mikemcgarry wrote:
csaluja wrote:
The so-called Arctic Ocean, which many oceanographers consider no more than a Mediterranean Sea of Atlantic Ocean, is undergoing dramatic changes in the water level due to causes as diverse as ozone depletion, glacier melting, and the long-term effects of radioactive contamination.
A. as diverse as
B. as diverse as are
C. as diverse as those of
D. that are as diverse as
E. that are diverse as are
Dear
csaluja,
I'm happy to respond.
My friend, I don't have the highest opinion of this question. The non underlined part makes
the "due to" mistake. Also, this question would be ridiculously easy for native speakers, perhaps challenging only for non-native speakers. This is NOT the level of the GMAT.
Choice (A) is slam-dunk obvious to native ears. All four other choices unnecessarily complicate matters.
This question might be good as easier warm-up, for instance, if non-native speakers needed to practice with slightly easier material before moving up the level of the GMAT. For that, this question would be appropriate. On the other hand, if one hopes questions of this sort will prepare one for the level of the GMAT itself, one would be woefully misled.
Here's a much higher quality SC practice question, much closer to the level of the GMAT:
Few stories have captured Does all this make sense?
Mike
Dear
mikemcgarry:
I agree with your post claiming that it is not a good Gmat question. However, I would like you to expand when you mention the “
due to” mistake.
I always tell my students that “
due to“is an adjective phrase, and thus it should only refer to a noun. The Gmat always uses it in contrast with “
because of”, an adverbial phrase, or with “
because”, a subordinator. Invariably, “
due to” is wrong because it refers to the clause, not to a noun. Therefore, we can confidently eliminate the choices with the “
due to” phrase.
However, in this case, “
due to” refers to a noun - dramatic changes – so I do not believe it is wrong; it means that “
the dramatic changes are due to causes as diverse as ozone depletion, glacier melting, and the long-term effects of radioactive contamination.”
Could you tell me whether I am wrong?
Clipper Ledgard
_________________
Clipper Ledgard
GMAT Coach