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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 01 Feb 2022, 15:22
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jabhatta2
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jabhatta2 Using a meaning based approach certainly backfired in this case (assuming you would have otherwise picked the correct answer).
However, you're likely to learn a lot more from this mistake than you would otherwise.
You missed the following issues:
1. we can rate the likelihood that some particular thing will happen. To use your example, this is a perfectly valid question: what is the likelihood that you will get 700+ on the GMAT?
2. Answer E has a nonsensical meaning, specifically in this phrase: the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may collide with Earth.
What are we rating here, exactly? The likelihood of an asteroid.
What kind of asteroid? an asteroid that may collide with earth.
What is the likelihood of an asteroid? This is nonsensical.

Thanks Avi - yes regarding the red - the will cannot stand for 100 % surety because the statement in red is in the form of a quetsion

So if i say the following :

The likelihood that I will score a 700 + on GMAT is 50 %
The likelihood that I may score a 700 + on GMAT is 50 %

I think "Will" is MORE CERTAIN than "May" but will does not indicate 100 % all the time.

Will indicates >= 50 % probability

My take-away isnt % but instead
- Will indicates a bit more confidence comapred to May
- Will means >= 50 % probability (dont assume, will automatically means 100 %)
Show more

Hi jabhatta2, I just saw your post now. Your takeaway is incorrect. As a rule, "will" implies 100% certainty. "may" means maybe yes maybe no.
However, this is an exception to that rule:
The likelihood that x will happen is y%.
This is a certain, 100% statement: The sun will rise tomorrow.
This isn't: The likelihood that my car will fail to start tomorrow is 0.2%.
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 31 Mar 2022, 07:52
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Hi, can someone confirm if my understanding is correct?

D: A scale for rating the likelihood (that) a particular asteroid or comet will...
'that'- can be removed
so the likelihood of what? - the likelihood of the event happening

E: A scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may..
that may- Relative noun modifier modifying asteroid or comet
It seems as if the scale rates the likelihood of an asteroid or comet- this doesn't make sense. Hence, eliminated E.
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 31 Mar 2022, 08:18
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Vartikaa14
Hi, can someone confirm if my understanding is correct?

D: A scale for rating the likelihood (that) a particular asteroid or comet will...
'that'- can be removed
so the likelihood of what? - the likelihood of the event happening

E: A scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may..
that may- Relative noun modifier modifying asteroid or comet
It seems as if the scale rates the likelihood of an asteroid or comet- this doesn't make sense. Hence, eliminated E.
Show more
Your understanding is spot on. Nice work.
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 31 Mar 2022, 08:22
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Vartikaa14
Hi, can someone confirm if my understanding is correct?

D: A scale for rating the likelihood (that) a particular asteroid or comet will...
'that'- can be removed
so the likelihood of what? - the likelihood of the event happening

E: A scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may..
that may- Relative noun modifier modifying asteroid or comet
It seems as if the scale rates the likelihood of an asteroid or comet- this doesn't make sense. Hence, eliminated E.
Show more

Yes, this seems right. It's a relatively common thing the GMAT does.

"He is worried that the game will be canceled due to rain."

"He is worried about rain cancelling the game."

The meaning is more correct in the structure of the first.
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 20 Jul 2022, 02:28
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my only problem with option d is usage of for ,,, as it takes away the intent which is well represented by usage of 'to'
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 21 Jul 2022, 05:29
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kakakakaak
my only problem with option d is usage of for ,,, as it takes away the intent which is well represented by usage of 'to'
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Hello kakakakaak,

We hope this finds you well.

To clarify, the use of the construction "for + present participle ("verb+ing" - "rating" in this case)" does not alter the meaning of the sentence; for referring to the purpose/intent of an action, the infinitive verb form ("to + base form of verb") is the preferred construction, but "for + present participle" is also perfectly correct.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm Updated on: 07 Aug 2022, 11:40
Originally posted by jabhatta2 on 07 Aug 2022, 09:17.
Last edited by jabhatta2 on 07 Aug 2022, 11:40, edited 1 time in total.
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ReedArnoldMPREP
Vartikaa14
Hi, can someone confirm if my understanding is correct?

D: A scale for rating the likelihood (that) a particular asteroid or comet will...
'that'- can be removed
so the likelihood of what? - the likelihood of the event happening

E: A scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may..
that may- Relative noun modifier modifying asteroid or comet
It seems as if the scale rates the likelihood of an asteroid or comet- this doesn't make sense. Hence, eliminated E.

Yes, this seems right. It's a relatively common thing the GMAT does.

"He is worried that the game will be canceled due to rain."

"He is worried about rain cancelling the game."

The meaning is more correct in the structure of the first.
Show more

Hi ReedArnoldMPREP - you mentioned the "THAT" can be dropped in the yellow highlighted sentence.

Is this the "THAT", which the Manhattan Guide considers a 'reset button" between two clauses ?

This "THAT" is almost like a subordinate conjunction -

I know THAT marilyn Monroe is an actress

The "THAT" seperates two clauses
clause 1 - I know
Clause 2 - Marily Monroe is an actress.

Question 2 -- could you explain why structure 1 is better (as per your pink font)
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 07 Aug 2022, 10:08
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Hi KarishmaB IanStewart - I was wondering if you could let me know where is the gap in my thinking :

Between C / D and E - i reviewed the green modifiers (in my screenshot) and i asked myself -- do the modifiers in the green make sense to be adverbial or noun modifier ?

IMO - the green doesnt make sense to be adverbial.

Is the modifier really supposed to give MORE INFO on how or why or describe more about -- the verb "have developed"

No - the information in the green does not make sense to be referring back to "have developed"

Thus i knocked out C and D

I was wondering, why is something like this line of thinking, not working. There is clearly wrong my my logic
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 07 Aug 2022, 10:37
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^^ Do you think perhaps the gap in my logic is the following -- its possible that the green modifier make logical sense to be

BOTH adjectival and/or adverbial (obviosuly the sentence structure may change)

Maybe the green modifier make sense to be adverbial in nature to describe 'why' scientists developed a scale.
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 07 Aug 2022, 23:46
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jabhatta2
^^ Do you think perhaps the gap in my logic is the following -- its possible that the green modifier make logical sense to be

BOTH adjectival and/or adverbial (obviosuly the sentence structure may change)

Maybe the green modifier make sense to be adverbial in nature to describe 'why' scientists developed a scale.
Show more

Yes, the adverbial modifiers answer the question 'why?' here in options (C) and (D).

Astronomers have developed a scale. Why? 'To rate how likely ....' or 'for rating how likely...'


Or the modifier could modify scale and define what kind of scale it is.

Astronomers have developed a scale. What kind of scale? A scale that rates the ...'

Both are correct and give us the same information.

Btw, this question is a perfect example of why we cannot eliminate 'for Verb-ing.' It is the correct option here. There is nothing wrong in 'for verb-ing.'
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 11 Nov 2022, 01:59
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TommyWallach


C. astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet will be to
PROBLEM: You can't say "likely...will be to". It's gibberish. Your ear would recognize that if there weren't all those words in between, confusing things. Try a short example. You should always be able to replace "likely" with "probably".

My program determines how likely you will be to love me.
My program determines how probably you will be to love me...MAKES NO SENSE!
Show more

TommyWallach Are you sure about the rule of being able to replace likely with probably? What about this sentence?

I suppose that might happen but it's not very likely

I think the other answers make more sense. The likelyhood exists in the present, whereas 'likely will be' implies that the likelyhood itself exists in the future.
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 11 Nov 2022, 04:29
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Flypaper3533
TommyWallach


C. astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet will be to
PROBLEM: You can't say "likely...will be to". It's gibberish. Your ear would recognize that if there weren't all those words in between, confusing things. Try a short example. You should always be able to replace "likely" with "probably".

My program determines how likely you will be to love me.
My program determines how probably you will be to love me...MAKES NO SENSE!

TommyWallach Are you sure about the rule of being able to replace likely with probably? What about this sentence?

I suppose that might happen but it's not very likely

I think the other answers make more sense. The likelyhood exists in the present, whereas 'likely will be' implies that the likelyhood itself exists in the future.
Show more

Hello Flypaper3533,

We hope this finds you well.

To clarify, your reasoning here is correct; in C "likely" and "probably" are not interchangeable; the primary error in Option C is that it uses the simple future tense verb "will be" to refer to an action that takes place in the current time frame - the comet being likely, to some degree, to hit Earth.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm Updated on: 14 Dec 2022, 07:54
Originally posted by jabhatta2 on 14 Dec 2022, 07:34.
Last edited by jabhatta2 on 14 Dec 2022, 07:54, edited 2 times in total.
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Flypaper3533
TommyWallach


C. astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet will be to
PROBLEM: You can't say "likely...will be to". It's gibberish. Your ear would recognize that if there weren't all those words in between, confusing things. Try a short example. You should always be able to replace "likely" with "probably".

My program determines how likely you will be to love me.
My program determines how probably you will be to love me...MAKES NO SENSE!

TommyWallach Are you sure about the rule of being able to replace likely with probably? What about this sentence?

I suppose that might happen but it's not very likely

I think the other answers make more sense. The likelyhood exists in the present, whereas 'likely will be' implies that the likelyhood itself exists in the future.
Show more

Hi Flypaper3533 - in option (C) - people keep saying "likely" is in the future tense.

Why ?

In option (c) - based on the placement of "will be" (see screenshot below) -- "will be" is positioned such that "Will be" is referring to collide with earth

How are you so sure, what the tense of "likely" is in option C ?

If anything -- the tense of "likely" in option C -- is probably Present perfect - because of "Have Developed", earlier in the sentence.
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 14 Dec 2022, 07:46
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MartyTargetTestPrep
Vartikaa14
Hi, can someone confirm if my understanding is correct?

D: A scale for rating the likelihood (that) a particular asteroid or comet will...
'that'- can be removed
so the likelihood of what? - the likelihood of the event happening

E: A scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may..
that may- Relative noun modifier modifying asteroid or comet
It seems as if the scale rates the likelihood of an asteroid or comet- this doesn't make sense. Hence, eliminated E.
Your understanding is spot on. Nice work.
Show more

Hi MartyTargetTestPrep - I can see why (E) has an illogical meaning ONCE the relative THAT clause in (E) is dropped - you are rating the likelihood of an asteroid/comet

However, if you drop the "THAT" clause in (D) -- doesnt (D) also have an illogical meaning ?

(D) now says -- Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood

Just like (E), seems like (D) too does not make sense ONCE you drop the THAT subordinate clause

In (D) - per my understanding, the THAT subordinate clause is playing the role of an adjective, modifying the noun likelihood in (D).
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 14 Dec 2022, 08:56
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Vartikaa14
Hi, can someone confirm if my understanding is correct?

D: A scale for rating the likelihood (that) a particular asteroid or comet will...
'that'- can be removed
so the likelihood of what? - the likelihood of the event happening

E: A scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may..
that may- Relative noun modifier modifying asteroid or comet
It seems as if the scale rates the likelihood of an asteroid or comet- this doesn't make sense. Hence, eliminated E.
Your understanding is spot on. Nice work.

Hi MartyTargetTestPrep - I can see why (E) has an illogical meaning ONCE the relative THAT clause in (E) is dropped - you are rating the likelihood of an asteroid/comet

However, if you drop the "THAT" clause in (D) -- doesnt (D) also have an illogical meaning ?

(D) now says -- Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood

Just like (E), seems like (D) too does not make sense ONCE you drop the THAT subordinate clause

In (D) - per my understanding, the THAT subordinate clause is playing the role of an adjective, modifying the noun likelihood in (D).
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Hi jabhatta2.

The discussion above your question involves removing only the word "that," for the purpose of more easily seeing what the sentence conveys.

As you said, with the entire "that" clause removed, the sentence doesn't really work, but that's not what Vartikaa14 did, and there's no reason why a sentence should work with an entire essential relative clause removed.

That said, the basic idea of "a scale for rating the likelihood" is logical. The issue arises because of WHAT FOLLOWS "likelihood."

In (E), we have the likelihood of physical objects, which doesn't make sense.

In (D), we have the likelihood that an event will occur, which does make sense.
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..... and there's no reason why a sentence should work with an entire essential relative clause removed.
Show more

Hi MartyTargetTestPrep - The above senrtence really suprised me. Could you perhaps give some examples for the above, perhaps.

My understanding is – every sentence SHOULD WORK (meaning and logic) even after you remove essential relative clauses

Quote:

(i) The dog that is brown is tall
(ii) The house that is red is sold
(iii) The house that I grew up in is on 10 avenue street
Show more

If I scratch out "THAT clause" in each of these sentences -- the core STILL works in each of these sentences.
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..... and there's no reason why a sentence should work with an entire essential relative clause removed.

Hi MartyTargetTestPrep - The above senrtence really suprised me. Could you perhaps give some examples for the above, perhaps.

My understanding is – every sentence SHOULD WORK (meaning and logic) even after you remove essential relative clauses

Quote:

(i) The dog that is brown is tall
(ii) The house that is red is sold
(iii) The house that I grew up in is on 10 avenue street

If I scratch out "THAT clause" in each of these sentences -- the core STILL works in each of these sentences.
Show more
"Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood," also works to a degree, like your examples. A key aspect of the meaning is lost without the relative clause, as some meaning is lost in your examples. So, it doesn't work as well as the full sentence, but that part can stand alone in a way.
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"Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood," also works to a degree, like your examples. A key aspect of the meaning is lost without the relative clause, as some meaning is lost in your examples. So, it doesn't work as well as the full sentence, but that part can stand alone in a way.
Show more

On the bold bit, have to gently push back a bit MartyTargetTestPrep

Quote:

(a) Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood
(b) Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the probability
(c) Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the chance
(d) Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the percentage
Show more

None of these sentences (a - d) seem viable.

Once you drop the THAT clauses -- the sentences seem non-sensical

How come you can drop the THAT clauses in the below sentences whereas you CANNOT drop the THAT clauses in the above sentences ?

Quote:

(i) The dog that is brown is tall
(ii) The house that is red is sold
(iii) The house that I grew up in is on 10 avenue street
Show more
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 14 Dec 2022, 13:50
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"Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood," also works to a degree, like your examples. A key aspect of the meaning is lost without the relative clause, as some meaning is lost in your examples. So, it doesn't work as well as the full sentence, but that part can stand alone in a way.

On the bold bit, have to gently push back a bit MartyTargetTestPrep

Quote:

(a) Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood
(b) Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the probability
(c) Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the chance
(d) Astronomers have developed a scale for rating the percentage

None of these sentences (a - d) seem viable.

Once you drop the THAT clauses -- the sentences seem non-sensical

How come you can drop the THAT clauses in the below sentences whereas you CANNOT drop the THAT clauses in the above sentences ?

Quote:

(i) The dog that is brown is tall
(ii) The house that is red is sold
(iii) The house that I grew up in is on 10 avenue street
Show more
The sentences in the top part are not nonsensical. They just don't say much. They might work in the context of a passage though.

Example:

The chance that a thunderstorm will occur can be an important piece of information for NASA to have when planning rocket launches. Until recently, that information has been available for only near-term forecasts. However, recently, meteorologists have developed a scale for rating the chance. This scale will be very useful to NASA.

That "rating the chance sentence isn't great," but it's not nonsensical, and anyway, I'm not sure how we got this far. There's no reason to eliminate the essential relative clause in the (D) version of the sentence. It does exist. So, the (D) version is correct.
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm 09 Mar 2023, 05:04
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Responding to the public’s fascination with―and sometimes undue alarm over―possible threats from asteroids, a scale developed by astronomers rates the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet may collide with Earth.


(A) a scale developed by astronomers rates the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet may

(B) a scale that astronomers have developed rates how likely it is for a particular asteroid or comet to

(C) astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet will be to

(D) astronomers have developed a scale for rating the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet will

(E) astronomers have developed a scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may


Source : GMAT Official Practice Exams 3 & 4

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https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/27/science/astronomers-adopt-doomsday-index.html

To help deal with public fascination ― and sometimes undue alarm ― about possible threats from asteroids, astronomers have adopted a scale that rates the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet will collide with Earth.
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The sentence tells us that astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid/comet is to collide with Earth.

(A) a scale developed by astronomers rates the likelihood that a particular asteroid or comet may
(B) a scale that astronomers have developed rates how likely it is for a particular asteroid or comet to

The sentence starts with a present participial modifier ‘responding to the public’s fascination …’ Who responded to the public’s fascination? Astronomers. So the main clause must begin with ‘astronomers’ so that ‘responding to …’ modifies ‘astronomers.’ Else the modifier becomes dangling (in options (A) and (B)) because certainly the scale did not respond to the public. Hence options (A) and (B) are incorrect.

(C) astronomers have developed a scale to rate how likely a particular asteroid or comet will be to

Option (C) uses ‘will be’ to show likelihood and that is incorrect. We need to use the present ‘is’ because the likelihood is being calculated right now for a future event. So this is how we could write it:
…a scale to rate how likely X is to do Y (in the future).
Or
… a scale for rating the likelihood that X will do Y (in the future). (as done correctly in option (D))

We cannot say: ‘…a scale to rate how likely X will be to do Y’ because the likelihood of the future event will be calculated by the scale now. So we say how likely X is to do Y. Hence option (C) is incorrect.

(E) astronomers have developed a scale that rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet that may

This option says that the scale rates the likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet. The ‘that clause’ that follows defines the asteroid/comet (the asteroid/comet that may collide with Earth). But what is meant by ‘likelihood of a particular asteroid or comet’? We need to calculate the likelihood of the asteroid/comet striking the Earth, not the likelihood of the asteroid/comet (existing?). Hence option (E) is incorrect.

Answer (D)
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