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Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

daagh
The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

A. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

B. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as to determine the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

C. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

D. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help to determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars

E. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission is to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

Choice A: In Option A, we see a parallelism error between "to help determine", "to study" and "as well as determining"; remember, lists must be parallel. Furthermore, Option A utilizes the redundant and unidiomatic phrase "whether or not"; the correct form of this phrase is "whether". Thus, Option A is incorrect.

Choice B: Option B maintains parallelism, subject-verb agreement, and proper idiom usage. Thus, Option B is correct.

Choice C: Option C repeats the parallelism error found in Option A. Thus, Option C is incorrect.

Choice D: Option D repeats the parallelism error found in Options A and C. Furthermore, the phrase "to help to determine" is needlessly wordy. Thus, Option D is incorrect.

Choice E: Option E repeats the parallelism error found in Options A, C, and D and features a subject-verb disagreement between "goals" and "is". Thus, Option E is incorrect.

Hence, B is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of “If v/s Whether on GMAT”, you may want to watch the following video (~1 minute):



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A is out since when we use whether the "or not" state is already intended.
B is out since the meaning and parallelism changes.

C- Seems to be okay. We have correct modifiers, verb, and parallelism. So hold.

D. to help to determine is wordy. Just to help determine is good. So out.

E. use of singular verb is for plural subject goals is wrong.

So I go with option C.
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daagh
The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

A. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

B. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as to determine the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

C. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

D. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help to determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars

E. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission is to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

Sourced from RSSing.com -- As usual, no OA or OE is available. What is given after three days is my own OA and not the original author's. A lot of discussions with reasoning are welcome.

IMO B

A. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.-------main goals are being lists her so the list should be parallel. "whether or not" is redundant

B. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as to determine the role of water, and to study the the climate and geology of Mars.------------the list is parallel here and redundancy has been removed. Correct

C. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climad geology of Mars.------list is not parallel

D. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help to determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars------list is not parallel.
"to help to determine" is incorrect


E. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission is to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.-------.S-V issue and list is not parallel
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IMO D

As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help to determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars

To help is followed by the infinitive 'to determine' and the participle 'determining' in parallel, connected together through 'as well as'.

'To help' and 'to study' are also parallel after the helping verb 'are'.
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I chose B

I think determining isnt parallel and in B also "to help to determine" - I think its wrong
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i also chose B. Well the reason is "X, as well as Y, and Z" in this X is the main focus and Y is after thought
X :- to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life
Y :- to determine the role of water
Z :- to study the climate and geology of Mars

X and Z makes the list so they have to be parallel
Plus in all other options A,C,D,E "determining the role of water" is acting a modifier. So i choose B
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A is out since when we use whether the "or not" state is already intended.
B is out since the meaning and parallelism changes.

C- Seems to be okay. We have correct modifiers, verb, and parallelism. So hold.

D. to help to determine is wordy. Just to help determine is good. So out.

E. use of singular verb is for plural subject goals is wrong.

So I go with option C.

Could you help explain why you think the meaning is changed in B? Thank you.


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daagh
The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

A. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

B. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as to determine the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

C. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

D. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help to determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars

E. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission is to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

Sourced from RSSing.com -- As usual, no OA or OE is available. What is given after three days is my own OA and not the original author's. A lot of discussions with reasoning are welcome.

I think that the answer is B, due to parellelism. Although, I am not very sure. :|
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Hi
i have my gmat on monday
can wait for the OA but want to know it
and what is the level of the question
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So far, most of the opinions have been tentative among B, C, D; it is difficult to assign a difficulty value in such fluid contexts. However, I feel since it is drawing so much of munching, it should be 750 + level
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daagh
So far, most of the opinions have been tentative among B, C, D; it is difficult to assign a difficulty value in such fluid contexts. However, I feel since it is drawing so much of munching, it should be 750 + level


Hi daagh, Please let us know the OA. I guess most of them are tending towards B. But I'm not really sure how in B all 3 items as parallel?

since the presence of as well as. Please provide your explanation.
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as well as is a additive phrase, it wont draw the compound verb AND. THE main scientific goal, the means we are talking about the main goal, hence only one goal and the verb should be IS. E maintains parallelism.

Experts please let me know is my logic is correct !! I don't see a problem with E
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daagh
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Quote:
Since you seem very curious, let me give my reasoning of the issue. But pl remember that this is not any official solution from the author, but just my own, which could be as good or bad as anybody's.

The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

A. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars. -- Whether or not is redundant and incorrect

B. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as to determine the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars. --- as well as determining is the correct verb when we join a verb; 'as well as to determine' is not

Please read the part below in proof of this; <https://www.thefreedictionary.com/as+well+as>


Quote:
linking clauses

You can use as well as in a similar way to link clauses. However, the second clause must be a clause beginning with an -ing form.
She manages the budget as well as ordering the equipment.


C. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars. ---- The two things that are parallel here are 1. to help and 2. to study. Correct choice.

D. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help to determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars ------ to help 'to determine', especially because of the infinitive marker before determine is not to be taken as parallel 'to study'

E. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission is to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars. --- Goals … is --SV error

Thanks daagh for the succinct explanation.
However I would like to clear few doubts over here - In option B apart from the error "as well as determining to" are there any other errors or does the sentence distorts the intended meaning? Because I feel that option B is more direct than the passive construction used in Option C, so if there were no idiom error then B could have been a strong contender.
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True; if there were no idiom errors in B, then there would be two correct answers. But the risk is that the question would be invalid.
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daagh
The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

A. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether or not Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

B. The Mars Exploration Program established that the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as to determine the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

C. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

D. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission are to help to determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars

E. As established by the Mars Exploration Program, the main scientific goals of the MSL mission is to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, as well as determining the role of water, and to study the climate and geology of Mars.

Sourced from RSSing.com -- As usual, no OA or OE is available. What is given after three days is my own OA and not the original author's. A lot of discussions with reasoning are welcome.

Thanks for sharing the OA before time.
I went with B.
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anuj11
as well as is a additive phrase, it wont draw the compound verb AND. THE main scientific goal, the means we are talking about the main goal, hence only one goal and the verb should be IS. E maintains parallelism.

Experts please let me know is my logic is correct !! I don't see a problem with E

Answer choice E states “...main scientific goal[s]...is to”

Goals, which is plural, should be followed by “are” not “is”.


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egmat,

It looks like question from egmat (It is my guess only). If this question is from egmat, can egmat provide official explanation for it please.

Thanks,
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