Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
generis wrote:
Although when a hagfish is threatened, it will secrete slime that is small in quantity, it expands several hundred times as it absorbs seawater, forming a slime ball that can coat the gills of predatory fish and either suffocate them or distress them enough to make them flee.
A) Although when a hagfish is threatened, it will secrete slime that is small in quantity,
B) Although a small quantity of slime is secreted by the hagfish, when threatened
C) Although, when threatened, a hagfish will secrete slime that is small in quantity,
D) Although the slime secreted by a threatened hagfish is small in quantity,
E) Although the hagfish secretes a small quantity of slime when threatened,
SC22260.02
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 although the slime secreted by a threatened hagfish is small in quantity, the slime expands several hundred times as it absorbs seawater.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Tenses + Pronouns• Information that is permanent in nature is best conveyed through the simple present tense.
• The simple future tense is used to refer to events that will take place in the future.
• A pronoun and its derivatives can only have one referent in a single sentence.
A: A. This answer choice incorrectly uses the simple future tense verb “will release” to refer to information that is permanent in nature; please remember, information that is permanent in nature is best conveyed through the simple present tense, and the simple future tense is only used to refer to events that will take place in the future. Further, Option A incorrectly uses the pronoun “it” to refer to both “a hagfish and “slime”; please remember, a pronoun and its derivatives can only have one referent in a single sentence.
B: The sentence formed by this answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "when threatened it expands several hundred times as it absorbs seawater"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that when
a small quantity of slime is threatened, it expands several hundred times; the intended meaning is that when
a hagfish is threatened, it excretes a small quantity of slime, and the slime expands several hundred times.
C: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “a hagfish…, it expands several hundred times”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that
the hagfish expands several hundred times; the intended meaning is that the hagfish's
slime expands several hundred times. Further, Option C incorrectly uses the simple future tense verb “will release” to refer to information that is permanent in nature; please remember, information that is permanent in nature is best conveyed through the simple present tense, and the simple future tense is only used to refer to events that will take place in the future.
D: Correct. This answer choice uses the phrase “the slime…, it expands several hundred times”, conveying the intended meaning – that when
a hagfish is threatened, it excretes a small quantity of slime, and
the slime expands several hundred times. Further, Option E correctly uses the simple present tense verb phrase “is small in quantity” to refer to a statement of permanent fact, avoiding the tense error seen in Options A and C by using the past participle "secreted" rather than an active verb. Additionally, Option E correctly uses the pronoun “it” to solely refer to one noun, “slime.
E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “a hagfish…, it expands several hundred times”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that
the hagfish expands several hundred times; the intended meaning is that the hagfish's
slime expands several hundred times.
Hence, D is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team