Insomnia affects approximately 10 million Americans, who

Question

Insomnia affects approximately 10 million Americans, who lose collectively 30 million workdays a  year, and they cost the nation $1 billion in lost  work time.

 
(A) year, and they cost the nation $1 billion in lost
(B) year and thus cost the nation $1 billion in lost
(C) year, so as to cost the nation $1 billion in lost
(D) year that costs the nation $1 billion in lost
(E) year, which thus cost the nation $1 billion in lost

sastal · Answer

Americans  lose  collectively...and thus  cost ...

It is B.

jpv · Answer

None of the answer choices are correct.

GMATT73, can you please recheck the source/typos in the answer choices?

Paul · Answer

B is perfect because it is a dep. clause linked by a conjunction and part of the modifier modifying "Americans". Hence, "cost" is good.

jpv · Answer

Paul, Note that it is not Americans, who cost lost revenues. Instead it is Insomnia, which causes in lost revenues.

Paul · Answer

But who lose 30 million $  collectively ? Is it insomnia or Americans? "thus" is the continuation of the idea that those same Americans do not only lose that much money  collectively  but "they" also cost the nation a lot of money

jpv · Answer

I agree. It is Americans. But second portion should refer either to Insomnia or to the "effect of Insomnia on Americans". That was why I asked GMATT73 to confirm the answer choices. Am I missing something :roll:

?

doloris · Answer

B for me too. :wink:

Best..

anirban16 · Answer

It is insomnia that costs, not something done to americans. The subject here is insomnia...not americans , so singular verb is needed.

Paul · Answer

Can you tell me if this sentence is wrong?

XYZ has a team of 50 unsuccessful traders, who collectively lost $1 million and cost the firm half a million in lost work days.

The same logic applies to the original sentence whereby "traders/Americans" should be the subject of the relative clauses

jpv · Answer

Here who refers to "50 unsuccessful traders".
So, we are refering to:
1. 50 unsuccessful traders collectively lost $1 million.
2. 50 unsuccessful traders cost the firm half a million in lost work days.

Here it makes sense because these 50 UNSUCCESSFUL traders were directly responsible for the loss.

ngobaotrung · Answer

ans B

D,E out because which and that is not clear
A, they is ambiguous
C, so as to is unidiomatic

Paul · Answer

So why do you insist that "cost" must be associated to "insomnia" rather than "Americans"? Do you see that "Americans" can also be a cost to the nation? :wink:

GMATT73 · Answer

OA is B

wunderbar03 · Answer

A, E are easily eliminated.

If B changes into "thus cost s  the nation $1 billion in lost", B is the best because cost refers to insomnia rather than to Americans.

In D, "that" being placed right after "year" makes confusing.

So C is left and is the choice (although it is not the best)

Insomnia affects approximately 10 million Americans, who

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