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Re: International loans that are extensive and in some cases exceeding the
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30 Oct 2020, 22:38
Here's the official explanation provided by the GMAC for this question:
The sentence as originally presented contains several flaws. The meaning of extensive is unclear. In this structure, it is also unclear whether exceeding is supposed to be part of a present progressive verb form (together with are) or the beginning of an adjectival phrase parallel with the adjective extensive. The pronoun them has no clear referent. Note: One could hypothesize that the sentence has been excerpted from an unseen context containing a noun or noun phrase that serves as the antecedent of them. But even in that case, given the complexity of the wording that precedes them in this sentence, it would be better to repeat the noun or noun phrase from the previous sentence to make the reference clear.
Option A: Neither extensive nor exceeding is used here in a standard, meaningful way. The pronoun them has no clear referent.
Option B: This is awkward and wordy. Extensive is not used here in a standard, meaningful way. In principle, extensive could refer to the size of the loans, but if that were the intended meaning, extensive in size would be strangely redundant. In this structure, it is unclear whether exceeding is supposed to be part of a present progressive verb form (together with are) or the beginning of an adjectival phrase parallel with the adjectival phrase extensive in size.
Option C: This is awkward and wordy. Extensive is not used here in a standard, meaningful way. In principle, extensive could refer to the size of the loans, but if that were the intended meaning, extensive in size would be strangely redundant. The pronoun them has no clear referent. If them referred to loans, loans would be absurdly both the subject and the object of expose. Furthermore, loans, rather than lenders or borrowers, cannot be appropriately said to be insolvent.
Option D: Correct. This uses appropriate parts of speech and clear structures to express a coherent message without redundancy. The use of lenders rather than the pronoun them clarifies who have been exposed to insolvency.
Option E: The pronoun them has no clear referent. Since it is plural, its antecedent cannot be the singular bank.
The correct answer is D.
Please note that I'm not the author of this explanation. I'm just posting it here since I believe it can help the community.