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# In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave

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In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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06 Sep 2013, 02:22
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65% (00:43) correct 35% (00:52) wrong based on 423 sessions

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In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave as predicted by their mathematical formulas, it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of a series of irregular points on the surface.
B) as compared with
C) in contrast with
D) rather than to
E) as against being at
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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06 Sep 2013, 03:13
IMO D.

In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave as predicted by their mathematical formulas, it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of a series of irregular points on the surface.
A) instead of ----Not a proper comparison
B) as compared with ----Not a proper comparison
C) in contrast with ----Not a proper comparison
D) rather than to --- Correct. Heat applied over the surface.. rather than to a series of irregular points on the surface.
E) as against being at ----Awkward
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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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06 Sep 2013, 06:28
I agree with Option D.

Same explanation as above!
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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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06 Sep 2013, 08:34
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fameatop wrote:
In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave as predicted by their mathematical formulas, it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of a series of irregular points on the surface.
B) as compared with
C) in contrast with
D) rather than to
E) as against being at

OA will be posted after discussion

Note the keywords OVER and either (OF/WITH/TO/AT)

The structure boils down to:

"it is important the heat be applied evenly (OVER X) rather than (TO Y)"

The effective meaning is:

"it is important the heat be applied evenly OVER X"

rather than

"it is important the heat be applied evenly TO a series of irregular points on the surface."
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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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16 Oct 2013, 23:22
Would it be safe to assume that just as GMAT doesn't prefer 'being', it doesn't prefer 'instead of'.
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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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25 Sep 2014, 23:13
1
KUDOS
The question is about what is being compared?
First 3 answers are the same, and they don't compare location to the location.
You need some preposition to say that the heat is applied to some location.
So correct is D
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In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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19 Jan 2017, 22:46
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fameatop wrote:
In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave as predicted by their mathematical formulas, it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of a series of irregular points on the surface.
B) as compared with
C) in contrast with
D) rather than to
E) as against being at

As you can see from this problem, it is critical to determine precisely what is being compared. What is being compared in this sentence? $$Where$$ the heat is being applied. If you said “location,” you’re partially correct, but with a significant piece missing. In the first portion of the comparison, the heat is being applied “over the total surface area.” Yes, “the total surface area” is the location of the application, but the word “over” is just as important.

Without a preposition to introduce the location in the second portion of the comparison (“to a series of irregular points”), the comparison lacks equivalency of form. To be properly compared, the heat must be applied evenly:

1. over the entire surface area

rather than

2. to a series of irregular points.

None of the other answer choices (except answer choice E, which is clearly wrong because of the poor diction (“as against being”) contain the necessary preposition of location to make an exact comparison between the same things: where the heat is being applied. The correct answer choice is D.
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In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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14 Feb 2017, 20:28
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AR15J wrote:
Why is choice A incorrect?

Please go through this post: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/forums/rather-than-accept-the-conventional-wisdom-that-the-earth-t1177.html
It explains that RAHER THAN is a conjunction and hence can be followed by anything but INSTEAD OF is a complex preposition which should be followed by a noun. The noun can be a gerund as well.

With this, use of INSTEAD OF could be correct if we had the sentence as:

it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of applying it to a series of irregular points on the surface.

Another post for reference : http://gmat-grammar.blogspot.in/2006/06/rather-than-vs-instead-of.html
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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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15 Feb 2017, 02:52
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RMD007 wrote:
AR15J wrote:
Why is choice A incorrect?

Please go through this post: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/forums/rather-than-accept-the-conventional-wisdom-that-the-earth-t1177.html
It explains that RAHER THAN is a conjunction and hence can be followed by anything but INSTEAD OF is a complex preposition which should be followed by a noun. The noun can be a gerund as well.

With this, use of INSTEAD OF could be correct if we had the sentence as:

it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of applying it to a series of irregular points on the surface.

Another post for reference : http://gmat-grammar.blogspot.in/2006/06/rather-than-vs-instead-of.html

Thanks RD.

But, as you explained, instead of is used for noun

I take milk instead of coffee in the breakfast-- correct used for noun

In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave as predicted by their mathematical formulas, it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of a series of irregular points on the surface.

both "total surface area" and "a series of irregular points on the surface" are nouns, so we should be allowed to use "instead of" in this case. Did I misunderstand anything ? Please help !
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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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15 Feb 2017, 05:29
AR15J wrote:
RMD007 wrote:
AR15J wrote:
Why is choice A incorrect?

Please go through this post: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/forums/rather-than-accept-the-conventional-wisdom-that-the-earth-t1177.html
It explains that RAHER THAN is a conjunction and hence can be followed by anything but INSTEAD OF is a complex preposition which should be followed by a noun. The noun can be a gerund as well.

With this, use of INSTEAD OF could be correct if we had the sentence as:

it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of applying it to a series of irregular points on the surface.

Another post for reference : http://gmat-grammar.blogspot.in/2006/06/rather-than-vs-instead-of.html

Thanks RD.

But, as you explained, instead of is used for noun

I take milk instead of coffee in the breakfast-- correct used for noun

In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave as predicted by their mathematical formulas, it is important the heat be applied evenly over the total surface area of the flask instead of a series of irregular points on the surface.

both "total surface area" and "a series of irregular points on the surface" are nouns, so we should be allowed to use "instead of" in this case. Did I misunderstand anything ? Please help !

If you use "instead of", the parallelsim must be between two noun phrases (as you correctly identified):

1. the total surface area of the flask
AND
2. a series of irregular points on the surface

The preposition "over" then covers both the above noun phrases. However the usage "OVER a series of points..." is idiomatically incorrect. The correct usage is "TO a series of points....." (Correct usage: over a surface, to a point). Thus the parallelsim should be made between two prepositional phrases:

1. over the total surface area of the flask
AND
2. to a series of irregular points on the surface

Thus use of "rather than" becomes mandatory.
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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave [#permalink]

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26 Mar 2017, 05:47
sayantanc2k wrote:
If you use "instead of", the parallelsim must be between two noun phrases (as you correctly identified):

1. the total surface area of the flask
AND
2. a series of irregular points on the surface

The preposition "over" then covers both the above noun phrases. However the usage "OVER a series of points..." is idiomatically incorrect. The correct usage is "TO a series of points....." (Correct usage: over a surface, to a point). Thus the parallelsim should be made between two prepositional phrases:

1. over the total surface area of the flask
AND
2. to a series of irregular points on the surface

Thus use of "rather than" becomes mandatory.

Dear sayantanc2k, I believe the correct phrasal verb that used for the comparison shall be apply sth to sth.

You may refer the screenshot from Cambridge Dictionary.
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Re: In order to ensure that chemical reaction in the lab behave   [#permalink] 26 Mar 2017, 05:47
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