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Gio96
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 12 Aug 2022, 07:08
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Gio96
Hi team, I'm not clear why option A is correct.

Firstly, should comparison as..as be used only to compare two things? I'm not a native speaker so if some different usage is possibile with that construction I'm not aware.

Secondly, I understand that the correct meaning should be the one that choice A is trying to convey, but a bit of ambiguity persist in choice A in my opinion.

countries as varied as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
From here, we can infer two different meaning:
- Intended meaning: varied countries such as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
- Alternative meaning: as varied as [are] China, the Netherlands, and Hungary (since it is possible to omit the verb in some cases.


Someone could clarify my doubts?

Regards.

Hello Gio96,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the alternate meaning you have described is actually the intended meaning.

"China, the Netherlands, and Hungary" are not examples; the intended meaning is that the green taxes are having a positive effect on the environment and natural resource base of countries that vary from each other as much as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary vary from one another.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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Hi Expert,
thank your for your reply.

Now, I'm less clear than before. I cannot understand your logical meaning:
"the green taxes are having a positive effect on the environment and natural resource base of countries that vary from each other as much as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary vary from one another"

Green taxes have a positive effect because these countries vary from one another? How does it make sense?

I thought that the variety of these country should explain why green taxes are having a positive effect.

Regards.
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 12 Aug 2022, 11:43
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Gio96
Hi team, I'm not clear why option A is correct.

Firstly, should comparison as..as be used only to compare two things? I'm not a native speaker so if some different usage is possibile with that construction I'm not aware.

Secondly, I understand that the correct meaning should be the one that choice A is trying to convey, but a bit of ambiguity persist in choice A in my opinion.

countries as varied as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
From here, we can infer two different meaning:
- Intended meaning: varied countries such as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
- Alternative meaning: as varied as [are] China, the Netherlands, and Hungary (since it is possible to omit the verb in some cases.


Someone could clarify my doubts?

Regards.
Show more
We attempted to address this question here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/so-called-gr ... l#p2974572 - check it out, and let us know if you still have questions!

Quote:
Secondly, I understand that the correct meaning should be the one that choice A is trying to convey, but a bit of ambiguity persist in choice A in my opinion.
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Also, please keep in mind that there is nothing special about the meaning in choice (A), and the meaning of the correct choice does not necessarily have to match the meaning implied in (A).

I hope that helps a bit!
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 18 Aug 2022, 10:24
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EducationAisle

Hi, in the last part of your explanation, I am unable to comprehend what does ''as varied as'' trying to convey here.


EducationAisle
AmoyV
Taking this discussion further, I picked C too.

IMO, the environmental and natural resource base of countries || "those of (names of countries).

It is the plural "environmental and natural resource base" that is compared here. Hence "those" should be correct..
Hello Amoy, in the phrase environment and natural resource base, the noun is resource base (singular); environment and natural is just acting as adjective. If this is not immediately clear, perhaps you would have come across phrases such as social and political climate or social and economic climate, all of which are singular for the same reason.

Quote:
My main concern is why should the countries be compared when logically the "the environmental and natural resource base of countries" are bearing the impact of the "green taxes"
There is no comparison (at least in a classical sense), since according to the sentence, China, the Netherlands, and Hungary all have same/similar characteristic: positive effect of green taxes.

So, rather than just saying: ...resource base of countries (such) as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary, the sentence is just stressing that these are varied countries: ...resource base of countries as varied as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 18 Aug 2022, 23:56
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himanshu0123
Hi, in the last part of your explanation, I am unable to comprehend what does ''as varied as'' trying to convey here.
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Hi! It is just trying to convey: as distinct/diverse as.
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 11 Apr 2023, 23:35
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Could someone help me explain meaning of the sentence?
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 11 Apr 2023, 23:48
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fighting750
Could someone help me explain meaning of the sentence?
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or nonrenewable fuels, are having a positive effect on the environment and natural resource base of countries as varied as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.

=

Green taxes, which impose a price for the use of polluting or nonrenewable fuels, are positively affecting the environment and natural resources of diverse countries such as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.

The word "exact" in this context means to demand or impose a specific price or fee for using the polluting or nonrenewable fuels.

Hope it helps.
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 11 Apr 2023, 23:54
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fighting750
Could someone help me explain meaning of the sentence?
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Hello fighting750,

We hope this finds you well.

To answer your query, the intended core meaning of this sentence is that the green taxes are having certain positive effects in a range of countries broad enough to include China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 11 Apr 2023, 23:56
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Does "varied" decorate countries?
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 12 Apr 2023, 00:03
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fighting750
Does "varied" decorate countries?
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Yes, "varied" modifies "countries" in the sentence.

P.S. Before posting a question, it's recommended to review the entire thread. You might be amazed to learn that numerous doubts you could have are already resolved within the span of three discussion pages. :cool:
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 12 Apr 2023, 00:11
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Bunuel
fighting750
Does "varied" decorate countries?

Yes, "varied" modifies "countries" in the sentence.

P.S. Before posting a question, it's recommended to review the entire thread. You might be amazed to learn that numerous doubts you could have are already resolved within the span of three discussion pages. :cool:
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Bunuel
fighting750
Does "varied" decorate countries?
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Thank you, Bunuel.
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 05 Jun 2023, 08:20
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ugimba
So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or nonrenewable fuels, are having a positive effect on the environment and natural resource base of countries as varied as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.

(A) as varied as
(B) as varied as are
(C) as varied as those of
(D) that are as varied as
(E) that are varied as are
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Could anyone please correct me if my reasoning is wrong:

A- Noun as adjective as Noun- Correct
B- Noun as adj as verb- Incorrect
C- Noun as adj as relative pronoun- incorrect
D- verb as adj as noun- incorrect
E- incomplete comparison
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 05 Jun 2023, 09:14
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pleonasm
I'll go with D

My analogy ... boys as smart as Jon, Jack and Sam - is wrong
boys who are as smart as Jon, Jack and Sam - is right.

Though the common noun is being modified the references are given to proper nouns.
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Can someone please help me understand why this Analogy is incorrect?
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 23 Jun 2023, 06:52
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It is giving examples of countries that are different from each other but each of them is a part of the countries that have had a positive effect from the green tax.
When you use ‘varied as are’, it shows that you’re drawing a comparison between ‘countries’ and ‘China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.’ Implying China etc are probably not a part of the ‘countries’ mentioned in the question stem. Hence, we can eliminate B & E.

C is eliminated as ‘those’ shows possession here even though we’re talking about companies.

D is eliminated as ‘that are’ is redundant here.

Answer is A.
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or 01 Oct 2023, 04:47
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So called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or nonrenewable fuels, are having a positive effect on the environment and natural resource base of countries as varied as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.

(A) as varied as - ok
(B) as varied as are - Means "countries" are different from China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
(C) as varied as those of - there is no plural reference for "those of" other than counties - doesn't make sense
(D) that are as varied as - means countries are different than China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
(E) that are varied as are - a mix of D and B.
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