Pack 21 Q1: The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity...

Question

Pack 21, Question 1 of 5:

The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity,  an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants , will be endangered by the continued use of harmful pesticides on crops.

A) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants
B) an ecosystem necessity most biologists agree that is improved by plants pollinated by honey bees
C) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree is improved by honey bee pollination of plants
D) which most biologists agree on as an ecosystem necessity improved by honey bees who pollinate plants
E) which most biologists agree to be an ecosystem necessity improved by plants pollinated by honey bees

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rohit8865 · Answer

The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity,  an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants , will be endangered by the continued use of harmful pesticides on crops.

A)  an ecosystem necessity  that most biologists agree to be improved by   honey bees in pollinating plants  ...incorrect
B)   an ecosystem necessity   most biologists agree that is improved by plants pollinated by honey bees..incorrect
C)   an ecosystem necessity   that most biologists agree is improved by honey bee pollination of plants...incorrect
D) which most biologists agree on as an ecosystem necessity improved by honey bees   who   pollinate plants..incorrect
E) which most biologists agree to be an ecosystem necessity improved by plants pollinated by honey bees...  CORRECT

ANS E

Sumi1010 · Answer

The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity,  an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants , will be endangered by the continued use of harmful pesticides on crops.

The content within the commas just modifies "biodiversity"-- Such modifiers are called  appositives. 
What is biodiversity ? - an ecosystem necessity . the phrase "that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants" modifies "necessity".

A) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants
 This is correct. 
B) an ecosystem necessity most biologists agree  that is  improved by plants pollinated by honey bees
 "that is" incorrect here. We need a phrase to modify "necessity" 
C) an ecosystem necessity  that most biologists agree  is improved by honey bee pollination of plants
 necessity- is improved by ... - This is a clause.   A clause can't modify the previous noun (biodiversity).
D) which most biologists agree on as an ecosystem necessity improved by honey  bees who  pollinate plants
 "who" is used to refer human and personalised living beings.   "who" can't refer bees here. 
E) which most biologists agree to be an ecosystem necessity improved by plants pollinated by honey bees.
 The sentence turns out : The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity,which X(noun phrase), will be endangered. 
Here X = most biologists agree to be an ecosystem  necessity improved by plants pollinated by honey bees .  
 After relative pronoun which (modifying biodiversity), there should be a clause and not just a noun phrase.

IMO  A

winterschool · Answer

The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity, an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants, will be endangered by the continued use of harmful pesticides on crops.

A)  an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants   Correct

B) an ecosystem necessity most biologists agree that is improved by  plants pollinated by honey bees   Incorrect

meaning change

C) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree  is  improved by honey bee  pollination of plants   Incorrect

agree to be - correct idioms
pollination - wrong, pollinating - correct

D)  which most biologists agree  on as an ecosystem necessity improved by honey bees  who  pollinate plants  Incorrect

meaning change - 
who uses wrong

E)  which most biologists agree to be  an ecosystem necessity improved by plants pollinated by honey bees  Incorrect

meaning change - adequate biodiversity is not a fact that most biologists agree, improved biodiversity is a fact
so eliminate

jhavyom · Answer

The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity, an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants, will be endangered by the continued use of harmful pesticides on crops.

A) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants
The use of ' honey bees in pollinating plants ' is incorrect. This conveys the wrong meaning that  honey bees are inside pollinating plants. 
Eliminate

B) an ecosystem necessity most biologists agree that is improved by plants pollinated by honey bees
'biologists agree that....' should be followed by some idea.
OR 'that' should be placed after 'ecosystem necessity'
Eliminate

D) which most biologists agree on as an ecosystem necessity improved by honey bees who pollinate plants
This option says that 
biologists agree that biodiversity is an ecosystem necessity
which is incorrect.
Biodiversity is already an ecosystem necessity. Therefore, 'biodiversity, which most biologists agree on as an ecosystem necessity' is not required.
Also, the use of who for honey bees is incorrect.
Eliminate

E) which most biologists agree to be an ecosystem necessity improved by plants pollinated by honey bees
Similar to (D)
The use of 'agree to be an ecosystem necessity' is incorrect.
Eliminate

C) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree is improved by honey bee pollination of plants
We are left with C

Choice C is the answer

EMPOWERgmatVerbal · Answer

Official Explanation

The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity,  an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants , will be endangered by the continued use of harmful pesticides on crops.

A)  an ecosystem necessity that  most biologists agree  to be improved  by honey bees  in pollinating  plants  
 B)  an ecosystem necessity  most biologists agree  that is improved  by plants  pollinated  by honey bees 
 C)  an ecosystem necessity that  most biologists agree  is improved  by honey bee  pollination of plants  
 D)  which  most biologists agree  on as an ecosystem necessity   improved  by honey bees  who pollinate  plants 
 E)  which  most biologists agree  to be an ecosystem necessity   improved  by plants  pollinated by  honey bees

After a quick glance over the options, there are a few key differences we can focus on:

1. “an ecosystem necessity” vs. “which most biologists agree on as/to be an ecosystem necessity” (Modifiers)
2. to be improved / that is improved / is improved / improved (Modifiers/Idioms)
3. in pollinating / pollinated / pollination / who pollinate / pollinated by (Verb/Meaning)

This sentence deals with modifiers. Here we are looking for the intended meaning of the sentence and the clause that correctly modifies the noun “biodiversity.” For this question, we’re mainly dealing with #3 on our list. Differences are highlighted in the text.

A) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved  by honey bees in pollinating plants   
This is  INCORRECT . It is unclear what the relationship is between honey bees and pollination and how they are connected to an ecosystem necessity. If we read the phrase “by honey bees in pollinating plants” literally, this is saying that biodiversity can only be improved by honey bees that exist INSIDE pollinating plants, which is NOT the intended meaning. 
 
 B) an ecosystem necessity most biologists agree that is improved  by plants pollinated by honey bees  
This is  INCORRECT . It is unclear what improves the ecosystem necessity—the plants and the fact they are pollinated, or the act of pollination itself? Also, the placement of the word “that” is problematic here - the fact that most biologists agree SHOULD be part of the “that” modifier. See option C to see how it should be done!

C) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree is improved  by honey bee pollination of plants  
This is  CORRECT . This clearly explains the role of honey bees to pollination and how honey bees are connected to the improvement of an ecosystem necessity.

D) which most biologists  agree on  as an ecosystem necessity improved by honey bees who pollinate plants 
This is  INCORRECT . “Agree on” is not the correct idiomatic phrase. It’s also not a good idea to separate the modifier (an ecosystem necessity) from its antecedent (biodiversity).

E) which most biologists agree to be an ecosystem necessity improved  by plants pollinated by honey bees  
This is  INCORRECT . It is unclear what improves the ecosystem necessity—the plants and the fact they are pollinated or the act of pollination itself. This option also separates the modifier (an ecosystem necessity) from its antecedent (biodiversity), which is a big no-no on the GMAT!

There you have it - option C is the correct choice!

Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.

EMPOWERgmatVerbal · Answer

Well done jhavyom ! You cracked the code on this question, so kudos to you! Looking forward to seeing how you tackle Question 2!

CEdward · Answer

The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity, an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree to be improved by honey bees in pollinating plants, will be endangered by the continued use of harmful pesticides on crops. (600-700)
-simple past tense ‘said’ is correct
-appositive ‘an ecosystem necessity…’

A) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree  to be  improved by honey bees  in  pollinating plants
-agree does not take the infinitive 'to be'; unidiomatic
B) an ecosystem necessity most biologists agree that is improved by  plants pollinated by honey bees 
-‘agree that’ is not unidiomatic but the placement of ‘that’ should come after ‘necessity’ as a modifier of ‘ecosystem necessity’
-the biodiversity is improved by the honey bees pollinating the plants 
C) an ecosystem necessity that most biologists agree is improved by honey bee pollination of plants (Correct)
D)  which  most biologists  agree on  as an ecosystem necessity improved by honey bees  who  pollinate plants
-who is for people not things
-which should be 'that' as the latter acts as a restrictive modifier; it's not just any necessity, its an ecosystem necessity THAT 
E)  which  most biologists agree  to be  an ecosystem necessity improved by  plants pollinated by honey bees 
-

VerbalBot · Answer

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Pack 21 Q1: The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity...

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Pack 21 Q1: The Honeybee Conservancy said adequate biodiversity...

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