Many psychologists and sociologists now contend that the deliberate an

Question

Many psychologists and sociologists now contend that the deliberate and even brutal aggression integral to some forms of competitive athletics  increase the likelihood of imitative violence that erupts  among crowds of spectators dominated by young adult males.

(A) increase the likelihood of imitative violence that erupts

(B) increase the likelihood that there will be an eruption of imitative violence

(C) increase the likelihood of imitative violence erupting

(D) increases the likelihood for imitative violence to erupt

(E) increases the likelihood that imitative violence will erupt

egmat · Accepted Answer

Hi Kanusha,

This is in response to your PM.

Many psychologists and sociologists now contend that the deliberate and even brutal aggression integral to some forms of competitive athletics increase the likelihood of imitative violence that erupts among crowds of spectators dominated by young adult males.

Since the meaning of this sentence is not difficult to understand, let’s move to error analysis:

Error Analysis:
1. Singular subject “aggression” does not agree in number with plural verb “increase”.

PoE:

(A) increase the likelihood of imitative violence that erupts: Incorrect for the reason stated above.

(B) increase the likelihood that there will be an eruption of imitative violence: Incorrect. Same SV agreement error as in choice A.

(C) increase the likelihood of imitative violence erupting: Incorrect. Same SV agreement error as in choice A.

(D) increases the likelihood for imitative violence to erupt: Incorrect. “Likelihood for” is unidiomatic.

(E) increases the likelihood that imitative violence will erupt: Correct.

Hope this helps.

Thanks.
Shraddha

Thanks. Shraddha

ywilfred · Answer

(E)'s use of 'will' suggest that violence is definite. But I think the sentence wants (D), which suggests increased possibility

i'll go with (D)

nocilis · Answer

A,B,C have S-V agreement errors

D) I don't think  Likelihood for  is correct usage

E)  likelihood that X  is a correct idiom (  likellyhood of X  is also correct ofcourse)

E)

prep_gmat · Answer

'likelihood of something happening(present continuous)' seems logical.

A and C use that form. C is better. Also it looks like dangerous and brutal aggression is used as a compound noun in this sentence even if aggression itself is singular. None of the other choices match with 'now contend' aspect of the sentence. If it were in the future, perhaps E would have been the better choice.

adishail · Answer

E

It has to start with INCREASES ..... therefore A, B & C are out.

likelihood for imitative violence to erupt  is incorrect.
l

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

The subject here is  singular  – ‘aggression’. 
Therefore, we need a singular verb which is ‘ increases ’.

We can easily  eliminate Options A, B, and C  based on this.

Between Options D and E, we can rule out D for the use of ‘for’ with likelihood which is unidiomatic. As  scheol79  pointed out, ‘of’ and ‘that’ are idiomatic uses.  Eliminate.

We are now left with  Option E , which is the  right option .

Hope this helps!

LIBERTYRodP · Answer

EASY: VERB NUMBER, IDIOMS

(A) increase the likelihood of imitative violence that erupts  ------- Incorrect verb number. Here the subject is "aggression", which is a singular.

(B) increase the likelihood that there will be an eruption of imitative violence  ------- Incorrect verb number. Here the subject is "aggression", which is a singular.

(C) increase the likelihood of imitative violence erupting  ------- Incorrect verb number. Here the subject is "aggression", which is a singular.

(D) increases the likelihood for imitative violence to erupt  ------- "likelihood + for" is unidiomatic. "likelihood + that" or "likelihood + of" would be correct.

(E) increases the likelihood that imitative violence will erupt    --------- CORRECT

massan · Answer

Many psychologists and sociologists now contend that the deliberate and even brutal aggression integral to some forms of competitive athletics   increase the likelihood of imitative violence that erupts   among crowds of spectators dominated by young adult males.

(A) increase the likelihood of imitative violence that erupts
1. increase - wrong, subject is singular.

(B) increase the likelihood that there will be an eruption of imitative violence
1. increase - wrong, subject is singular. 
2. likely hood that there will be an eruption of imitative.. girbberish.

(C) increase the likelihood of imitative violence erupting
1. increase - wrong, subject is singular. 
2. what's up with erupting?

(D) increases the likelihood for imitative violence to erupt
1. likelihood for - wrong. There might be a case where the usage correct, but not here.
for states the purpose/desire.
are we increasing the likely hood 'for' imitative violence? it alters meaning in the way it doesn't make sense.

(E) increases the likelihood that imitative violence will erupt
Sounds good.

NCC · Answer

Dear  CrackverbalGMAT ,
Isnt "likelihood" and "will" redundant in OptionE?

aj1410 · Answer

Can somebody please explain how, deliberate and brutal aggression is singular.

Is it because, deliberate and brutal are adjectives, and thats why it is singular.

All inputs are appreciated.

thanks

GMATGuruNY · Answer

Nope.
An OA from GMAC:
 Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood that a comet will collide with Earth. 
Here,  likelihood  is combined with  will , and there is no redundancy.
The reason:
The term  likelihood  refers not to a future value but to a CURRENT statistic.
For example:
 There IS a 0.0001% chance that a comet WILL collide with Earth. 
In other words:
  The LIKELIHOOD  that  a comet will collide with Earth   IS 0.0001% . 
Even though the blue portion refers to a FUTURE event, the term  likelihood  describes a value calculated in the PRESENT.
Since  likelihood  refers to a current value, this term is not redundant with the future-tense verb  will .

VerbalBot · Answer

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Many psychologists and sociologists now contend that the deliberate an

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