Just as photosynthesis allows plants to convert

Just as photosynthesis allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food, cellular respiration enables animals to convert oxygen into energy.

Structurally, this is a complex sentence, with the as clause acting as a subordinate clause and the second part as the main clause.

1. Just as photosynthesis allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food --- perfect foil

2. Like photosynthesis, which allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food, - wrongly compares a noun phrase with an IC -

3. Similar to photosynthesis allowing plants' conversion of carbon dioxide and water into organic food-- same problem as in B

4. Similar to allowing plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food, as done during the photosynthesis, -- it is not made clear that it is photosynthesis that allows the plants to do conversion. Meaning is substantively twisted.


5. As photosynthesis, which allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food ---- Meaning distorted. This choice says that cellular respiration takes the role of photosynthesis.

Actually, neither photosynthesis allows nor respiration enables (both are action verbs); they are status verbs during which these processes occur. Maybe this is not so relevant to GMAT SC.
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A , for comparison Like+Nouns .... And As+Clauses .

1. Just as photosynthesis allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food, - correct comparison. I don't find any error. Let's move on and look for a better option.

2. Like photosynthesis, ((which)) allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food, - only one fragment of a sentence...verb missing. Incorrect.

3. ((Similar to photosynthesis allowing)) plants' conversion of carbon dioxide and water into organic food, - incorrect comparison.

4. ((Similar to allowing plants)) to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food, as done during photosynthesis, - incorrect comparison.

5. As photosynthesis, ((which)) allows plants to converts carbon dioxide and water into organic food, - same as B.

Thus, A seems best.

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Wat is wrong with 5? please explain.


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But Sir I think Just As X, so Y is the correct structure. That's why I removed option A and E and marked B.

Just as X so Y need not be there always. Think of these sentences:
Just As I was rushing to the station, the train left.
Just as I was about to hit the bed, the telephone ring woke me up. But B is grammatically wrong for the reason I stated.
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OA: A

The original sentence is correct as it is.


Source: :MGMAT SC

Hello daagh sir,
If we look into option 2 like this-

Like photosynthesis, which allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food, cellular respiration
enables animals to convert oxygen into energy.

isn't it a Noun to Noun comparison and if that is the case then can't we use LIKE?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Tamal

Hey tamal,

I think you need to understand the usage of the word like. Let me help you with an example

Like tamal, Rahul is good in studies.

What does this sentence say? Tamal is good in studies and so is Rahul

Now coming back to your doubt. It means just as photosynthesis enables animals to convert oxygen to energy, so does respiration enable animals to do the same

Does this make any sense at all? No. Hence the comparison used is incorrect.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you still have any queries

Posted from my mobile device
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we use 'like' for Noun, pronoun and 'as' for clause ...so why B is incorrect.. Pls help

Hello tamal99

5. Like photosynthesis, which allows plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic food, cellular respiration
enables animals to convert oxygen into energy.

isn't it a Noun to Noun comparison and if that is the case then can't we use LIKE?

Grammatically, you are absolutely right, but check the meaning of the sentence. When we use like for comparison of two nouns it means that both do the same function.
Here the option 5 tells that photosynthesis and cellular respiration both do the same function i.e. enable animals to convert oxygen into energy.
However, the function of photosynthesis is different from that of cellular respiration.
So, we can't compare both these nouns.
As per the context of the sentence, the functions of photosynthesis and cellular respiration is being compared. For this reason, we need an "as" here.

Please note that GMAT gives more importance to Logical meaning than to grammar.
So, we can reject the option 5.

Hope it helps.
Not an expert.

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