NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 28 Apr 2024, 04:26 It is currently 28 Apr 2024, 04:26
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel

Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio

SORT BY:
Date
Kudos
 1   2   
Tags:
Find Similar Topics 
Show Tags
Hide Tags
User avatar
SVTTCGMAT
Intern
Intern
Joined: 26 May 2015
Posts: 29
Own Kudos [?]: 339 [135]
Given Kudos: 34
Location: United States (CT)
Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship
Schools: ISB '18 (A) Foster '19 (A$)
GMAT 1: 700 Q48 V38
WE:Information Technology (Consumer Products)
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 15 Sep 2022, 05:12
12
Kudos
123
Bookmarks
00:00
A
B
C
D
E

Difficulty:

25% (medium)

Question Stats:

70% (01:13) correct 30% (01:27) wrong based on 3124 sessions
Hide Show timer Statistics
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.


(A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun

(B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning

(C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp

(D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be

(E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Show Spoiler
Attachment:
Capture.PNG
Capture.PNG [ 17.31 KiB | Viewed 11307 times ]


Can anyone explain why E is wrong?
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
C

Originally posted by SVTTCGMAT on 04 Apr 2016, 16:17.
Last edited by Bunuel on 15 Sep 2022, 05:12, edited 7 times in total.
Renamed the topic and edited the question.
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
B
nalinnair
Manager
Manager
Joined: 09 Jan 2016
Status:Persevere
Posts: 107
Own Kudos [?]: 3606 [28]
Given Kudos: 94
Location: Hong Kong
GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V41
GPA: 3.52
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   14 Jun 2016, 01:59
21
Kudos
7
Bookmarks
A) it's first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun REDUNDANT
B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning Doesn't convey the intended meaning
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp - Correct
D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be - The non-underlined sub-ordinate clause (Although...) illogically modifies "the beginning of cultivation"
E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun REDUNDANT

Using first and begin is redundant. It should be either - "The crop was first cultivated in...." or "The cultivation of crop began/ appear to have begun in..."

Hope this helps!

Nalin
User avatar
L
ExpertsGlobal5
Experts' Global Representative
Joined: 10 Jul 2017
Posts: 5123
Own Kudos [?]: 4683 [8]
Given Kudos: 38
Location: India
GMAT Date: 11-01-2019
Send PM
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   15 Sep 2022, 03:46
5
Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Expert Reply
Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
SVTTCGMAT wrote:
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.


(A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun

(B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning

(C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp

(D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be

(E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Show Spoiler
Can anyone explain why E is wrong?


Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended core meaning of this sentence is that the cacao plant was apparently cultivated for its seeds and pulp for the first time in Mexico and Central America.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Tenses + Awkwardness/Redundancy

• The simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
• The simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature.
• The present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “has/have”) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present.

A: This answer choice uses the passive and needlessly indirect construction "its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

B: The sentence formed by this answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "beginning in Mexico and Central America"; the construction of this phrase leads to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that the cacao plant was apparently cultivated for its seeds and pulp for the first time in Mexico and Central America.

C: Correct. The sentence formed by this answer choice uses the phrase "first cultivated...in Mexico and Central America", conveying the intended meaning - that the cacao plant was apparently cultivated for its seeds and pulp for the first time in Mexico and Central America. Further, Option C correctly uses the simple past tense verb "was...cultivated" to refer to an action that concluded in the past. Additionally, Option C is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

D: This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple present tense verb "be" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past, and the simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature. Further, Option D uses the needlessly wordy and indirect phrase "the beginning of its cultivation", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.

E: This answer choice incorrectly uses the present perfect tense verb "have begun" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past, and the present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “has/have”) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present.

Hence, C is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



To understand the concept of "Present Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team
General Discussion
User avatar
G
mikemcgarry
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4452
Own Kudos [?]: 28580 [42]
Given Kudos: 130
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   04 Apr 2016, 16:42
23
Kudos
19
Bookmarks
Expert Reply
SVTTCGMAT wrote:
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, it's first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.

A) it's first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
E) the first cultivation for it's seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Can anyone explain why E is wrong?

Dear SVTTCGMAT,
I'm happy to respond. :-)

One of the distinctions in this SC problem is the difference between "its" and "it's."

its = possessive of the pronoun "it"

it's = a contraction for "it is"

Thus, if we expand the contraction, (E) says:
...the first cultivation for it is seeds and pulp appears to have begun ...
That is nonsensical and not what the author was trying to say. The author was trying to put a possessive pronoun there, so the author should have used "its."

Notice that
1) essentially ALL possessive nouns have an apostrophe (e.g. Mike's, women's, America's, my car's, the team's, etc.)
BUT
2) NO possessive pronouns have an apostrophe (e.g. mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs)

Does this make sense?
Mike :-)
User avatar
johng2016
Intern
Intern
Joined: 19 Jan 2016
Posts: 36
Own Kudos [?]: 762 [0]
Given Kudos: 176
Send PM
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   22 Apr 2016, 21:45
mikemcgarry wrote:
SVTTCGMAT wrote:
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, it's first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.

A) it's first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
E) the first cultivation for it's seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Can anyone explain why E is wrong?

Dear SVTTCGMAT,
I'm happy to respond. :-)

One of the distinctions in this SC problem is the difference between "its" and "it's."

its = possessive of the pronoun "it"

it's = a contraction for "it is"

Thus, if we expand the contraction, (E) says:
...the first cultivation for it is seeds and pulp appears to have begun ...
That is nonsensical and not what the author was trying to say. The author was trying to put a possessive pronoun there, so the author should have used "its."

Notice that
1) essentially ALL possessive nouns have an apostrophe (e.g. Mike's, women's, America's, my car's, the team's, etc.)
BUT
2) NO possessive pronouns have an apostrophe (e.g. mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs)

Does this make sense?
Mike :-)


Hi mikemcgarry

Could you explain a little more about E, regarding "appears to have begun", is it correct to say like that? And in this case, what the meaning of this present perfect tense? (even E is incorrect, I just not clear about this matter)

Thank you very much
User avatar
G
mikemcgarry
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4452
Own Kudos [?]: 28580 [26]
Given Kudos: 130
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   25 Apr 2016, 15:35
12
Kudos
14
Bookmarks
Expert Reply
johnnguyen2016 wrote:
Hi mikemcgarry

Could you explain a little more about E, regarding "appears to have begun", is it correct to say like that? And in this case, what the meaning of this present perfect tense? (even E is incorrect, I just not clear about this matter)

Thank you very much

Dear johnnguyen2016,

I'm happy to respond. :-) (E) is not correct, because of the apostrophe mistake explained above, but this phrase "appears to have begun" is 100% correct.

You see, one idiom associated with the verb "appear" is appear +[infinitive]. We use this when we are judging something by its appearance and we are in doubt about the underlying truth. For example, I might say:
My friend appears to be sick.
I would say that, for example, if saw my friend across the room and didn't have a chance to talk to him. I would be judging on appearances alone, and from that attempting to draw an inference about whether he was really sick. In a slightly more formal context:
After last months severe downturn, stocks appear to be returning to their previous levels.
That could be the OA of a relatively simple SC question. This sentence is 100% correct. Again, we don't have enough knowledge to say for certain that stocks will return to their previous level, but as much as we judge from what we can observe right now, this is the apparent pattern.

Notice both of these cases were all in the present time---our own perception and the event we are judging are all in the present. Sometimes, we are talking about the limits of our present time knowledge or awareness of some event in the past. For this we use the idiom appear + [perfect infinitive]. You see, the case is not present perfect tense in that construction. The verb "appears" is simple present tense, and the infinitive is a perfect infinitive. A perfect infinitive = "have" + [past participle].
to have walked
to have sung
to have bought
to have sold
to have been
I might say,
Julius Caesar appears to have been well-liked by the citizens of Rome.
This is 100% correct. If I am saying this, I am speculating. I wasn't there at the time of Caesar and I am not a historian with a deep factual knowledge of the period. A historian would be able to make the factual statement "Julius Caesar was well-liked by the citizens of Rome." My statement is much more tentative. I implying that I am no expert, but from the limited knowledge and experience I have, I am drawing this conclusion.

Similarly,
...the first cultivation of the seeds and pulp of the cacao plant appears to have begun in Mexico and Central America.
This is 100% correct. This is also a tentative statement. I would assume that historical record is incomplete, so nobody is in a position to make the definitive statement about exactly when and where the first cultivation of the cacao plant was. At the very best, historians can only make a guess about how it appears. That's what this phrasing conveys.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
User avatar
G
mikemcgarry
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4452
Own Kudos [?]: 28580 [11]
Given Kudos: 130
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   23 May 2016, 11:09
9
Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Expert Reply
I'm happy to respond. :-) Here is the corrected question.

Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.

A. its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
B. apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and pulp beginning
C. it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
D. the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
E. the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Now, I will say that, even without the apostrophe problems, I think this is a low quality question. What the source calls the OA, (C), is better than (E), but even (C) has its problems. The entire question falls far below the standards of the GMAT.

(C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
Good things about (C)
1) active & direct language
2) the parallelism makes the "cocoa plant" the subject of both independent clauses, which unifies the focus of the sentence; this is a subtle rhetorical move.
The problem with (C), from my point of view, is chopping up the verb with adjective:
. . . was apparently first cultivated . . .
This is a rhetorical idea that is a bit too subtle for it to function as a split on GMAT SC: it's a bit subtler than the GMAT would expect students to appreciate. Nevertheless, you will notice that, in OAs on official questions, the general pattern is that the verbs are not chopped up, while on incorrect answers, the verbs are more likely to be chopped up. Having one adverb between the elements of the verb can be acceptable for rhetorical emphasis, but having two like this, conveying separate ideas, is too much. I would suggest
(C1) apparently it was first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
That's much smoother.

Now, what about (E). Notice that we congeal the action of the verb into a noun: always be suspicious of this move. See this blog:
Active Verbs on the GMAT
Verbs are words designed to convey action---"was cultivated" is an action that we can visualize folks in ancient times taking. Changing this to a noun leaves us with a sentence that is 100% grammatically correct but rhetorically hamstrung. The action of cultivating has been solidified into a noun, and we are left with the wimpy verb "appears" as the main verb of the second clause. Also, the rhetorical focus on the "cocoa plant" is less clear. We get clunky indirect sentence. This is why (E) is bad, even though it is 100% grammatically correct.

Overall, I will give this question a grade of C-.

Here's a higher quality SC practice question:
Becquerel's discovery of radioactivity

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
User avatar
B
Mbawarrior01
Manager
Manager
Joined: 12 Oct 2012
Posts: 93
Own Kudos [?]: 321 [0]
Given Kudos: 198
WE:General Management (Other)
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   14 Jun 2016, 21:58
mikemcgarry. Thank you for your detailed explanations.

A small doubt :

After last months severe downturn, stocks appears to returning to their previous levels.

In this sentence, can we write "appears to be returning"?

Another example : She appears to be doing more hardwork in office.
User avatar
G
mikemcgarry
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4452
Own Kudos [?]: 28580 [2]
Given Kudos: 130
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   15 Jun 2016, 11:06
2
Kudos
Expert Reply
aditi2013 wrote:
mikemcgarry. Thank you for your detailed explanations.

A small doubt :
After last months severe downturn, stocks appears to returning to their previous levels.

In this sentence, can we write "appears to be returning"?

Another example : She appears to be doing more hardwork in office.

Dear aditi2013,
Very good questions, my friend. I'm happy to respond. :-)

I must have been tired or sick when I wrote that example sentence, because it is a disaster.
a) it violates SVA
b) it omits the essential "be"
As written, it is 100% wrong. The correct version would be
After last months severe downturn, stocks appear to be returning to their previous levels.

Your provided this example:
She appears to be doing more hard work in office.
The words "hard work" are always two separate words---the combined eight-letter word does not exist---but other than that, this sentence is 100% correct. It's grammatically perfect, but because it's a personal topic, it's not an apt sentence for the GMAT. We could say:
The world's oceans appear to be getting warmer over time.
Earth's rotation rate appears to be slowing down at a small but measurable rate.
Those more academic topics would be more likely fodder for the GMAT SC.

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
User avatar
S
Mimster
Manager
Manager
Joined: 25 Jul 2015
Posts: 104
Own Kudos [?]: 491 [7]
Given Kudos: 52
Location: Thailand
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Marketing
Schools: Anderson '19 (A$) Marshall '19 (A$) McDonough '19 (A$) Sloan '19 (D) Kellogg 1YR '18 (A) Kellogg '19 (M)
GMAT 1: 550 Q37 V28
GMAT 2: 660 Q47 V34
GMAT 3: 650 Q44 V35
GMAT 4: 680 Q49 V32
GMAT 5: 740 Q49 V42
GPA: 3.33
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   03 Oct 2016, 03:50
6
Kudos
1
Bookmarks
SVTTCGMAT wrote:
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, it's first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
E) the first cultivation for it's seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Can anyone explain why E is wrong?


E is wrong because of the contraction [it's] = it is. 'For it is seeds' is just awkward.
avatar
hxzworld
Intern
Intern
Joined: 04 Oct 2016
Posts: 1
Own Kudos [?]: 1 [1]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   16 Oct 2016, 02:03
1
Kudos
i'm totally confused with this question.
could someone explain more specifically, especially, what's wrong with A ??
User avatar
G
mikemcgarry
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4452
Own Kudos [?]: 28580 [16]
Given Kudos: 130
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   16 Oct 2016, 12:00
14
Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Expert Reply
SVTTCGMAT wrote:
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Can anyone explain why E is wrong?

hxzworld wrote:
i'm totally confused with this question.
could someone explain more specifically, especially, what's wrong with A ??

Dear hxzworld,

I'm happy to respond. :-)

Unfortunately, SVTTCGMAT posted the question with multiple errors, and much of the discussion on this page revolves around discussing those errors rather than the substance of the original official question. The version above is the correct version: one we remove all the errors originally introduced when this question was posted, it is a wonderful question.

Here's what is so hard about the question: all five of the answer choices are grammatically correct! This is a wonderful question because it really doesn't test grammar at all. This question is almost completely a pure test of rhetorical construction.

Think about it. What is the core action here? The core action is the action of cultivating cacao for its seed & pulp. The discussion of this action is essential to the sentence. Well, as a general rule, if a sentence is about an action, often the most effective version that sentence involves the action as a verb.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
The main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the sapless alternative "was begun" is the main verb. This is grammatically correct, but it is about as direct and persuasive as wet toast. This is a rhetorical failure and is wrong.

B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
The main action is a verb--good. The problem here is the participle "beginning": the Modifier Touch Rule suggests that the "pulps" "begin in Mexico and Central America." This is illogical. We can step back from this grammar and figure out logically what the target noun should be, but in a well-constructed sentence, everything should be clear already. This is ambiguous and wrong.

C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
The main action is a verb--good. No logical problems. This is active and powerful. These seems promising.

D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
The main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the punchless alternative "appears to have began" is the main verb. This version seems as if it were trying to make the sentence as long, boring, and indirect as possible. This is completely mealy-mouthed, a rhetorical train wreck. This is incorrect.

E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun
Once again, the main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the lily-livered alternative "appears to have began" is the main verb. This is flabby, indirect, timid, and without any persuasive power. This yawn-inducing version is another rhetorical failure.

The only possible answer is (C).

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)
avatar
B
karant
Manager
Manager
Joined: 26 Apr 2012
Posts: 76
Own Kudos [?]: 24 [0]
Given Kudos: 75
Location: India
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, General Management
Schools: NTU '18 (D) ISB '18 (D) NUS '19 XLRI GM"18 (M)
GMAT 1: 640 Q48 V29
GMAT 2: 660 Q45 V35
GMAT 3: 680 Q48 V35
GPA: 2.8
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   13 Nov 2016, 09:52
mikemcgarry wrote:
SVTTCGMAT wrote:
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Can anyone explain why E is wrong?

hxzworld wrote:
i'm totally confused with this question.
could someone explain more specifically, especially, what's wrong with A ??

Dear hxzworld,

I'm happy to respond. :-)

Unfortunately, SVTTCGMAT posted the question with multiple errors, and much of the discussion on this page revolves around discussing those errors rather than the substance of the original official question. The version above is the correct version: one we remove all the errors originally introduced when this question was posted, it is a wonderful question.

Here's what is so hard about the question: all five of the answer choices are grammatically correct! This is a wonderful question because it really doesn't test grammar at all. This question is almost completely a pure test of rhetorical construction.

Think about it. What is the core action here? The core action is the action of cultivating cacao for its seed & pulp. The discussion of this action is essential to the sentence. Well, as a general rule, if a sentence is about an action, often the most effective version that sentence involves the action as a verb.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
The main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the sapless alternative "was begun" is the main verb. This is grammatically correct, but it is about as direct and persuasive as wet toast. This is a rhetorical failure and is wrong.

B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
The main action is a verb--good. The problem here is the participle "beginning": the Modifier Touch Rule suggests that the "pulps" "begin in Mexico and Central America." This is illogical. We can step back from this grammar and figure out logically what the target noun should be, but in a well-constructed sentence, everything should be clear already. This is ambiguous and wrong.

C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
The main action is a verb--good. No logical problems. This is active and powerful. These seems promising.

D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
The main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the punchless alternative "appears to have began" is the main verb. This version seems as if it were trying to make the sentence as long, boring, and indirect as possible. This is completely mealy-mouthed, a rhetorical train wreck. This is incorrect.

E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun
Once again, the main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the lily-livered alternative "appears to have began" is the main verb. This is flabby, indirect, timid, and without any persuasive power. This yawn-inducing version is another rhetorical failure.

The only possible answer is (C).

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)


Hello Mike,

I have a doubt in non underlined part. The word "Although" introduces a sub-ordinate clause. However, in the sentence, I see no verb in the non-underlined part.

Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region.

The word originated should be was originated.

Am I missing something? Please explain.

Thanks
User avatar
G
sayantanc2k
CR Moderator
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 2413
Own Kudos [?]: 15268 [0]
Given Kudos: 26
Location: Germany
Schools:
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V47
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   13 Nov 2016, 13:23
Expert Reply
karant wrote:
mikemcgarry wrote:
SVTTCGMAT wrote:
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Can anyone explain why E is wrong?

hxzworld wrote:
i'm totally confused with this question.
could someone explain more specifically, especially, what's wrong with A ??

Dear hxzworld,

I'm happy to respond. :-)

Unfortunately, SVTTCGMAT posted the question with multiple errors, and much of the discussion on this page revolves around discussing those errors rather than the substance of the original official question. The version above is the correct version: one we remove all the errors originally introduced when this question was posted, it is a wonderful question.

Here's what is so hard about the question: all five of the answer choices are grammatically correct! This is a wonderful question because it really doesn't test grammar at all. This question is almost completely a pure test of rhetorical construction.

Think about it. What is the core action here? The core action is the action of cultivating cacao for its seed & pulp. The discussion of this action is essential to the sentence. Well, as a general rule, if a sentence is about an action, often the most effective version that sentence involves the action as a verb.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
The main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the sapless alternative "was begun" is the main verb. This is grammatically correct, but it is about as direct and persuasive as wet toast. This is a rhetorical failure and is wrong.

B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
The main action is a verb--good. The problem here is the participle "beginning": the Modifier Touch Rule suggests that the "pulps" "begin in Mexico and Central America." This is illogical. We can step back from this grammar and figure out logically what the target noun should be, but in a well-constructed sentence, everything should be clear already. This is ambiguous and wrong.

C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
The main action is a verb--good. No logical problems. This is active and powerful. These seems promising.

D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
The main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the punchless alternative "appears to have began" is the main verb. This version seems as if it were trying to make the sentence as long, boring, and indirect as possible. This is completely mealy-mouthed, a rhetorical train wreck. This is incorrect.

E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun
Once again, the main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the lily-livered alternative "appears to have began" is the main verb. This is flabby, indirect, timid, and without any persuasive power. This yawn-inducing version is another rhetorical failure.

The only possible answer is (C).

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)


Hello Mike,

I have a doubt in non underlined part. The word "Although" introduces a sub-ordinate clause. However, in the sentence, I see no verb in the non-underlined part.

Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region.

The word originated should be was originated.

Am I missing something? Please explain.

Thanks


"Originated" is the verb - "originated" is the simple past form of "origin". The passive voice "was originated" is unnecessary,

I played football. Here "played" is the verb - I was played is wrong.
avatar
B
SuyashA
Intern
Intern
Joined: 22 Sep 2016
Posts: 42
Own Kudos [?]: 57 [0]
Given Kudos: 127
Location: India
Concentration: International Business, General Management
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   11 Dec 2016, 05:33
Hi,

I have eliminated A, D, and E on the basis of the reason that the clause following the contrast clause refers the subject in possessive form? Isn't it incorrect?
(Structure : 'Although subject...., subject referred in possessive form 'its'')

Thanks.
User avatar
G
sayantanc2k
CR Moderator
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 2413
Own Kudos [?]: 15268 [0]
Given Kudos: 26
Location: Germany
Schools:
GMAT 1: 780 Q50 V47
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   12 Dec 2016, 21:31
Expert Reply
SpiritualAtheist wrote:
Hi,

I have eliminated A, D, and E on the basis of the reason that the clause following the contrast clause refers the subject in possessive form? Isn't it incorrect?
(Structure : 'Although subject...., subject referred in possessive form 'its'')

Thanks.


The contrast clause is not a modifier - hence it does not refer to any particular noun. It is wrong to eliminate A, D and E because of use of "its". Consider the following:

Although the old man prayed a lot, his son did not win the competition..... correct. (The pronoun "his" is alright.)
avatar
B
bubblehead0922
Intern
Intern
Joined: 05 Jan 2017
Posts: 16
Own Kudos [?]: 9 [0]
Given Kudos: 81
Location: United States
Schools: Anderson '20 Kellogg '20
GMAT 1: 690 Q50 V32
GPA: 3.3
Send PM
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   25 May 2017, 21:07
mikemcgarry wrote:
SVTTCGMAT wrote:
Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon region, its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun in Mexico and Central America.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun

Can anyone explain why E is wrong?

hxzworld wrote:
i'm totally confused with this question.
could someone explain more specifically, especially, what's wrong with A ??

Dear hxzworld,

I'm happy to respond. :-)

Unfortunately, SVTTCGMAT posted the question with multiple errors, and much of the discussion on this page revolves around discussing those errors rather than the substance of the original official question. The version above is the correct version: one we remove all the errors originally introduced when this question was posted, it is a wonderful question.

Here's what is so hard about the question: all five of the answer choices are grammatically correct! This is a wonderful question because it really doesn't test grammar at all. This question is almost completely a pure test of rhetorical construction.

Think about it. What is the core action here? The core action is the action of cultivating cacao for its seed & pulp. The discussion of this action is essential to the sentence. Well, as a general rule, if a sentence is about an action, often the most effective version that sentence involves the action as a verb.

A) its first cultivation for seeds and pulp was apparently begun
The main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the sapless alternative "was begun" is the main verb. This is grammatically correct, but it is about as direct and persuasive as wet toast. This is a rhetorical failure and is wrong.

B) apparently it was cultivated for its seeds and its pulp beginning
The main action is a verb--good. The problem here is the participle "beginning": the Modifier Touch Rule suggests that the "pulps" "begin in Mexico and Central America." This is illogical. We can step back from this grammar and figure out logically what the target noun should be, but in a well-constructed sentence, everything should be clear already. This is ambiguous and wrong.

C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
The main action is a verb--good. No logical problems. This is active and powerful. These seems promising.

D) the beginning of its cultivation for seeds and pulp appears to be
The main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the punchless alternative "appears to have began" is the main verb. This version seems as if it were trying to make the sentence as long, boring, and indirect as possible. This is completely mealy-mouthed, a rhetorical train wreck. This is incorrect.

E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun
Once again, the main action is a noun, "cultivation," and the lily-livered alternative "appears to have began" is the main verb. This is flabby, indirect, timid, and without any persuasive power. This yawn-inducing version is another rhetorical failure.

The only possible answer is (C).

Does all this make sense?
Mike :-)


Himikemcgarry,

I like your explanation about "appear" in the previous post. I think that choice D and E changed the intended meaning of the original sentence. In OA it says that the first cultivation was "apparently" begun. Therefore, the author appears to be an expert on cocoa plant. So "appear to have begun" and "appear to be" change the certainty the author intends to convey. Can you please confirm it?

Thx for your time in advance.

Victoria
User avatar
G
mikemcgarry
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4452
Own Kudos [?]: 28580 [0]
Given Kudos: 130
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   26 May 2017, 10:29
Expert Reply
bubblehead0922 wrote:
Himikemcgarry,

I like your explanation about "appear" in the previous post. I think that choice D and E changed the intended meaning of the original sentence. In OA it says that the first cultivation was "apparently" begun. Therefore, the author appears to be an expert on cocoa plant. So "appear to have begun" and "appear to be" change the certainty the author intends to convey. Can you please confirm it?

Thx for your time in advance.

Victoria

Dear Victoria,

How are you, my friend? I'm happy to help. :-)

(D) has a funky tense, so that's also wrong for that reason. I would say that (C) and (E) are very close in meaning. The speaker presumably is some expert in the history of cacao, and in either (C) or (E), she is sharing with us her well-informed speculation.

How do you feel the meaning is any different between (C) and (E)?

Mike :-)
avatar
B
bubblehead0922
Intern
Intern
Joined: 05 Jan 2017
Posts: 16
Own Kudos [?]: 9 [0]
Given Kudos: 81
Location: United States
Schools: Anderson '20 Kellogg '20
GMAT 1: 690 Q50 V32
GPA: 3.3
Send PM
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   26 May 2017, 16:57
mikemcgarry wrote:
bubblehead0922 wrote:
Himikemcgarry,

I like your explanation about "appear" in the previous post. I think that choice D and E changed the intended meaning of the original sentence. In OA it says that the first cultivation was "apparently" begun. Therefore, the author appears to be an expert on cocoa plant. So "appear to have begun" and "appear to be" change the certainty the author intends to convey. Can you please confirm it?

Thx for your time in advance.

Victoria

Dear Victoria,

How are you, my friend? I'm happy to help. :-)

(D) has a funky tense, so that's also wrong for that reason. I would say that (C) and (E) are very close in meaning. The speaker presumably is some expert in the history of cacao, and in either (C) or (E), she is sharing with us her well-informed speculation.

How do you feel the meaning is any different between (C) and (E)?

Mike :-)


Hello Mike,

I guess I did not make myself clear.

I think "apparently" and "appears" convey different levels of certainty. Since this question is very tricky, I am trying to figure out some splitting points to eliminate the wrong choices. Do you think that "apparently" conveys a different meaning (the certainty) from "appear" so that the usage of "appear" in E changes the intended meaning in the original sentence (A) that contains "apparently" ?

Have a good weekend,
Victoria
User avatar
G
mikemcgarry
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4452
Own Kudos [?]: 28580 [1]
Given Kudos: 130
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink] New post   27 May 2017, 12:27
1
Kudos
Expert Reply
bubblehead0922 wrote:
Hello Mike,

I guess I did not make myself clear.

I think "apparently" and "appears" convey different levels of certainty. Since this question is very tricky, I am trying to figure out some splitting points to eliminate the wrong choices. Do you think that "apparently" conveys a different meaning (the certainty) from "appear" so that the usage of "appear" in E changes the intended meaning in the original sentence (A) that contains "apparently" ?

Have a good weekend,
Victoria

Victoria,

How are you, my friend? I'm happy to respond. :-)

My friend, if you are looking for a deciding split, I think you are looking in the wrong place.

In some contexts, "apparently" and "appears" do convey different levels of certainty, but I don't think this is a universal distinction.
a) Apparently, he was wrong.
b) He appears to be wrong.
Yes, in this instance, it seems there is something apprehensible to our senses. The first instance is a supposition, perhaps derived from something we heard. The latter has the connotation of something we can see with our own eyes, and so there's more certainty. What we see with our eyes is more certain that what we think in our heads.

The trouble is that this distinction vanishes when the matter under discussion is not one immediately apprehensible to our senses. Here, we are talking about the first cultivation of cacao way back in pre-history. Any conclusion we make about this topic is several logical steps away from simple sense evidence.
C) it was apparently first cultivated for its seeds and pulp
E) the first cultivation for its seeds and pulp appears to have begun
Here, the "appears" in (E) is not about sense data, but rather about the way something appears, as it were, the the mind's eye. It's the way it appears in logical conceptual framework. Thus, with the "apparently" and the "appears," we are talking about head stuff in both cases, the way ideas appear. In neither case are we talking about direct sense data. Thus, the potency of the difference, so evident in the short sentences in the last paragraph, vanishes here. Yes, there may still be some very subtle difference in level of certainty, but at this point, we are at a level of subtlety far beyond what the GMAT would test.

Does all this make sense?

Have a great weekend!

Mike :-)
GMAT Club Bot
gmatclubot
Re: Although the cacao plant probably originated in the upper Amazon regio [#permalink]
27 May 2017, 12:27
 1   2   
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
6923 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
238 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions