OFFICIAL EXPLANATION



THE PROMPT

HIGHLIGHTS

• redundancy - on the GMAT and in good writing generally, "the reason is" and "because" are redundant.
GMAC prefers concision. "The reason that" and because repeat the same idea.

The reason that tells us why something happened.
Because also tells us why something happened.
-- The reason that already announces that we are about to hear a causal explanation. Because indicates the same idea.
-- This site, here discusses the construction at issue. When we use both "reason is/that" and "because," essentially we are saying that "the reason is the reason.”
-- In speech, native speakers frequently use "the reason . . is because." They also use "the reason why." Both usages are redundant.
-- GMAC follows the typical rule for formal writing: because and the reason is are redundant, and concision is important.

Redundancy is not necessarily fatal. Make sure that a correct answer without redundancy exists.
When redundancy arises, see whether you can find a better answer—one that does not repeat ideas.

-- Takeaway: Compare options. Which is better? Which is worse? Pick the better one.
The reason that he arrived early to lecture is because he wanted to get a seat near the front. [WORSE]
He arrived early to lecture because he wanted to get a seat near the front. [BETTER]

THE OPTIONS

• the reason that and because are redundant
ELIMINATE A

• In this case, whether . . . or not is redundant.
→ or not adds nothing to the meaning of the sentence. GMAC likes concision.
→ Despite what most of you have been taught, whether or not is not always wrong.
→ On the GMAT, the phrase is almost always wrong, but that fact stems from the way that GMAC tests whether or not

• that is, when whether anchors a noun clause (the situation that occurs 95+ percent of the time on the GMAT), do not use "or not."
• If you are curious about when whether or not is correct, read this post, here.
ELIMINATE B

• I do not see any errors
→ the redundancies in (A) and (B) have been corrected
→ the rest of sentence is grammatical
KEEP


• if should be whether
→ if is used only in conditionals, and this sentence is not a conditional (XYZ will happen if ABC happens)
→ whether is used to demonstrate that two alternatives are possible (iron fertilization of the oceans can help with global warming or such fertilization of oceans cannot help)

• Editor's/writer's trick: see whether you can reverse the order of the clauses. If not, use whether. If so, use if.
→ In all five types of conditionals, the IF clause and the THEN clause can be reversed. Suppose that we have:
Correct: If a free press does not exist, then democracy does not exist.
Correct, reversed: Democracy does not exist if a free press does not exist.
→ Reversing the clauses in this sentence does not work.
Scientists are still unsure if this [] method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming.
Reversed and insensible: If this method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming, scientists are still unsure.
→→ So . . . because this clause cannot be reversed, the word whether is correct and the word if is not correct.
ELIMINATE D


• bring about the alleviation of means alleviate, as in option C
Concision: if you can say something in one word rather than five words, say one.
ELIMINATE E

The best answer is C.

COMMENTS

Anuragsharma93 and praveen27sinha , welcome to SC Butler.

These answers range from good to excellent.
Be safe, everyone.

My answer is (C). It took me 1:27.

First, between "the reason ... is because" and "the reason ... is that": We should choose "the reason ... is that" because "the reason ... is because" is redundant. Eliminate A.

Second, between (B) and (C), C replaces "the reason that ... is that" with "because" and thus provides the most concise version. Shorter is better. So B is out.

In (D), if should be replaced with "whether", as in (C).

In (E), besides wordy "the reason that ... is that", this version also use "bring about the alleviation of" in the place of "alleviate". Shorter is better.

A) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming-> "The reason... is because..." is awkward.

B) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming or not -> when using whether, or not is implied. No need to write it separately.

C) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming -> Correct

D) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure if this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming -> Between "if" and "whether", "whether" is preferred in GMAT.

E) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually bring about the alleviation of global warming effects -> "The reason is that... is that" is awkward. "bring about the alleviation of global warming effects" is unnecessarily long way to write "alleviate global warming effects"

IMO C

The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming.

Skeleton/Intended meaning of the sentence :
X has not been implemented because scientists are still not sure *whether* this Y and Z method actually has an advantage.
Scan 1: Eliminate the usage of 'if' because there is no conditional statement here
Scan 2 : Grammar

A) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming

B) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming or not

C) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming
Correct

D) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure if this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming

E) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually bring about the alleviation of global warming effects

A) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is [color=#ff0000]because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming

1) Redundancy: The reason .... is because .... ----> redundant.

(A) should say
The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming.



B) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming or not

1) Redundancy: On gmat, "whether or not" seems redundant.

C) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming

1) this choice does not suffer from an error of redundancy, like A and B.

D) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure if this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming

1) On Gmat, "if" is used to express "conditions", so cannot substitute for "whether"

E) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually bring about the alleviation of global warming effects

1) the verb, "bring about", means "cause". If there is a ready and simple verb, "alleviate", WHY do we have to use "bring about the alleviation of ..."?[/color]


The correct answer must be C.

A) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming -- Redundancy error - The reason and Because ....

B) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming or not -- whether in itself signifies two posibilities hence the use of "not" at the end is erroneous.

C) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming ----- Nothing wrong here--- this is our Answer.

D) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure if this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming --- Whether is prefered over If on GMAT

E) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually bring about the alleviation of global warming effects
---- This bold part is absolutely wrong has no meaning...

The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming.



A) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warmingThe reason …. is because is redundant

B) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming or notWhether alone is better or not is not needed aloso C is more cosine

C) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming Correct

D) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure if this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming Use of if is incorrect, it is used in if then construction for case and effect

E) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually bring about the alleviation of global warming effectswordy, bring about the elevation

The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming.



A) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming Incorrect

double reason is wrong - The reason...............is because...............

B) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming or not Incorrect

..............whether ........or not - wrong

C) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming Correct

D) Iron fertilization of the earth’s oceans has not been implemented because scientists are still unsure if this expensive and extreme method can actually alleviate the effects of global warming Incorrect

if uses logically wrong, whether required

E) The reason that iron fertilization of the earth's oceans has not been implemented is that scientists are still unsure whether this expensive and extreme method can actually bring about the alleviation of global warming effects Incorrect

meaning change - ...................actually bring about the alleviation of..........

The official explanation is here.