believe that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health.

A. that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health 
 facial pored do not cause acne, but rather masks, cosmentics, etc do.. The given sentence incorrectly changes meaning. Out

B. that masks, cosmetics, and lotions can, if facial pores are covered by them much of the time, result in acne and a reduction in skin health 
 sounds awkward, moreover not really clearly what 'them' refers to (pores, masks/cosmetics?) Wouldn't choose

C. that, in covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, skin health can be reduced and acne can be caused 
 It seems as if health is covering facial pores, leading to problems. Which is clearly not what by meant. Out

D. that covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can reduce skin health and cause acne
 winner - clearly communicates that act of covering pores with masks/et lead to skin problems

E. that, in spending much of the time covered by masks, cosmetics, and lotions, facial pores can cause acne and a reduction in skin health 
 facial pores themselfes do not cause skin problems, but rather masks ... etc that cover the pores .

Ans is D

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Tanushka77 · Answer

Dermatologists believe that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health.

A. that facial pores, if covered much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, can cause both acne and a reduction in skin health  pores cannot cause ance by themselves

B. that masks, cosmetics, and lotions can, if facial pores are covered by them much of the time, result in acne and a reduction in skin health  what are them? Masks? Lotions? All together? Unclear

C. that, in covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions, skin health can be reduced and acne can be caused  sounds soooo awkward

D. that covering our facial pores much of the time with masks, cosmetics, and lotions can reduce skin health and cause acne  this one seems fine. Keep it

E. that, in spending much of the time covered by masks, cosmetics, and lotions, facial pores can cause acne and a reduction in skin health  pores cannot cause acne by themselves. This is illogical

The answer is D

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VerbalBot · Answer

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HOT Competition (Instagram): Dermatologists believe that facial pores

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HOT Competition (Instagram): Dermatologists believe that facial pores

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