Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in

Just like the background in art history need by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the nautical archaeologist needs specialized knowledge of the history of ship design in order to understand shipwrecks.

A) Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the

The passive construction, 'needed by...' is wordy.

B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a

We do not want to use the relative pronoun 'who', which in this case, limits the scope of archaeologists. We want to make sure that we are comparing 'archaeologist needs' to 'nautical archaeologist needs', thereby maintaining parallelism.

C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a

The proper idiomatic construction, 'just as...so' is combined with the proper parallelism: 'archaeologist needs'...'nautical archaeologist needs'. The Answer

D) Like the archaeologist who evaluates finds of ancient art and requires a background in art history, so the

Improper idiomatic construction.

E) As evaluating finds of ancient art requires an archaeologist who has the background in art history, so the

Improper idiomatic construction.
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Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that the nautical archaeologist needs specialized knowledge of the history of ship design in order to understand shipwrecks, in the same way, that an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Comparisons

• The infinitive verb form ("to + base form of the verb" - "to + evaluate" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for showing the intent or purpose of an action.
• A comparison must always be made between similar elements.

A: This answer choice incorrectly compares "the background in art history" to "the nautical archaeologist"; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements.

B: This answer choice incorrectly compares the noun "an archaeologist" to the clause "a nautical archaeologist needs...shipwrecks"; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements.

C: Correct. This answer choice correctly compares the clauses "an archaeologist needs...ancient art" and "a nautical archaeologist needs...to understand shipwrecks. Further, Option C uses the phrase "to evaluate finds of ancient art"; the use of the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of the verb" - "to + evaluate" in this sentence) conveys the intended meaning - that the archaeologist needs a background in art history for the purpose of evaluating finds of ancient art; please remember, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of the verb" - "to + evaluate" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for showing intent or purpose of an action.

D: This answer choice incorrectly compares the noun "the archaeologist" to the clause "the nautical archaeologist needs...shipwrecks"; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements. Further, Option D alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "and requires a background in art history"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the archaeologist evaluates finds of ancient art and as a separate action requires a background in art history; the intended meaning is that the archaeologist requires a background in art history for the purpose of evaluating finds of ancient art.

E: This answer choice incorrectly compares "evaluating finds of ancient art requires...art history" -- the act of evaluating finds of ancient art requiring an archaeologist with a background in art history to "the nautical archaeologist needs...shipwrecks" -- the act of the nautical archaeologist needing specialized knowledge of the history of ship design; please remember, a comparison must always be made between similar elements.

Hence, C is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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I thought C and then checked spoiler

Problem with B - First , there is no need for Who
Second , there should be a comma before "Who"
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Just like the background in art history need by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the nautical archaeologist needs specialized knowledge of the history of ship design in order to understand shipwrecks.

B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a -Parallelism error
C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a

OA - C

C has correct idiom just as... so

E would have been more apt because it avoids just, since just is always wordy, but it breaks parallelism

How about D? I thought "Like" is used to describe a noun.

Please check the word "evaluates" in D, changes the meaning intended.

A) Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the
B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a
C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a
D) Like the archaeologist who evaluates finds of ancient art and requires a background in art history, so the
E) As evaluating finds of ancient art requires an archaeologist who has the background in art history, so the

As we can see the BOLD letters mismatch with their BOLD mates, option (C) has the best usage of "just as...so"
needs a background is placed paralleled with needs specialized .

Just like the background in art history need by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the nautical archaeologist needs specialized knowledge of the history of ship design in order to understand shipwrecks.

A) Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the incorrect for multiple reasons
1. Lacks parallelism 2. passive construction 3. Just like is bad,bad,bad
B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a who is unneccessary
C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a correct idiom just as...so, maintains parallelism
D) Like the archaeologist who evaluates finds of ancient art and requires a background in art history, so the incorrect idiom
E) As evaluating finds of ancient art requires an archaeologist who has the background in art history, so the meaning issue

Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the nautical archaeologist needs specialized knowledge of the history of ship design in order to understand shipwrecks.

First look: idiom(just as, so), parallelism, like versus as

A) Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the Wrong - "just like" is not an idiom; "like" as a preposition carries nouns follow (never clauses); verb tense "needed is not parallel with "needs"; "so" needed to complete idiom ("just as, so")

B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a Wrong - "Just as" in first clause must have "so" in second clause; relative pronoun "who" is not parallel with second clause

C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a Correct

D) Like the archaeologist who evaluates finds of ancient art and requires a background in art history, so the Wrong - "like" and "so" are not idiomatic; "like" as a preposition carries nouns follow (never clauses); "who" is not parallel with second clause

E) As evaluating finds of ancient art requires an archaeologist who has the background in art history, so the Wrong - clauses are not parallel, so the idiom (as x, so y) does not work

IMO C

A) Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the --- Passive
B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a --- ambiguous pronoun
C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a --- Correct use of Idiom
D) Like the archaeologist who evaluates finds of ancient art and requires a background in art history, so the -- incorrect idiom
E) As evaluating finds of ancient art requires an archaeologist who has the background in art history, so the -- incorrect idiom

Hence answer is C

A) Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the -------compares a background with the nautical archaeologist; wrong
B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a --- an archeologist, a person’ is compared with what the nautical archeologist needs – unparallel comparison.
C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a --- correct comparison.
D) Like the archaeologist who evaluates finds of ancient art and requires a background in art history, so the --- so is redundant
E) As evaluating finds of ancient art requires an archaeologist who has the background in art history, so the -- ‘evaluation’, an action is compared with a person; wrong.

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Just like the background in art history need by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the nautical archaeologist needs specialized knowledge of the history of ship design in order to understand shipwrecks.

This question boils down to correct idiom and proper placement of modifier to make parallel comparison
First of all back ground in art history cannot be compared with archeologist. Archeologist should be compared with archaeologist.
Secondly the correct idiom is Just as X, So Y
With this knowledge, the correct answer can be vetted in less than 10 seconds.

A) Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the
Wrong:- background in art is compared with archeologist. Wrong idiom.

B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a:- missing "SO"
WRONG:- wrong idiom. Just as needs "so" to make it idiomatic.

C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a
CORRECT:- right comparison between archeologist and archeologist. Correct idiom Just asX, So y

D) Like the archaeologist who evaluates finds of ancient art and requires a background in art history,so the
WRONG:- Incorrect Idiom

E) As evaluating finds of ancient art requires an archaeologist who has the background in art history, so the
WRONG:- "find of ancient art" is being compared with "archeologist"



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Thanks. Wonderful explanation.
Cleared the dilemma between B and C completely.


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Main Issue:

Idiom: "Just as X, so Y"

(A) Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art, the - Wrong: 1) Idiom 2) Parallelism

(B) Just as an archaeologist who needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, a - Wrong: 1) Structure: Missing verb

(C) Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a - Correct

(D) Like the archaeologist who evaluates finds of ancient art and requires a background in art history, so the - Wrong: 1) Idiom 2) Meaning

(E) As evaluating finds of ancient art requires an archaeologist who has the background in art history, so the - Wrong: 1) Idiom 2) Meaning

Hello Chris

I understand why the option C is the correct choice, but for better conceptual understanding, could you please elaborate on how 'who' acts as a limiter?
By limiting, do you mean that an archaeologist (in general terms) is being limited to an archaeologist (with a art history background only)?
I ask so because what I just mentioned above does not make complete sense to me when I try to comprehend the sentence in such way.

NikhilST
Take a look at the non-underlined part. It says -
'nautical archaeologist needs specialized knowledge of the history of ship design in order to understand shipwrecks.' From structure point of view it is like
Noun + Verb + Object1 + Infinitive Verb + Object 2

As we can see that we are comparing two things, most likely the verb clause, we must have the two comparable elements in similar structure and voice. Also idiom used is 'Just as X, so Y.
Note that there is no limiting modifier here in Y element(nautical ... shipwrecks). So we don't need one.
And from meaning point of view we are comparing the archaeologist and nautical engineers in general. Using 'who' restricts the scope of generality i.e. it is not a generic comparison anymore. Using 'who' makes use of an essential modifier in X which is unnecessary as no such essential modifier is there in Y.

HTH.
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Look at the latter part of the sentence - nautical archaeologist needs specialized knowledge of the history of ship design in order to understand shipwrecks.

This part should be parallel to the first part of the sentence.
Just like the background in art history needed by an archaeologist in order to evaluate finds of ancient art,

Hence C is the most suitable option
Just as an archaeologist needs a background in art history to evaluate finds of ancient art, so a

C has Correct parallel structure.

Hit Kudos and bookmark, need it.

GMATNinja MartyTargetTestPrep generis

if didn't have the "who" in B, would the answer be correct? Or does B have to not only remove "who" but also add in "so" before "a nautical arch..."?