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655-705 (Hard)|   Comparisons|         
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AjiteshArun
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 08 Aug 2020, 19:29
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sislam04
Well you wouldn’t say:
“I am smarter than you”

You would say:
“I am smarter than you are”

The comparison should be the the features of each and not the feature of one person to a person.

Hence why I have trouble with C. It’s conspiring the small car fuel efficiency to the another car. Whereas it should be small car fuel efficient to small car fuel efficeny at any other time.

Hope that makes sense and thank you for your time.
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Hi sislam04,

You may want to change your approach to than, especially when you're looking at an adjective around the than (in this case, taller).

1. I am taller than Jane. ← This is fine.
2. I am taller than Jane is. ← This is also fine.
3. I am taller than Jane is tall. ← This is also fine.
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 08 Aug 2020, 19:35
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sislam04
Well you wouldn’t say:
“I am smarter than you”

You would say:
“I am smarter than you are”

The comparison should be the the features of each and not the feature of one person to a person.

Hence why I have trouble with C. It’s conspiring the small car fuel efficiency to the another car. Whereas it should be small car fuel efficient to small car fuel efficeny at any other time.

Hope that makes sense and thank you for your time.
Hi sislam04,

You may want to change your approach to than, especially when you're looking at an adjective around the than (in this case, taller).

1. I am taller than Jane. ← This is fine.
2. I am taller than Jane is. ← This is also fine.
3. I am taller than Jane is tall. ← This is also fine.
Show more

Thank you for your response :)

Perhaps my example wasn’t the best.

I would just like to point out this article:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/e-gmat.com ... r-not/amp/

Jack is less afraid of the dark than his wife.

If we add ‘is’ to the end of this sentence, we have a totally different meaning.

One is compares his fear of the dark to the fear of his wife and the other compares his fear to his wife’s fear.

Posted from my mobile device
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 09 Aug 2020, 01:38
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sislam04
Thank you for your response :)

Perhaps my example wasn’t the best.

I would just like to point out this article:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/e-gmat.com ... r-not/amp/

Jack is less afraid of the dark than his wife.

If we add ‘is’ to the end of this sentence, we have a totally different meaning.

One is compares his fear of the dark to the fear of his wife and the other compares his fear to his wife’s fear.
Show more
I'm happy to help. :)

I don't agree with the stand taken in that article. I don't think that dropping the is leads to an incorrect sentence, and I'd urge you to look at it the same way: (a) there is some scope for ambiguity in that sentence, but not in the "taller than" sentence and (b) ambiguity is not an absolute error. Here is an example of what I mean.
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 27 Mar 2021, 06:54
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GMATNinja please can u help on this question i was unable to eliminate choice a
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 27 Mar 2021, 07:33
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junii
GMATNinja please can u help on this question i was unable to eliminate choice a
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel-efficient now than at any time in their production history.

Meaning: Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel-efficient now than (previous technology allowED manufacturers to make small cars) at any time in their production history.
Key point : small cars are different, fuel efficiency is compared.

If In general, Junni is more efficient now than before.
here, you are same entity . with time you have become more efficient .....(1)same subject
Current Example: Junni is more efficient now than Sunni more efficient before
Ellipsis: more efficient
Concise : Junni is more efficient now than Sunni before --> (2)different subjects

Quote:
(A) small cars more fuel-efficient now than at any time in their
Show more
A is wrong because it treats the same small cars have become more efficient now than these cars were not efficient
This is not intended meaning.
Now you know why? Am i right?

With the same reasoning, you can know more easily the correct answer.

I hope it helps.
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 01 Jun 2021, 00:41
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EducationAisle could you comment on (D)

Quote:
(D) more fuel-efficient small cars than those at any other time in their
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Users have mentioned that the placement of "more" and the usage of "their" is incorrect. Please could you elaborate
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 01 Jun 2021, 01:40
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Hoozan
EducationAisle could you comment on (D)

Quote:
(D) more fuel-efficient small cars than those at any other time in their

Users have mentioned that the placement of "more" and the usage of "their" is incorrect. Please could you elaborate
Show more
Hi Hoozan, the ambiguity associated by the usage of more, is the easiest way to eliminate D.

more fuel-efficient small cars, as used in D could mean either of the following:

i) more (number of) fuel-efficient small cars Or
ii) small cars whose fuel efficiency is more
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel Updated on: 16 Nov 2022, 14:28
Originally posted by jabhatta2 on 13 Jul 2021, 16:52.
Last edited by jabhatta2 on 16 Nov 2022, 14:28, edited 1 time in total.
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EducationAisle - how do you eliminate A ?

I thought "their" in A was referring to manufacturers (how can cars have production history? ). Cars can have maintenance history of themselves, but cars cant have production history ?
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 13 Jul 2021, 21:37
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jabhatta2
EducationAisle - how do you eliminate A ?
Show more
A says:

Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel-efficient...

This seems to (incorrectly) suggest that whichever small cars currently exist, manufacturers are improvising them to make them more fuel efficient.

It's like this:

I want to make my car less noisy.

Again, this seems to suggest (in this case correctly) that I want to make my "existing" car less noisy.
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel Updated on: 16 Nov 2022, 14:27
Originally posted by jabhatta2 on 14 Jul 2021, 14:09.
Last edited by jabhatta2 on 16 Nov 2022, 14:27, edited 1 time in total.
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EducationAisle
jabhatta2
EducationAisle - how do you eliminate A ?
A says:

Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel-efficient...

This seems to (incorrectly) suggest that whichever small cars currently exist, manufacturers are improvising them to make them more fuel efficient.

It's like this:

I want to make my car less noisy.

Again, this seems to suggest (in this case incorrectly) that I want to make my "existing" car less noisy.
Show more

Hi EducationAisle EducationAisle AjiteshArun RonTargetTestPrep - what in sentence A specifically indicates that sentence A is talking about the "Existing" car (or the old car) being worked on ?

Is the only indication that sentence A is talking about the "old car" because of the usage of "their" or is any other word or phrase in sentence A indicating Sentence A is talking about the "old car" ?

Thank you
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 14 Jul 2021, 15:11
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Hi avigutman - I was curious on option A

Why can't their in option A be referring to Manufacturers instead of Cars ? Manufacturers can also have production history.

If the antecedent of their is Manufacturers instead of Cars. Option A say's something completely different now :

Today's technology allows Manufacturers to make small cars more fuel-efficient now than at any time in the Manufacturers' production history

This Option A is comparing two time periods [Now vs manufacturers history] [i.e. this manufacture can presently produce cars that are much more fuel effecient than the manufacturer could in the past]

Thoughts on this interpretation of option A (why maybe wrong) ?
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 14 Jul 2021, 16:21
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jabhatta2
Hi avigutman - I was curious on option A

Why can't their in option A be referring to Manufacturers instead of Cars ? Manufacturers can also have production history.

If the antecedent of their is Manufacturers instead of Cars. Option A say's something completely different now :

Today's technology allows Manufacturers to make small cars more fuel-efficient now than at any time in the Manufacturers' production history

This Option A is comparing two time periods [Now vs manufacturers history] [i.e. this manufacture can presently produce cars that are much more fuel effecient than the manufacturer could in the past]

Thoughts on this interpretation of option A (why maybe wrong) ?
Show more

jabhatta2 I'm with you.
I'd eliminate A for the presence of the word "now" (redundant in the context of "today's tech allows") and the absence of the word "other".
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 19 Jul 2021, 00:21
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EducationAisle
Hoozan
EducationAisle could you comment on (D)

Quote:
(D) more fuel-efficient small cars than those at any other time in their

Users have mentioned that the placement of "more" and the usage of "their" is incorrect. Please could you elaborate
Hi Hoozan, the ambiguity associated by the usage of more, is the easiest way to eliminate D.

more fuel-efficient small cars, as used in D could mean either of the following:

i) more (number of) fuel-efficient small cars Or
ii) small cars whose fuel efficiency is more
Show more



EducationAisle VeritasKarishma

Don't you think D is not ambiguous. If I consider (i) then it would mean - make more number of fuel-efficient small cars than those(cars) at any other time. So (i) essentially means more number of cars than cars at any other time. I think (i) would make no sense because - more cars than cars - makes no sense. So we are left with (ii), making the option unambiguous.

Thanks in advance!
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 21 Jul 2021, 08:28
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Hi - if I were to fix the two issues mentioned by you in option A in this analogous statement per image beow

Would the comparison be okay ? I think the comparison would be flawed because
-- You are comparing a clause to a prepositional phrase (at any other time )

I dont think the time period (other time) can be compared to Today given Today is an adjective but maybe I am wrong

Thoughts
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 21 Jul 2021, 09:10
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Hi GMATGuruNY - in another forum per image below, you mentioned the OA shows the following implied comparison

Quote:
Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars [TODAY] that are more fuel-efficient than cars at any other time in production history.
Show more

Is [TODAY] implied in option C because of the expression "Today's technology" ?

Has the expression been instead "Today' Yesterday's technology", option C would be instead

Quote:
Today's Yesterday's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars [TODAY YESTERDAY] that are more fuel-efficient than cars at any other time in production history.
Show more

Please let me know your thoughts
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 22 Jul 2021, 02:44
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jabhatta2
Has the expression been instead "Today' Yesterday's technology", option C would be instead

Quote:
Today's Yesterday's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars [TODAY YESTERDAY] that are more fuel-efficient than cars at any other time in production history.

Please let me know your thoughts
Show more

Yesterday's technology allow manufacturers to make cars that are fuel-efficient.
Here, the blue portion refers to cars being produced IN THE PRESENT.
Since the cars are being produced in the present, the technology used to make these cars cannot be yesterday's technology but must be TODAY'S technology.
As a result, the conveyed meaning is nonsensical.
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 14 Oct 2021, 10:11
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jabhatta2
Hi avigutman - I was curious on option A

Why can't their in option A be referring to Manufacturers instead of Cars ? Manufacturers can also have production history.

If the antecedent of their is Manufacturers instead of Cars. Option A say's something completely different now :

Today's technology allows Manufacturers to make small cars more fuel-efficient now than at any time in the Manufacturers' production history

This Option A is comparing two time periods [Now vs manufacturers history] [i.e. this manufacture can presently produce cars that are much more fuel effecient than the manufacturer could in the past]

Thoughts on this interpretation of option A (why maybe wrong) ?

jabhatta2 I'm with you.
I'd eliminate A for the presence of the word "now" (redundant in the context of "today's tech allows") and the absence of the word "other".
Show more

Hi avigutman – I agree on the red font . QQ on the green font however

Even though I see the word Today in Today’s technology,

I don’t see why its Redudant to compare two time periods (Even in the presence of Today’s technology)

In my analogy, as long as the author compared “today” to "some day in past” – I don’t see why that Now would be redundant per se even in the presence of today’s technology.

I tried getting rid of "NOW" but that would be wrong as seen in my revision below. The comparison then becomes between a clause vs a time marker.
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 14 Oct 2021, 11:30
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jabhatta2


Even though I see the word Today in Today’s technology,

I don’t see why its Redudant to compare two time periods (Even in the presence of Today’s technology)

In my analogy, as long as the author compared “today” to "some day in past” – I don’t see why that Now would be redundant per se even in the presence of today’s technology.

I tried getting rid of "NOW" but that would be wrong as seen in my revision below. The comparison then becomes between a clause vs a time marker.
Show more

jabhatta2 What do you think about these two options:
1. Today's technology allows me to respond faster now than at any other time in history.
2. Today's technology allows me to respond faster than at any other time in history.
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel Updated on: 16 Nov 2022, 13:51
Originally posted by jabhatta2 on 14 Oct 2021, 11:48.
Last edited by jabhatta2 on 16 Nov 2022, 13:51, edited 2 times in total.
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avigutman
jabhatta2


Even though I see the word Today in Today’s technology,

I don’t see why its Redudant to compare two time periods (Even in the presence of Today’s technology)

In my analogy, as long as the author compared “today” to "some day in past” – I don’t see why that Now would be redundant per se even in the presence of today’s technology.

I tried getting rid of "NOW" but that would be wrong as seen in my revision below. The comparison then becomes between a clause vs a time marker.

jabhatta2 What do you think about these two options:
1. Today's technology allows me to respond faster now than at any other time in history.
2. Today's technology allows me to respond faster now than at any other time in history.
Show more

Hi avigutman -- WAS GOING THROUGH THIS PROBLEM AGAIN AND DIDNT RESPOND.Could you give me your thoughts -

Yes - it doesnt look like i need the "now"

# 2 sounds good to my native ear.

But i dont think # 2 would pass either because of the grammar rules of parallelism

2. Today's technology allows me to respond faster now than at any other time in history.

The Right Hand side (in pink font) is a time marker whereas the Left hand side is now a clause

I think we are FORCED to have "now" vs "any other time" if the comparison has to be apples to apples.
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Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel 08 Nov 2021, 08:52
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I had another way of approaching this question:

In my opinion there is another way to eliminate both A) and E), as the use of "now" is clearly redundant. Indeed, "Today's technology allows manufacturers to make" does not require a "now" as it is already indicated by "today".

That eliminates A and E, so we are left with B, C, and D.

The other answers are all about parallelism and meaning:

D "those" refer to "small fuel-efficient cars", which does not make sense as we are comparing today's small cars to the past's small cars.

B is very subtile, but B compares the same small cars that changed over time apparently; it does not make sense, "those" is needed to create distance.

What do you guys think ?

I think this is a very hard and interesting question, and the argument for "now", which should not be followed by "any time" as "now" is included in "any time" right also in my opinion.

karthikb
Today's technology allows manufacturers to make small cars more fuel-efficient now than at any time in their production history.

(A) small cars more fuel-efficient now than at any time in their

(B) small cars that are more fuel-efficient than they were at any time in their

(C) small cars that are more fuel-efficient than those at any other time in

(D) more fuel-efficient small cars than those at any other time in their

(E) more fuel-efficient small cars now than at any time in
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