Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
nevergiveup wrote:
Last week local shrimpers held a news conference to take some credit for the resurgence of the rare Kemp's ridley turtle, saying that their compliance with laws requiring that turtle-excluder devices be on shrimp nets protect adult sea turtles.
(A) requiring that turtle-excluder devices be on shrimp nets protect
(B) requiring turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets is protecting
(C) that require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets protect
(D) to require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets are protecting
(E) to require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets is protecting
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that the shrimpers complied with laws that require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets, protecting adult sea turtles.
Concepts tested here: Subject-Verb Agreement + Meaning + Awkwardness/Redundancy• The infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb" - "to + require" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose or intent of an action.
• The simple present continuous tense is used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature.
• 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.
A: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the singular noun “compliance” with the plural verb “protect”. Additionally, Option A incorrectly uses the simple present tense verb “protect” to refer to an action that is currently ongoing and continuous in nature; please remember, the simple present continuous tense is used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature, and the simple present tense is only 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 A uses the needlessly wordy phrase “that turtle-excluder devices be on”, leading to awkwardness/ redundancy.
B: Correct. This answer choice correctly refers to the singular noun “compliance” with the singular verb “is protecting”. Additionally, Option B correctly uses the simple present continuous tense verb "is protecting" to refer to an action that is currently ongoing and continuous in nature. Further, Option B uses the phrase "laws requiring”, conveying the intended meaning – that the shrimpers complied with the particular laws that require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets. Besides, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
C: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the singular noun “compliance” with the plural verb “protect”. Additionally, Option C incorrectly uses the simple present tense verb “protect” to refer to an action that is currently ongoing and continuous in nature; please remember, the simple present continuous tense is used to refer to actions that are currently ongoing and continuous in nature, and the simple present tense is only 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.
D: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the singular noun “compliance” with the plural verb “are protecting”. Further, Option D alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “laws to require”; the use of the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb” – “to + require” in this case) incorrectly implies that the shrimpers complied with general laws for the purpose of requiring turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets; the intended meaning is that the shrimpers complied with the particular laws that require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets; please remember, the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb" - "to + require" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose or intent of an action.
E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “laws to require”; the use of the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb” – “to + require” in this case) incorrectly implies that the shrimpers complied with general laws for the purpose of requiring turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets; the intended meaning is that the shrimpers complied with the particular laws that require turtle-excluder devices on shrimp nets; please remember, the infinitive verb form (“to + base form of verb" - "to + require" in this sentence) is the preferred construction for referring to the purpose or intent of an action.
Hence, B is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
To understand the concept of "Simple Continuous Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team