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Re: In the mid-1960's a newly installed radar warning system mistook the
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03 Nov 2009, 03:07
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pierrealexandre77 wrote:
Hi all,
Here is a new SC :
In the mid-1960’s a newly installed radar warning system mistook the rising of the moon as a massive missile attack by the Soviets.
(A) rising of the moon as a massive missile attack by the Soviets (B) rising of the moon for a massive Soviet missile attack (C) moon rising to a massive missile attack by the Soviets (D) moon as it was rising for a massive Soviet missile attack (E) rise of the moon as a massive Soviet missile attack
Comparison between moon and a missile... that's for me a better comparison than OA
The correct idiom tested here is "mistake/mistook X for Y". This immediately rules out A, C and E. B is correct because the comparison is between the event - rising of the moon - and -massive Soviet missile attack". The comparison is not between the moon and the missile attack or the moon and a missile.
Re: In the mid-1960's a newly installed radar warning system mistook the
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28 Nov 2009, 12:25
1
pierrealexandre77 wrote:
Hi all,
Here is a new SC :
In the mid-1960’s a newly installed radar warning system mistook the rising of the moon as a massive missile attack by the Soviets.
(A) rising of the moon as a massive missile attack by the Soviets (B) rising of the moon for a massive Soviet missile attack (C) moon rising to a massive missile attack by the Soviets (D) moon as it was rising for a massive Soviet missile attack (E) rise of the moon as a massive Soviet missile attack
Comparison between moon and a missile... that's for me a better comparison than OA
I agree B. The reason why D is wrong is that "moon as it was rising for" suggests that the moon was rising for the sake of "massive Soviet missile attack". For example:
Tom would do anything for her-----> the "for" here has the same logic as that in option D
Re: In the mid-1960's a newly installed radar warning system mistook the
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19 Jan 2013, 01:46
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Only two close answers are A & B
(A) rising of the moon as a massive missile attack by the Soviets --Mistook X as Y is incorrect use of idiom. (B) rising of the moon for a massive Soviet missile attack -- Correct. Idiom Mistook/Mistake X for Y is correctly used here.
In the mid-1960's a newly installed radar warning system mistook the
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14 Nov 2019, 09:35
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shabuzen102 wrote:
Dear Expert,
May I ask whether "moon rising" and "rising of the moon" are interchangeable? Thanks!
I am not an expert but I’d like to share my thoughts: “The rising of the moon” is a noun phrase in which the noun is “the rising” and “of the moon” is a prepositional phrase that modifies the noun. “The moon rising” is also a noun phrase in which the noun is “the moon” and the present participle “rising” modifies the noun.
The intended comparison is between the event of rising (of the moon) and the attack (of the Soviet missile). I think about the word “attack” and gets that it is an action that is abrupt at first and then progressive. This non-static nature is also seen in the word “rising”. Thus, "rising" and "attack" are in perfect parallel to each other.
If we use “moon rising”, the comparison is now between the moon and the attack -> not convey the intended meaning. Hope that helps!
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Re: In the mid-1960's a newly installed radar warning system mistook the
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15 Nov 2019, 09:30
Tracy95 wrote:
shabuzen102 wrote:
Dear Expert,
May I ask whether "moon rising" and "rising of the moon" are interchangeable? Thanks!
I am not an expert but I’d like to share my thoughts: “The rising of the moon” is a noun phrase in which the noun is “the rising” and “of the moon” is a prepositional phrase that modifies the noun. “The moon rising” is also a noun phrase in which the noun is “the moon” and the present participle “rising” modifies the noun.
The intended comparison is between the event of rising (of the moon) and the attack (of the Soviet missile). I think about the word “attack” and gets that it is an action that is abrupt at first and then progressive. This non-static nature is also seen in the word “rising”. Thus, "rising" and "attack" are in perfect parallel to each other.
If we use “moon rising”, the comparison is now between the moon and the attack -> not convey the intended meaning. Hope that helps!
Re: In the mid-1960's a newly installed radar warning system mistook the
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23 Nov 2019, 07:04
shabuzen102 wrote:
Dear Expert,
May I ask whether "moon rising" and "rising of the moon" are interchangeable? Thanks!
Let's start with this simple example:
"Bob's fur is brown." - "fur" is a noun, so we use the possessive "Bob's" to qualify that noun
Now consider these two options:
"Bob barking is keeping me awake."
"Bob's barking is keeping me awake."
Which is correct? Well, in this case, "barking" is acting like a noun (it's a gerund, if you like the jargon). Just as we need the possessive form when we write, "Bob's fur," we need a possessive to qualify "barking". So the first option is incorrect. "Moon rising" in (C) has the same problem.
And if you're looking for another reason to give (C) the boot, it uses an illogical idiom: "A newly installed radar warning system mistook the moon rising to a massive missile attack..." I can mistake one item for another, but I can't mistake one item to another. You don't have to memorize the idiom; you just need to recognize that the construction in (C) makes it sound as though the warning system is incorrectly transporting the "moon rising" to a "missile attack," which is utter nonsense.
Need an expert reply? Hit the request verbal experts' reply button; be specific about your question, and tag @GMATNinja. Priority is always given to official GMAT questions.
Re: In the mid-1960's a newly installed radar warning system mistook the
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27 Nov 2019, 11:15
GMATNinja wrote:
shabuzen102 wrote:
Dear Expert,
May I ask whether "moon rising" and "rising of the moon" are interchangeable? Thanks!
Let's start with this simple example:
"Bob's fur is brown." - "fur" is a noun, so we use the possessive "Bob's" to qualify that noun
Now consider these two options:
"Bob barking is keeping me awake."
"Bob's barking is keeping me awake."
Which is correct? Well, in this case, "barking" is acting like a noun (it's a gerund, if you like the jargon). Just as we need the possessive form when we write, "Bob's fur," we need a possessive to qualify "barking". So the first option is incorrect. "Moon rising" in (C) has the same problem.
And if you're looking for another reason to give (C) the boot, it uses an illogical idiom: "A newly installed radar warning system mistook the moon rising to a massive missile attack..." I can mistake one item for another, but I can't mistake one item to another. You don't have to memorize the idiom; you just need to recognize that the construction in (C) makes it sound as though the warning system is incorrectly transporting the "moon rising" to a "missile attack," which is utter nonsense.
I hope that helps!
Thank you GMATNinja. That helped. Although I do feel uneasy since in some distant part of my memory I think that there were times that it's ok to use that gerund as a noun. How about a sentence like this?
"Him talking to me makes me feel sick" What about "Jim talking to me makes me feel sick"? Would it be fine or should it have been "Jim's talking to me makes me feel sick?"
Re: In the mid-1960's a newly installed radar warning system mistook the
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29 Nov 2019, 16:50
shabuzen102 wrote:
GMATNinja wrote:
shabuzen102 wrote:
Dear Expert,
May I ask whether "moon rising" and "rising of the moon" are interchangeable? Thanks!
Let's start with this simple example:
"Bob's fur is brown." - "fur" is a noun, so we use the possessive "Bob's" to qualify that noun
Now consider these two options:
"Bob barking is keeping me awake."
"Bob's barking is keeping me awake."
Which is correct? Well, in this case, "barking" is acting like a noun (it's a gerund, if you like the jargon). Just as we need the possessive form when we write, "Bob's fur," we need a possessive to qualify "barking". So the first option is incorrect. "Moon rising" in (C) has the same problem.
And if you're looking for another reason to give (C) the boot, it uses an illogical idiom: "A newly installed radar warning system mistook the moon rising to a massive missile attack..." I can mistake one item for another, but I can't mistake one item to another. You don't have to memorize the idiom; you just need to recognize that the construction in (C) makes it sound as though the warning system is incorrectly transporting the "moon rising" to a "missile attack," which is utter nonsense.
I hope that helps!
Thank you GMATNinja. That helped. Although I do feel uneasy since in some distant part of my memory I think that there were times that it's ok to use that gerund as a noun. How about a sentence like this?
"Him talking to me makes me feel sick" What about "Jim talking to me makes me feel sick"? Would it be fine or should it have been "Jim's talking to me makes me feel sick?"
Thanks!
"Him talking to me makes me feel sick" - Here, "talking" is a gerund and acts like a noun! Think of a stripped down version of this sentence: "Talking makes me sick." The subject is "talking" (a noun) and the main verb is "makes".
Back to your example: whose talking makes me feel sick? HIS talking. Just as we needed the possessive form when we wrote, "Bob's fur" above, we need a possessive to qualify "talking".
You wouldn't say, "Bob fur is brown." For the same reason, "Jim talking..." or "him talking..." would be incorrect in your examples.
Need an expert reply? Hit the request verbal experts' reply button; be specific about your question, and tag @GMATNinja. Priority is always given to official GMAT questions.
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63% (00:57) correct 
