The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will orbit the as

Question

The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will orbit the asteroid Eros for a year, slowly moving closer to the surface of the object  to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to  understand how the solar system formed some four billion years ago.

(A) to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to

(B) to make ever more and more precise measurements, which scientists are hoping to enable them

(C) for making ever more precise measurements, and scientists hope that they will be able to

(D) with the purpose of making more precise measurements than ever, and which scientists hope will enable them to

(E) in order to make more precise measurements than it ever did, and scientists are hoping they will be able to

sarcastic · Accepted Answer

A. to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to 
"ever more..." is an acceptable idiomatic expression. its meaning is roughly the same as that of "increasingly" or "more and more".
* "them" refers to "scientists". (if you actually omitted "scientists hope", then you would have to replace "them" by "scientists".)

B. to make ever more and more precise measurements, which scientists are hoping to enable them 
* REDUNDANCY: you can't combine 2 idioms that mean the same thing.
you say EITHER "ever more" OR "more and more", but not both.
* "measurements, which scientists are hoping to enable them" doesn't make sense

C. for making ever more precise measurements, and scientists hope that they will be able to 
* "for making" is not idiomatic. this should be the infinitive "to make".
* the "and" connector is inappropriate here. if you use "and" like this, then you're implying that there are two ENTIRELY SEPARATE things going on: (a) the spacecraft is hanging around making measurements, and (b) scientists hope one day that blah blah blah.
these are clearly connected, so, "and" is inappropriate.

D. with the purpose of making more precise measurements than ever, and which scientists hope will enable them to 
* not parallel.
you can't place a prepositional phrase (with the purpose of...) in parallel with a relative-pronoun clause (which ...).

E. in order to make more precise measurements than it ever did, and scientists are hoping they will be able to 
same problem with "and" as in (c).
also unacceptably wordy / awkward.

GMATNinja · Answer

In (A), "that" introduces a phrase that correctly modifies the noun "measurements."

A simplified example would be something like this: "Halfway through the voyage, I began to miss the items  that  I had rashly thrown overboard in a fit of rage." Everything starting with the word "that" just adds more information about the noun "items."

Similarly, everything after "that" in the official question just gives us more information about the "measurements." Specifically, these particular measurements are ones that "scientists hope will enable them to understand how the solar system formed some four billion years ago."

I wouldn't worry about any of the jargon about types of clauses. We could get into a very geeky discussion about the nuances of, say, substantive clauses and relative clauses, but it probably wouldn't do anything to help your GMAT score. As long as you understand the function of the phrase beginning with "that", you're in good shape.

For more information about the word "that," check out  this  article.

I hope that helps!

imanonymoususer · Answer

According to Ron, answer should be A https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/post26896.html

TGC · Answer

A. to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them
to
Right idiom - To make..... Hope is the right verb to use with scientists.
B. to make  ever more and more precise  measurements, which scientists are
hoping to enable them
Wordy
C.  for making  ever more precise measurements, and scientists hope that they will
be able to

D.  with the purpose of making  more precise measurements than ever, and which
scientists hope will enable them to
WORDY
E.  in order to make more precise  measurements than it ever did, and scientists are
hoping they will be able to
WORDY

Divyadisha · Answer

Was a close call between 'A' and 'C'. But after several readings, I realize that A should be the answer.

NEAR is doing something with intentions of taking precise measurements. Scientists hope that these measurements will enable them to do something.

A. to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them
to  We are getting the meaning that new precise measurements will enable scientists to do something 
B. to make ever more and more precise measurements, which scientists are
hoping to enable them  'Hoping to enable them understand' is not right 
C. for making ever more precise measurements, and scientists hope that they will
be able to the  cause and effect is lacking, otherwise this sentence is correct. 
D. with the purpose of making more precise measurements than ever, and which
scientists hope will enable them to  unnecessary wordy 
E. in order to make more precise measurements than it ever did, and scientists are
hoping they will be able to  wordy, and wrong for same reason as in option C

LogicGuru1 · Answer

I would chose OPTION A but very reluctant since all other options are equally bad.

I have a strong reservation about Option A 
A) to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to

to make ever more precise measurements --> more precise than what ??? ---> there should have been some logical reference to explain the phrase"ever more precise"
more precise measurements than the measurements earlier spacecraft made?
more precise measurements than the measurements obtained by a computational model in the lab?
more precise measurements than the measurements calculated by the little boy who used his home made telescope?

"MORE" is an adjective of comparison. What is the second item to compare in this sentence ???? 
What are we comparing "more precise measurements to" ???
 
Not happy with this question at all

manlog · Answer

I agree that more crisp statement is preferred, but in option A is am not happy with MORE, since it requires MORE THAN, otherwise the comparison is illogical. I chose E - not so elegant, but at least with no obvious errors. Another case, in which this rule is broken...

sayantanc2k · Answer

Here "ever more" is used as an adverb to mean "for all time" - "than" is not required in such use. "More" when used as a  comparative  adjective or adverb requires "than".

anairamitch1804 · Answer

A quick review of these:

B: "ever more and more precise" is redundant and idiomatically incorrect. "Ever more" and "more and more" have approximately the same meaning, but these constructions can't be put together. Furthermore, in "scientists are hoping to enable them," the pronoun "them" can't grammatically refer back to "scientists," but the meaning of the sentence requires that it do so.

D: "with the purpose of making more precise measurements than ever" is suspiciously wordy (though not enough to rule out this choice except by comparison with others). The bigger problem is the "and" before "which" -- to what is "and" connecting the "which" clause? There's no other relative clause modifying "measurements," so this "and" is incorrect.

E: "more precise measurements than it ever did" creates a verb tense problem. The idiom "ever more precise" means that the measurements will become more and more precise as time goes by, while E suggests that the spacecraft's measurements used to be less precise, and will now become more precise. However, E lacks the sense of continuing improvement that the other answer choices contain.

Furthermore, the creation of a compound sentence (", and scientists are hoping...") eliminates the direct connection between the measurements and scientific understanding that is present in the original sentence.

On to C and A. I believe that A is the winner here.

The second problem with answer choice E also affects choice C. The compound sentence structure links two ideas that each function on their own as complete thoughts. Therefore, choice C creates a sentence containing two separate ideas: 
#1) A spacecraft is going to make some especially precise measurements. 
#2) Scientists sure hope that they will learn how the solar system formed.

Choice A creates a clear relationship between these two ideas; the measurements are what make it possible for scientists to understand the formation of the solar system.

Furthermore, the beginning of choice C is worded in an awkward and idiomatically incorrect way. In A, "to make" functions as an adverb modifying "moving." "For making" cannot function in this way; this modifier phrase will work like an adjective in the vast majority of cases ("his talent for making pancakes..." -- "for making" modifies "talent").

rishabhdxt · Answer

The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will orbit the asteroid Eros for a year, slowly moving closer to the surface of the object to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to understand how the solar system formed some four billion years ago.

A. to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to
 
"to make" infinitive form used to show purpose : Correct

B. to make ever more and more precise measurements, which scientists are hoping to enable them

Modification error; ,which modifies "measurement" : incorrect

C. for making ever more precise measurements, and scientists hope that they will be able to

"for making" can not be used for intention/purpose : incorrect

D. with the purpose of making more precise measurements than ever, and which scientists hope will enable them to

wrong comparison ; more precise measurements than ever

E. in order to make more precise measurements than  it ever did , and scientists are hoping they will be able to

meaning error ; seams spacecraft was used in past : Incorrect

zvazviri · Answer

Was stuck between A and E. For A,  them  was ambiguous for me; is  them  referring to scientists or measurements? If we say  them  modifies the noun closest to it, scientists, then the ambiguity is resolved. Would have preferred a better construction

E. the first part is good. In fact, grammatically speaking, there is nothing wrong with E. However, grammar is not the only thing to watch out for. There is a meaning change in the second clause  and scientists are hoping they will be able to . The causal relationship between precise measurements and scientists understanding the universe is lost.

A is correct, by POE.

HouseStark · Answer

The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will orbit the asteroid Eros for a year, slowly moving closer to the surface of the object to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to understand how the solar system formed some four billion years ago.

A. to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to  (Correct)

B. to make ever more and more precise  measurements, which  scientists are hoping to enable them  moving closer to the surface of the object is hoping will enable them to understand not measurements.
 
C.  for making  ever more precise measurements, and scientists hope that they will be able to  incorrect idiomatic expression

D. with the purpose of making more precise measurements than ever, and which scientists hope will enable them to  parallelism error

E.  in order to  make more precise measurements than it ever did, and scientists are hoping they will be able to  "In order to make" redundant it's same as "to make"

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

This question is based on Construction and Pronoun Usage.

The phrase “ever more and more” is redundant. In the latter part of the option, the relative pronoun ‘which’ refers to ‘measurements’. However, the use of this pronoun makes the other pronoun ‘them’ ambiguous. The phrase “the  measurements  which scientists are hoping to enable  measurements  to understand how the solar system formed” is distorted in meaning. So, Option B can be eliminated.

The phrase “moving closer to the surface of the object  for making  measurements” is not idiomatically appropriate. So, Option C can be eliminated.

The phrase “making more precise measurements than ever” is wordy. The conjunction ‘and’ is unnecessary. So, Option D can be eliminated.

The phrase “to make more precise measurements than it ever did” implies that the spacecraft had made measurements before; this meaning is not implied by the sentence. The pronoun ‘they’ is ambiguous; the antecedent of the pronoun is not clear. So, Option E can also be eliminated.

Option A is precise and idiomatically appropriate. Therefore A is the most appropriate option.

Jayanthi Kumar.

thangvietnam · Answer

in choice C, 'for making' is wrong because 'making' dose not refer to the subject spacecraft. 'making' is general action which is not done in the future by the subject 'spacecraft'. 'to make' presents a would-be action done by the spacecraft. 
in choice E, "it ever did" is wrong. the meaning in E is the measurements is more precise than those spacecraft made. the intended meaning should be the measurement are more precise than other measurements by any other previous equipment or spacecrafts

Pankaj0901 · Answer

In Option A-
A) to make ever more precise measurements that scientists hope will enable them to

"that" refers to "measurements"? Or, "that" is initiating a substantive clause: "that scientists hope will enable...."? How do we know which one it is? I rejected A thinking that "that" is wrongly modifying "measurements".

Pankaj0901 · Answer

Thank you so much  GMATNinja

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The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will orbit the as

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The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will orbit the as

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