With only 7 percent of the globe's surface area, rainforests contain

Despite having would indicate a sense of possession. For instance, you'd say "Despite having the best technical skills, she didn't get the job". She "has" the skills. The rainforests don't "have" the area. It's not a sense of possession. It's a characteristic that just is. The rainforests cover the area, but they don't "have it". You can talk about a country that way - "Despite having some of the tallest mountains, Nepal is still a really small country" and so on, because it's a sense of possession.

The rainforests account for 7% of the globe's surface area, they don't have 7% of the globe's surface area. Hope this helps.

There are two things here that we can point out to.

1. The question is talking about rainforests. The rainforest represents the area, it doesn't "have" the area.
2. There is a contradiction in the sentence - an opposing statement/view. This would narrow down our choices to D or E. But for the reason mentioned above, the right answer is E.

Answer : E
Red portion explains why we need Although here.

By the way, is "Despite having" even proper usage?

E...we need to show a contrast ....so eliminate A B C ....between D and E ..E is better ....

please explain y E over D? i understand why to eliminate ABC, but why is D not a valid answer?

I narrowed it to D and E and went for D.

E it is. We need to show contrast and DESPITE HAVING is awkward because it suggests that the rain forests possess that area.

Is not "Although Ving" usage wrong? According to MGMAT SC Guide, such a usage is wrong. For example, it show the following to be wrong.

I study effectively although taking frequent naps.

Could you please clarify?

With only 7 percent of the globe's surface area, rainforests contain more than half of the world's plant and animal species, and absorb more carbon dioxide than any other land-based ecosystem on earth.

--I have noticed a common pattern: in many modifier questions, the modifier doesn't start with "with". Use of "with" is more apt for a prepositional phrase.

(A) With -Wrong meaning. Rain forests don't contain 7% surface area, they cover that much area.
(B) As -Rain forests are not surface area, they cover that much area.
(C) Being -Same error as in B.
(D) Despite having -Same error as in A
(E) Although accounting for -Correct meaning

daagh GMATNinja

Didn't this question break the subordinating conjunction rule ? Please guide.

A phrase that begins with a subordinating conjunction (e.g. because, although, when, unless, until) is a clause, and an -ING word should not follow the conjunction. A subject + conjugated verb should be used instead.

This one started with an Although, It should have the subject mentioned in the clause.

Now, for the question whether the subordinate conjunction although doesn’t entail a verb, the answer is that although when used at the beginning of a sentence, can be used as part of a modifier phrase without a verb. On the contrary when although is used at the end of the sentence, it can only be used in a clause.

To take comfort, let's look at a nearly similar and authenticate official question

With only 5 percent of the world's population, United States citizens consume 28 percent of its nonrenewable resources, drive more than one-third of its automobiles, and use 21 times more water per capita than Europeans do.

(A) With
(B) As
(C) Being
(D) Despite having
(E) Although accounting for

The OA is E.
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