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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.


A. Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides. The sentence is referring to one recently discovered species of catfish. In this case, the plural pronoun, “their” cannot be used.

B. Though tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen its vulnerability. The modifier “Tiny, blind, and translucent” is correctly referring to the recently discovered species of catfish and the correct pronoun has been used.

C. A recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen their vulnerability, though tiny, blind, and translucent. The sentence is referring to one recently discovered species of catfish. In this case, the plural pronoun, “their” cannot be used.

D. Thickened bones and armor plates on their sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish that is tiny, blind, and translucent. The sentence is referring to one recently discovered species of catfish. In this case, the plural pronoun, “their” cannot be used.

E. Tiny, blind, and translucent, thickened bones and armor plates on its sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish. The modifier “Tiny, blind, and translucent” is referring to the recently discovered species of catfish. In this option, it seems like the modifier is referring to “thickened bones”.

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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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sachin0890 wrote:
sayantanc2k wrote:
sachin0890 wrote:


Hello Sayantanc2k,
Both thickened bones and armor plates lessen the vulnerability of catfish. Is it ok to use that to refer both of them (thick bones and armor plates) as it is used in Option C?

Thank you.


The relative pronoun "that" can refer to plural antecedents. Run a search "that" in OG, and you will find plenty of such usages.




Thank You for the reply.

Please have a look at the following post,
created-in-1945-to-reduce-poverty-210087.html

Some of the respondents such as Economist GMAT tutor say that that cannot be used to refer plural.
I am totally confused regarding usage of that. Please explain when we can use that to refer plural and to refer singular.

Thank you,
Sachin


Uses of pronoun "that":

1. as a demonstrative pronoun:
1a. as adjectives: That pen is mine.
1b. as copy: The car you gifted me is older than that standing outside (creates a copy of car).

2. as a relative pronoun:
I wanted to buy the house that was destroyed by earthquake yesterday.
I do not like dogs that bark.

The usage 1a and 1b can only be singular - for plural "those" is required:
That pens are mine... wrong
The cars you gifted me is older than that standing outside ...wrong

The usage 2 is applicable for both singular and plural. (the second example above is plural).

The question in this thread uses "that" as a relative pronoun (type 2) - hence plural usage is alright.
The question in your link uses "that" as a demonstrative pronoun (type 1b) - hence plural usage is wrong.
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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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I feel the answer is b?

A. Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.
B. Though tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen its vulnerability.
C. A recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen their vulnerability, though tiny, blind, and translucent.
D. Thickened bones and armor plates on their sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish that is tiny, blind, and translucent.
E. Tiny, blind, and translucent, thickened bones and armor plates on its sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish.


OE please?
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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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sayantanc2k wrote:
Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.

A. Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.
B. Though tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen its vulnerability.
C. A recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen their vulnerability, though tiny, blind, and translucent.
D. Thickened bones and armor plates on their sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish that is tiny, blind, and translucent.
E. Tiny, blind, and translucent, thickened bones and armor plates on its sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish.


Though tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen its vulnerability.

Correct answer must be (B)
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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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tejassvi wrote:
"a" refers to plural noun, right ? Whereas "the" refers to singular. But u mentioned "a species" is singular? Please explain
Thanks in advance

Hi tejassvi, "a" pretty much always refers to singular (a person, a student, a car etc. are all singular); I am wondering whether you are confusing it with the exception that a number of a always plural, while the number of is always singular.
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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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sayantanc2k wrote:
Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.

A. Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.
B. Though tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen its vulnerability.
C. A recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen their vulnerability, though tiny, blind, and translucent.
D. Thickened bones and armor plates on their sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish that is tiny, blind, and translucent.
E. Tiny, blind, and translucent, thickened bones and armor plates on its sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish.



Hello Sayantanc2k,
Both thickened bones and armor plates lessen the vulnerability of catfish. Is it ok to use that to refer both of them (thick bones and armor plates) as it is used in Option C?

Thank you.
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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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NandishSS wrote:
Quote:
Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.


B. Though tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen its vulnerability.



HI GMATNinja, mikemcgarry, MagooshExpert (Carolyn), GMATGuruNY, EducationAisle, generis

Here Though tiny, blind, and translucent is it not modifying a recently discovered

Hi NandishSS,

Happy to help :) Here, "tiny, blind, and translucent" has to modify a noun, so it will logically modify the nearest noun. "A recently discovered" is not a noun -- the next noun is "species of catfish". "Recently discovered" is also modifying "species of catfish". So all of these modifiers are modifying "species of catfish" :)

Hope that helps! :)
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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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livfcind wrote:
Why are we using lessen here? Shouldn't it be lessens?

Hi livfcind, whether the verb should be lessen or lessens, depends on what that is modifying.

Here, that is modifying thickened bones and armor plates (plural) and hence, the correct verb is lessen (plural verb).
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Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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TheUltimateWinner wrote:
Hats off..
the document is more closed to when formally asked than CONGRESS. So, why we don't consider the the document as when formally asked's referent?
Thanks..


OA: Congress is required to call a convention to consider possible amendments to the document when [it is]...asked.
The words in brackets are omitted but implied.
The parallelism between the two clauses in blue -- each composed of SUBJECT + is + VERBed -- makes it crystal clear that CONGRESS is the intended subject of is asked.
Aside from the parallelism, common sense tells us the following:
Congress IS REQUIRED when Congress IS ASKED.
The sentence does not allow for any other logical interpretation.
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sachin0890 wrote:
sayantanc2k wrote:
Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.

A. Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.
B. Though tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen its vulnerability.
C. A recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen their vulnerability, though tiny, blind, and translucent.
D. Thickened bones and armor plates on their sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish that is tiny, blind, and translucent.
E. Tiny, blind, and translucent, thickened bones and armor plates on its sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish.



Hello Sayantanc2k,
Both thickened bones and armor plates lessen the vulnerability of catfish. Is it ok to use that to refer both of them (thick bones and armor plates) as it is used in Option C?

Thank you.


The relative pronoun "that" can refer to plural antecedents. Run a search "that" in OG, and you will find plenty of such usages.
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Uses of pronoun "that":

1. as a demonstrative pronoun:
1a. as adjectives: That pen is mine.
1b. as copy: The car you gifted me is older than that standing outside (creates a copy of car).

2. as a relative pronoun:
I wanted to buy the house that was destroyed by earthquake yesterday.
I do not like dogs that bark.

The usage 1a and 1b can only be singular - for plural "those" is required:
That pens are mine... wrong
The cars you gifted me is older than that standing outside ...wrong

The usage 2 is applicable for both singular and plural. (the second example above is plural).

The question in this thread uses "that" as a relative pronoun (type 2) - hence plural usage is alright.
The question in your link uses "that" as a demonstrative pronoun (type 1b) - hence plural usage is wrong.[/quote]


Thank you very much for the help.
I will try some more questions based on usage of that.
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jtankx90 wrote:
hi all, is "a species of xxx" always singular? thanks for anyone's help




Hello jtankx90,


I am not sure if you still have this doubt. Here is the answer nonetheless. :-)


Yes, the phrase "a species of xxx" is always singular because the articles "a" and "an" are used only with singular noun entities.


Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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chesstitans wrote:
pronoun "that" is fine in this question. test takers should know this important trick pattern in gmat.




Hello chesstitans,


You have highlighted one of the most crucial points with regard to the correct usage of the relative pronoun modifier that and other noun modifiers.

I just want to add here that we have authored an article named Noun Modifiers can Modify slightly far away noun on the very same topic that explains when noun modifiers can modify a noun that is slightly far away from it. The article can be accessed through the following link:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/noun-modifiers-can-modify-slightly-far-away-noun-135868.html



Hope this helps. :-)
Thanks.
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Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides.


A. Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability with thickened bones and armor plates on their sides. - pronoun issue - Use of the plural pronoun their is incorrect in both the instances. The antecedent of their at both places is the singular noun species.

B. Though tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen its vulnerability. - Correct

C. A recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen their vulnerability, though tiny, blind, and translucent. --The plural pronoun their doesn’t agree with the singular antecedent species ; meaning change -- contrast is lost -The way though tiny… translucent is placed in the sentence, it fails to convey the intended contrast. The placement of this phrase makes it difficult to establish that these qualities belong to this particular species of catfish.

D. Thickened bones and armor plates on their sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish that is tiny, blind, and translucent. --The plural pronoun their doesn’t agree with the singular antecedent species. -- Pronoun issue - The plural pronoun their doesn’t agree with the singular antecedent species. ; meaning changes as no contrast word is present

E. Tiny, blind, and translucent, thickened bones and armor plates on its sides lessen the vulnerability of a recently discovered species of catfish. -- illogical meaning; modifier issue -- The opening modifiers tiny, blind, and translucent illogically modifies the subject of the following main clause thickened bones and armor plates.


Answer B
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varotkorn wrote:
Dear GMATGuruNY,

How do you know that "their" does not refer to "catfish," which can be plural?
Quote:
In A, C and D, their (plural) does not agree with a recently discovered species (singular).
Eliminate A, C and D.


A: a recently discovered species of catfish lessens their vulnerability
If their refers to catfish IN GENERAL, the following meaning is conveyed:
A recently discovered SPECIES of catfish lessens the vulnerability of CATFISH IN GENERAL.
This meaning is nonsensical.
ONE type of catfish cannot lessen the vulnerability for ALL types of catfish.
Similar reasoning can be applied to C and D.
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varotkorn wrote:
However, in the below OA, the verbless "when" clause is NOT next to the omitted subject.

OA : Under a provision of the Constitution that has never been applied, Congress is required to call a convention to consider possible amendments to the document when formally asked to do so by the legislatures of two-thirds of the states.

In conclusion, the verbless "(al)though" clause must be next to the omitted subject. However, the verbless "when" or "after" clause doesn't have to?


Generally, a modifier should be AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE to what it modifies.

OA: Under a provision of the Constitution that has never been applied, Congress is required to call a convention to consider possible amendments to the document when formally asked to do so by the legislatures of two-thirds of the states.
Here, when formally asked refers to the preceding subject in blue, while to do so refers to the preceding infinitive phrase in green (to do so = to call a convention).
For the meaning to be clear, when formally asked and to do so must both FOLLOW their intended referents.
Thus, the verbless when-clause is as close as possible to what it modifies.
As a result, it is crystal clear that when formally asked refers not to the document but to CONGRESS.

Quote:
C. A recently discovered species of catfish has thickened bones and armor plates on its sides that lessen their vulnerability, though tiny, blind, and translucent.

"Though" in C. illogically refers to "vulnerability," right?

The following structure would be incorrect:
Polio continues elsewhere, although eradicated in the United States.
Here, the verbless although clause is NOT next to the omitted subject (polio).


In the sentences above, the verbless though-clauses are NOT as close as possible to their intended subjects (species and polio).
Generally, a verbless though-clause will be adjacent to its implied subject.
An official example:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/with-only-5- ... 80619.html

Quote:
OA : The results of the company's cost-cutting measures are evident in its profits, which have increased five percent during the first three months of this year after falling over the last two years.


Here, after seems to serve as a PREPOSITION, with falling serving as its OBJECT.
Since no verb is implied in the blue portion, after falling does not seem to constitute a verbless clause.
A similar sentence:
The company increased profits by cutting costs.
Here, by cutting = PREPOSITION + NOUN.
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Re: Though being tiny, blind, and translucent, a recently discovered speci [#permalink]
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Zarky wrote:
Thanks for this. I have a specific question on whether "tiny, blind and translucent" can refer back to a species. Shouldn't it refer to a catfish or many catfish? Doesn't 'catfish' being part of a preposition "sepecies of catfish", stop it from being the subject of the clause?


Hello Zarky,

We hope this finds you well.

Having gone through your query and the question, we believe that we can help resolve your doubt.

Here, "tiny, blind and translucent" can correctly modify "species"; such a modification conveys that all animals of this species share the relevant traits. Further, you are correct that "catfish" being part of a prepositional phrase means that it is not the subject of the sentence; the subject of the sentence is "species". Please consider the following example "Most species of bats are nocturnal." - here, the subject is not "bats"; it is "Most species of bats", and the adjective "nocturnal" can refer to species to describe a characteristic shared by all members of the species.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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