Correct Comparison is what we want to test our answer choices on. In the construction
more A than B, the elements of the comparison A and B must be not only structurally parallel, but also fundamentally the same type of thing. So we compare people with people, animal with animal, organ with organ,
but not organ with animal.
1. In our particular case we can compare:
I. Pot-bellied pig with any other animal.
CorrectII. The stomach and intestines (of the pot-bellied pig) with the stomach and intestines (of any other animal).
Correct2. However, we can’t compare:
I. The stomach and intestines with any other animal.
IncorrectII. New foods with any other animal.
IncorrectFor our own convenience let’s use just
organs instead of
stomach and intestines, and just
pig instead of
pot-bellied pig. Keeping all the above in mind, let’s begin to analyze our answer choices.
A. The stomach and intestines of the pot-bellied pig adapt to new foods more quickly than any other animal ever studied, thus enabling itIn short:
Organs of a pig adapt to new foods more quickly than any other animal... A has an incorrect comparison like that in 2-I and 2-II because we can interpret it in following ways:
a. Organs of a pig adapt to new foods more quickly than any other animal adapt to new foods
b. Organs of a pig adapt to new foods more quickly than the organs of a pig adapt to any other animal
In
a, organs are illogically compared with animals, not with other organs. In
b, organs illogically adapt to animals, not to foods. Both interpretations are nonsensical. Thus A is out.
B. Because the stomach and intestines of the pot-bellied pig adapt to new foods more quickly than do those of any other animal ever studied, it enables them to eatIn short:
Because organs of a pig adapt to new foods more quickly than do those of any other animal, it enables them… The comparison now completely makes sense because
those refers to
organs and
do means
adapt to new foods. In a nutshell, we have:
Because organs of a pig adapt to new foods more quickly than organs (those) of any other animal adapt to new foods (do)…Logically, the part after comma is trying to say that
organs allow a pig to eat… So we need
they allow it to eat… But we have the reverse and incorrect structure
it allows them to eat…As we have “because subordinate clause, main clause”, the subject of the subordinate clause must talk about the subject of the main clause.
Hence,
it has to refer to
organs, but this reference is impossible and thus
it has no clear and logical referent. There are two nouns
them may refer to -
organs or
new foods. In both cases the sentence is nonsensical:
a. it enables organs to eat a broad diet… organs themselves don’t eat. That’s nonsensical.
b. it enables new foods to eat a broad diet… are new foods cannibals?
C. Because they adapt to new foods more quickly than any other animal ever studied, the stomach and intestines of the pot-bellied pig enable it In short:
Because they adapt to new foods more quickly than any other animal, the organs… What is
they referring to? Well, because
they is the subject of the subordinate clause,
they has to refer to the subject of the main clause
organs. In a nutshell, we have:
Because organs adapt to new foods more quickly than any other animal… We again have an incorrect comparison like that in 2-I and 2-I. This choice has two nonsensical interpretations like those in A.
D. The stomach and intestines of the pot-bellied pig adapt to new foods more quickly than does any other animal ever studied, enabling themIn short:
Organs of a pig adapt to new foods more quickly than does (adapts) any other animal… We again have an incorrect comparison like that in 2-I. In other words, the sentence illogically compares organs with animals. Another error is the pronoun
them after the comma. There are two nouns
them may refer to -
organs or
new foods. In both cases, as we have seen in B, the sentence is nonsensical.
E. The stomach and intestines of the pot-bellied pig adapt to new foods more quickly than do those of any other animal ever studied, enabling it In short:
Organs of a pig adapt to new foods more quickly than organs (those) of any other animal adapt to new foods (do). Just bellissimo!
Finally, we have a correct comparison. The pronoun
it after the comma logically refers to
a pig, so the sentence is:
Organs of a pig adapt more quickly and thereby enable a pig to eat a broad diet. Again perfecto! A pig is full and we are happy
Hence
E