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605-655 Level|   Comparisons|      
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 23 Jul 2020, 07:48
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be, environmentalists in Chicago report that the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles in the Chicago metropolitan area.

(A) as much as that which is being emitted annually by all
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the
(C) as much compared to what is annually emitted by all
(D) that emitted annually by all
(E) that emitted annually compared to the

Similar Question from OG : [LINK]

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Can someone explain why you would say "twice that" instead of answer C? Is it just become it's more concise? Can we say twice as much? Or is that considered wordy?
Show more

GMATNinja

please explain why option A is incorrect.

Secondly, in the non-underline portion i.e- 'airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be'- what is the difference in meaning if 'TO BE' is removed from the latter part of the sentence i.e 'airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed'.Please help why significance of TO BE here
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 22 Aug 2020, 04:31
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Quote:
Providing initial evidence that airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be, environmentalists in Chicago report that the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles in the Chicago metropolitan area.

(A) as much as that which is being emitted annually by all
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the
(C) as much compared to what is annually emitted by all
(D) that emitted annually by all
(E) that emitted annually compared to the
Show more

Q1:
annually is adverb. Can't adverb be placed anywhere in sentence unless it doesn't make wrong or illogical meaning ( doesn't modify wrong the word beside it)
so why as much 'annually' as is wrong? Is it because annually is present earlier in the sentence and if we use annually at this position then it makes duplication?
means:
amount of pollutant emitted annually is twice as much as is annually emitted by the motor vehicles - CORRECT
amount of pollutant emitted is twice as much annually as is emitted by the motor vehicles - CORRECT
amount of pollutant emitted annually is twice as much annually as is emitted by the motor vehicles - WRONG
amount of pollutant emitted is twice as much annually as is emitted annually by the motor vehicles - WRONG

Q2:
Is B wrong only because of 'annually' misplacement? What if option B was: 'as much as is annually emitted by the', OR 'as much as is emitted annually by the ', would option B have been correct?

please suggest AndrewN AjiteshArun
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti Updated on: 22 Aug 2020, 11:51
Originally posted by AndrewN on 22 Aug 2020, 11:46.
Last edited by AndrewN on 22 Aug 2020, 11:51, edited 1 time in total.
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Quote:
Providing initial evidence that airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be, environmentalists in Chicago report that the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles in the Chicago metropolitan area.

(A) as much as that which is being emitted annually by all
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the
(C) as much compared to what is annually emitted by all
(D) that emitted annually by all
(E) that emitted annually compared to the

Q1:
annually is adverb. Can't adverb be placed anywhere in sentence unless it doesn't make wrong or illogical meaning ( doesn't modify wrong the word beside it)
so why as much 'annually' as is wrong? Is it because annually is present earlier in the sentence and if we use annually at this position then it makes duplication?
means:
amount of pollutant emitted annually is twice as much as is annually emitted by the motor vehicles - CORRECT
amount of pollutant emitted is twice as much annually as is emitted by the motor vehicles - CORRECT
amount of pollutant emitted annually is twice as much annually as is emitted by the motor vehicles - WRONG
amount of pollutant emitted is twice as much annually as is emitted annually by the motor vehicles - WRONG

Q2:
Is B wrong only because of 'annually' misplacement? What if option B was: 'as much as is annually emitted by the', OR 'as much as is emitted annually by the ', would option B have been correct?

please suggest AndrewN AjiteshArun
Show more
Hello, imSKR. In a typical sentence, you are correct, a time adverb will have some flexibility regarding its placement. But in this sentence, we are dealing with a comparison, and on the GMAT™, comparisons are very tightly governed. Specifically, we see an as... as construct, so the second item is not introduced until after the second as. What we have, then, is an untenable and unequivocal redundancy, as you pointed out above:

the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much annually as...

The second annually would need to follow the second as to draw the proper comparison. Of course, twice that uses a more fitting idiom for the context, but even there, annually follows the comparison marker that. You might curse idioms, but remember, clear and concise expression of vital meaning leads to the correct answer, and there is nothing (B) adds that (D) does not convey in fewer words. Seriously, compare the two, focusing exclusively on what is different:

Quote:
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the
(D) that emitted annually by all
Show more

I would say the the versus all split is a push, since the can be understood to refer to all motor vehicles. That leaves as much... as is versus that. If the shorter version works, I will go with that one every time.

I hope that helps. Thank you for calling my attention to the question.

- Andrew
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 02 Sep 2020, 18:33
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burnttwinky
Providing initial evidence that airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be, environmentalists in Chicago report that the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles in the Chicago metropolitan area.

(A) as much as that which is being emitted annually by all
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the
(C) as much compared to what is annually emitted by all
(D) that emitted annually by all
(E) that emitted annually compared to the

Similar Question from OG : [LINK]

Show Spoiler
Can someone explain why you would say "twice that" instead of answer C? Is it just become it's more concise? Can we say twice as much? Or is that considered wordy?

GMATNinja

please explain why option A is incorrect.
Show more
To see why (A) is problematic, it's helpful to consider the roles "that" and "which" can play in various contexts.

First, "that" can function as a stand-in for a noun, or a demonstrative pronoun, if you like the jargon.

    "Tim's anger management issue is far more severe than that of his neighbor, who attends weekly Buddhist retreats and frequently wonders whether Tim is doomed to a life of stress-related health problems."

Here "that" is a stand-in for the noun-phrase "anger management issue." We're comparing Tim's issue to his neighbor's issue. Makes sense.

But "that" can also function as a modifier (or a relative pronoun, for the jargon-obsessed).

    "The pigeon that Tim shot with a bottle a rocket is in intensive care, but is expected to make a full recovery."

This time, "that" is describing the pigeon, allowing us to differentiate between the pigeon Tim shot, and the more fortunate pigeons who have escaped his dangerous wrath.

Now take another glance at the relevant portion of (A):

Quote:
The total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles.
Show more
The first thing I notice is that the phrase "that which" is incredibly confusing. If you read it a few times, you can probably figure out that "that" is functioning as a stand-in for the noun phrase, "amount pollutant" and "which" is describing the pollutant, but it's certainly not an ideal construction. Another problem is that when "which" is used as a modifier in this way, it'll typically follow a comma to indicate that the additional information is incidental. While I don't love the idea of using comma placement as a decision point, it's another strike against (A).

Last, the phrase "being emitted annually," doesn't make a ton of sense. If something is "being emitted" it sounds as though the emission is happening right now, and it's a continuous action. But something that occurs annually is happening over a long period of time, one that stretches years into the past (and presumably into the future), so the timeframe appears to be a mismatch.

If we combine the confusing construction of "that which" with the problematic logic of "being emitted annually," and contrast this with (D), which gets rid of both problems while being clearer and more concise, it's pretty evident that (D) is the superior option.

Quote:
Secondly, in the non-underline portion i.e- 'airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be'- what is the difference in meaning if 'TO BE' is removed from the latter part of the sentence i.e 'airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed'.Please help why significance of TO BE here
Show more
The "to be" seems to clarify the meaning a bit. Consider the sentence:

    "Airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed [to be]."

This version kind of makes it sound as though airpots were, at one time, believed, as if they'd made a statement and that statement were accepted as true. Clearly, that's illogical. Tacking the "to be" on the end makes it 100% clear that we're talking about an attribute that others think the airports have.

More importantly, if a portion of a sentence isn't underlined, we shouldn't worry too much about what would happen if we altered it. :)

I hope that helps!
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 09 Nov 2020, 03:21
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burnttwinky
Providing initial evidence that airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be, environmentalists in Chicago report that the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles in the Chicago metropolitan area.

(A) as much as that which is being emitted annually by all
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the
(C) as much compared to what is annually emitted by all
(D) that emitted annually by all
(E) that emitted annually compared to the
Show more

This question is based on Comparison and Construction.

The sentence draws a comparison between the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O’Hare International Airport and the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by all motor vehicles in the Chicago metropolitan area.

The verb in the present continuous tense “is being” is unnecessary. It is not a continuous action that is being compared. Furthermore, the pronouns “that which” are also unnecessary. Just the demonstrative pronoun ‘that’ would refer to “the total amount of pollutant”. So, Option A can be eliminated.

In Option B, the adverb ‘annually’ is misplaced. The comparison is between the total amount of pollutant emitted annually at O’Hare Airport and the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by all motor vehicles. By separating the adverb and the verb, the basis of comparison is affected. So, Option B can be eliminated.

The comparative phrase ‘as much as’ is incomplete in Option C. So, Option C can be eliminated.

The adjective ‘twice’ implies the comparison in Option D and the demonstrative pronoun ‘that’ refers to the ‘total amount of pollutant’. Since the comparison is clear and accurate, D is the best of all the options.

In Option E, the total amount of pollutant emitted annually is compared to ‘all motor vehicles’. So, Option E can also be eliminated.

Therefore, D is the most appropriate option.

Jayanthi Kumar.
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 19 Apr 2023, 23:21
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be, environmentalists in Chicago report that the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles in the Chicago metropolitan area.

(A) as much as that which is being emitted annually by all
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the
(C) as much compared to what is annually emitted by all
(D) that emitted annually by all
(E) that emitted annually compared to the

Hi Experts

KarishmaB MartyTargetTestPrep RonPurewal

can Twice be both an adjective and an adverb?
In this question Twice seems to play a role of an adjective modifying amount of pollutants
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 20 Apr 2023, 03:47
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a larger source of pollution than they were once believed to be, environmentalists in Chicago report that the total amount of pollutant emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare International Airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles in the Chicago metropolitan area.

(A) as much as that which is being emitted annually by all
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the
(C) as much compared to what is annually emitted by all
(D) that emitted annually by all
(E) that emitted annually compared to the

Hi Experts

KarishmaB MartyTargetTestPrep RonPurewal


can Twice be both an adjective and an adverb?
In this question Twice seems to play a role of an adjective modifying amount of pollutants
Show more

'twice/thrice' are adverbs, not adjectives.

(A) ... the total P emitted annually by the airport is twice as much as that which is being emitted annually by all motor vehicles.
that and which together don't serve any purpose. ... 'that being emitted ...' is enough.

(B) ... the total P emitted annually by the airport is twice as much annually as is emitted by the motor vehicles.
We already have 'annually' in the first part of the comparison. 'P emitted annually by the airport'. It appears again before the second part of the comparison starts. We need 'annually' with the second part of the comparison now.
... as much as is emitted annually by the motor vehicles' would work.

(C) ... the total P emitted annually by the airport is twice as much compared to what is annually emitted by all motor vehicles.
The comparison structure is 'as much as' not 'as much compared to'

(D) ... the total P emitted annually by the airport is twice as much as that emitted annually by all motor vehicles.
Correct

(E) ... the total P emitted annually by the airport is twice that emitted annually compared to the motor vehicles.
The use of 'compared to' in incorrect here. After 'that emitted annually,' we are looking for 'by the motor vehicles.'

Answer (D)
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 08 Oct 2023, 04:11
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Option elimination -

(A) as much as that which is being emitted annually by all - "that which" construction and "is being" present continuous - are wrong here.
(B) as much annually as is emitted by the - adverb "annually" needs to be near to the verb is emitted
(C) as much compared to what is annually emitted by all - we need 2nd as and not compared to.
(D) that emitted annually by all - perfect. That refers to "the total amount of pollutants."
(E) that emitted annually compared to the - "the total amount of pollutants" emitted annually by vehicles at O'Hare Airport is compared with the motor vehicles.
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 19 Jan 2024, 15:31
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Three rules to know before we proceed:
1. When compared to/with is used no other comparison marker(More/Twice/Less etc) should be used - Twice as large as compared with..is wrong. You can use only stats such as direct nos or % to avoid redundancy. This eliminates C and E

2. Which needs to have comma. Also 'that which' is redundant This eliminates A

3. In option B there are two errors. First we are saying annual pollutants emitted by vehicles annually (redundancy) as emitted by motor vehicles

4. Parallelism requires II structures - Pollutants emitted by X --- Pollutants emitted by Y. D perfectly fits here. Also notice A is wrong again because of this reason as which being is not parallel
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Providing initial evidence that airports are a large source of polluti 31 May 2025, 09:46
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