[#2] SC Challenge : Preposterous

Question

Rules 

1. Time yourself 
2. Try not to guess the answer. if you can tell why you are right, it will only help you. if you are not, you will learn from others 
3. Write your solution, your method and time taken , please


It is as preposterous to believe that all entertainment is hypodermic,   to directly inject bad ideas into the innocent bloodstream of the passive masses, as it is to pretend that   all behavior is mimetic and that our only models are Eliot Ness or Dirty Harry. 

(A) to directly inject bad ideas into 
the innocent bloodstream of the passive 
masses, as it is to pretend that 
(B) to inject directly bad ideas into 
the innocent bloodstream of the passive 
masses, so it is to pretend that 
(C) directly injecting bad ideas into 
the innocent bloodstream of the passive 
masses, so it is to pretend that 
(D) directly injecting bad ideas into 
the innocent bloodstream of the passive 
masses, as it is to pretend that 
(E) directly injecting bad ideas into 
the innocent bloodstream of the passive 
masses, as to pretend that

Dharmin · Answer

seems tougher one, Will go with "D", Reasoning 1. Idiomatic use (as .... as) 2. parallelism with infinitives (as preposterous to believe ..... as it is to pretend that...) 3. After infinitive present participile required (,directly injecting ...) Whats say, cronies ? Dharmin :-D

kpadma · Answer

My Ans: E

Dear Preatorian: 
very good question. Keep up the flow.

Could you post a few questions that cover "so that" & "so as to".

Dharmin · Answer

KPADMA, please post your rationale. I still have long to go in GMAT-learning

Dharmin

hariom · Answer

I go for "E"

Try rearranging (and removing unnessary information) so as to get the words of the comparitive sentence ie "as preposterous as" together


Using D -
To believe that all entertainment is hypodermic  is as preposterous as it is  to pretend that all behavior is mimetic. 

Using E -
To believe that all entertainment is hypodermic  is as preposterous as  to pretend that all behavior is mimetic.


What would you rather say?
A is as bad as B is  
or 
A is as bad as B  

On similar lines, E sounds better on droping the verb 'to be' ie 'is'.

Correct me if I am wrong!

Praetorian · Answer

D is the correct answer. Parallel structure

It is  as preposterous to believe  that all entertainment is hypodermic, directly injecting bad ideas into the innocent bloodstream of the passive masses,  as it is to pretend  that all behavior is mimetic and that our only models are Eliot Ness or Dirty Harry.

E does not bring out the meaning as clearly as D.

Compare: 
It is as unethical to mislead someone , as to evade taxes.
It is as unethical to mislead someone , as it is to evade taxes.

 

anyways, is the difference between the two obvious to you ?

hariom · Answer

I think it is .... but tell me something

What would you rather say? 
A is as bad as B is
or 
A is as bad as B

Just wondering ....

Praetorian · Answer

Good question, We cannot have a generic rule like that. it depends on what A and B are. If A and B are nouns,"A is as bad as B" is better 
for example, 

1. City A is as good as City B
2. The data shows that the problem is not as bad as is commonly thought

see it yet? 

Regards
Praetorian

hariom · Answer

Thanks for the clarification ... a ques if u dont mind

Let me modify the above sentence, then wht would you chose as a better option

1. Today City A is as good as the City B was a decade ago
2. Today City A is as good as the City B a decade ago

isnt the reference word "it" missing here? ie

The data shows that the problem is not as bad as it is commonly thought

[#2] SC Challenge : Preposterous

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