Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Apr 2308:00 PM PDT
-09:00 PM PDT
Video explanations + diagnosis of 10 weakest areas + 150+ short videos + study plan!
Apr 2301:30 AM EDT
-02:30 AM EDT
Struggling with GMAT Verbal as a non-native speaker? Harsh improved his score from 595 to 695 in just 45 days—and scored a 99 %ile in Verbal (V88)! Learn how smart strategy, clarity, and guided prep helped him gain 100 points.
Apr 2512:30 AM EDT
-01:30 AM EDT
At one point, she believed GMAT wasn’t for her. After scoring 595, self-doubt crept in and she questioned her potential. But instead of quitting, she made the right strategic changes. The result? A remarkable comeback to 695. Check out how Saakshi did it.
Apr 2610:00 AM EDT
-11:00 AM EDT
The Target Test Prep course represents a quantum leap forward in GMAT preparation, a radical reinterpretation of the way that students should study. Try before you buy with a 5-day, full-access trial of the course for FREE!
Apr 2711:00 AM EDT
-12:00 PM EDT
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors
Apr 2808:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
Whether you are just beginning your MBA journey or fine-tuning your path to a 700+ score, GMAT Day is designed to give you a competitive edge.
02 Aug 2020, 00:00
Kudos
Bookmarks
D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
25%
(medium)
Question Stats:
74% (01:28) correct
26%
(01:38)
wrong
based on 807
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Clinical trials are the key to obtaining information about the safety and efficacy of new medications, and without volunteers to take part in it, there will be no new treatments for serious diseases like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis.
A) without volunteers to take part in it, there will be no new treatments for serious diseases like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
B) with volunteers to take part in these being absent, there would be no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
C) in the absence of the participation by volunteers, there will be no new serious disease treatments, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
D) without volunteers to participate in them, there would be no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
E) without voluntary participation, there are no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
THE OFFICIAL EXPLANATION IS here
02 Aug 2020, 00:14
Kudos
Bookmarks
OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
THE PROMPT
→ The word if is not present.
→ But the phrase without volunteers to take part reveals that this sentence is describing a hypothetical or an alternative situation.
In other words, the sentence describes what would happen if there were no volunteers.
→ The conditional is therefore necessary.
• Type 2 conditionals:
→ describe a hypothetical situation and its probable result
[If THIS thing were to happen] or [equivalent], then THAT thing would happen.
→ usually use would in the result clause (main clause, THEN clause), but can also use modals such as could or might to express varying degrees of certainty
→ the present conditional form of any verb is composed of two elements:
would + the bare infinitive of the main verb (the infinitive without "to")
would go (not would to go)
would seek (not would to seek)
THE OPTIONS
• the simple future tense will be is incorrect; we need would be
• if forced, in order to introduce examples, choose such as over like. See Notes, below.
ELIMINATE A
→ these is a determiner or a demonstrative adjective.
→ no official question of which I am aware has ever used these as a stand alone pronoun
→ but recently, a correct official question used this as a stand alone pronoun. These is the plural form of this.
• the phrase with volunteers to take part in these being absent is wordy and awkward.
Compared to the correct option, the phrase is just crap.
But we haven't seen the correct option's wording yet, so
KEEP B tentatively and look for a better answer
Yes, we understand that including refers to the diseases themselves, but we should avoid illogical writing
• the future tense will be is incorrect; we need the conditional would be
ELIMINATE C
→ the conditional would be is used
→ the plural pronoun them agrees with the plural antecedent clinical trials
→ without volunteers to take part in [the trials] is the most effective wording in this case because we need to express a contrary to fact situation and in English, "without" is a good way to express the hypothetical nature of the claim
• Option D is better than option B - ELIMINATE B
→ (D) uses them to refer correctly back to clinical trials and thus avoids the problem of whether these can be used as a stand alone pronoun
→ (D)'s phrasing is more direct and clear.
-- without volunteers to participate in them (D)
-- with volunteers to take part in these being absent (B)
The second phrase is a hot mess.
If you are reading in English (ahem), it should take you 2 seconds to decide that D is superior to B
KEEP
→ without voluntary participants [implied: in clinical trials] would be better
• the present tense are is fatal. We need the conditional, would
ELIMINATE E
The answer is D.
NOTES
Hidden conditionals or hypotheticals
Two kinds of conditionals can get hidden fairly easily: zero conditionals and type 2 conditionals.
Zero conditionals (scientific truths, general facts) often do not contain an IF/THEN structure, but they lurk around.
I wrote about hidden zero conditionals in this post, here.
If you see a verb split between will and would, start thinking about conditionals and hypotheticals.
I wrote about Type 2 conditionals here.
Hypothetical statements occasionally hide themselves.
We find ourselves in a contrary-to-fact (hypothetical) situation without a clause such as "If we were."
In those cases, use would.
LIKE v. SUCH AS distinction? Still true?
If at all possible, I would follow the guideline that we use such as to introduce examples.
We do not use like to do so. Like is used for comparisons.
Some controversy exists about whether GMAC has abandoned the distinction between such as and like.
This issue is not easily settled.
At least one official question uses "like" in the non-underlined portion of the question.
That question is here.
We don't have a choice. The word "like" introduces examples.
[Sidebar. In CR and RC, I have seen "like" used to introduce examples.
Do not rely on prose in CR, RC, or the official guides as an example of GMAC's position on an SC issue.]
Many people believe that GMAC will abandon this preference soon.
Before I saw OG VR 2020, I might have agreed.
I thought that one question would disappear from OG VR 2020.
The question explicitly tests such as and like to introduce examples, although both incorrect options that use like have an additional error.
The question did not disappear from OG VR 2020.
Its official explanation states:
The preferred way to introduce examples is with the phrase "such as," rather than with the word "like," which suggests a comparison.
Spoiler alert: two incorrect answers to an official question are revealed
At this point I would not use such as/like as the only basis upon which to eliminate an answer, but if you narrow the answers down to two, choose the one that uses "such as."
• THIS [and THESE?] as a standalone pronoun
THESE is the plural form of this. Some controversy exists: can this and these be used as standalones?
Answer: almost never.
I base my analysis of these on analysis of its singular counterpart, this.
THIS without a clear reference is almost always wrong.
-- This is a "determiner." It "points" to the noun in question -- determines for us that it is this noun, not that one.
-- Typically, GMAC requires "this" to "point" to a noun: this red chair near me, not that white couch on the other side of the room. (This and that, used in this way, are also called "demonstrative adjectives." To demonstrate is to show, and adjectives modify nouns.)
-- For the first time that I know of, OG 2020 published a question in which THIS was a standalone pronoun rather than a demonstrative adjective accompanied by a noun.
-- That is, GMAC allowed THIS to refer to a situation described but not actually named by a noun.
Spoiler alert: if you click on the link, the correct answer to a new official question is revealed
You can find that official question-- be on the lookout. GMAC has signaled that "this" as a standalone is okay.
-- perhaps these, standing alone, will also be okay. Eliminate other worse errors.
I doubt that GMAC will start allowing THIS or THESE as standalone pronouns on a routine basis, but be aware that GMAC seems to have signaled that this, standing alone, is allowed.
COMMENTS
Nipungupta9081 , chrtpmdr , and Abhajadon , welcome to SC Butler.
I am glad to see new people—the more, the merrier.
I am always glad to see returning participants, too.
I like the variety of styles and the different ways of thinking that I see on display in these posts.
Some of these answers are very good indeed.
Kudos go to correct answers that contain clear explanations.
Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC2)
THE PROMPT
Quote:
• This sentence is sneaky. Then again, so are SC writers.
→ The word if is not present.
→ But the phrase without volunteers to take part reveals that this sentence is describing a hypothetical or an alternative situation.
In other words, the sentence describes what would happen if there were no volunteers.
→ The conditional is therefore necessary.
• Type 2 conditionals:
→ describe a hypothetical situation and its probable result
[If THIS thing were to happen] or [equivalent], then THAT thing would happen.
→ usually use would in the result clause (main clause, THEN clause), but can also use modals such as could or might to express varying degrees of certainty
→ the present conditional form of any verb is composed of two elements:
would + the bare infinitive of the main verb (the infinitive without "to")
would go (not would to go)
would seek (not would to seek)
THE OPTIONS
Quote:
• the singular pronoun it disagrees with its plural antecedent clinical trials
• the simple future tense will be is incorrect; we need would be
• if forced, in order to introduce examples, choose such as over like. See Notes, below.
ELIMINATE A
Quote:
• these should point to a noun
→ these is a determiner or a demonstrative adjective.
→ no official question of which I am aware has ever used these as a stand alone pronoun
→ but recently, a correct official question used this as a stand alone pronoun. These is the plural form of this.
• the phrase with volunteers to take part in these being absent is wordy and awkward.
Compared to the correct option, the phrase is just crap.
But we haven't seen the correct option's wording yet, so
KEEP B tentatively and look for a better answer
Quote:
• including is a fairly common way to introduce examples, but in this case, the meaning is absurd: cancer, MS, and arthritis are most certainly not disease treatments.
Yes, we understand that including refers to the diseases themselves, but we should avoid illogical writing
• the future tense will be is incorrect; we need the conditional would be
ELIMINATE C
Quote:
• I see no errors
→ the conditional would be is used
→ the plural pronoun them agrees with the plural antecedent clinical trials
→ without volunteers to take part in [the trials] is the most effective wording in this case because we need to express a contrary to fact situation and in English, "without" is a good way to express the hypothetical nature of the claim
• Option D is better than option B - ELIMINATE B
→ (D) uses them to refer correctly back to clinical trials and thus avoids the problem of whether these can be used as a stand alone pronoun
→ (D)'s phrasing is more direct and clear.
-- without volunteers to participate in them (D)
-- with volunteers to take part in these being absent (B)
The second phrase is a hot mess.
If you are reading in English (ahem), it should take you 2 seconds to decide that D is superior to B
KEEP
Quote:
• without voluntary participation is not as good as similar phrasing in option D
→ without voluntary participants [implied: in clinical trials] would be better
• the present tense are is fatal. We need the conditional, would
ELIMINATE E
The answer is D.
NOTES
Hidden conditionals or hypotheticals
Two kinds of conditionals can get hidden fairly easily: zero conditionals and type 2 conditionals.
Zero conditionals (scientific truths, general facts) often do not contain an IF/THEN structure, but they lurk around.
I wrote about hidden zero conditionals in this post, here.
If you see a verb split between will and would, start thinking about conditionals and hypotheticals.
I wrote about Type 2 conditionals here.
Hypothetical statements occasionally hide themselves.
We find ourselves in a contrary-to-fact (hypothetical) situation without a clause such as "If we were."
In those cases, use would.
LIKE v. SUCH AS distinction? Still true?
If at all possible, I would follow the guideline that we use such as to introduce examples.
We do not use like to do so. Like is used for comparisons.
Some controversy exists about whether GMAC has abandoned the distinction between such as and like.
This issue is not easily settled.
At least one official question uses "like" in the non-underlined portion of the question.
That question is here.
We don't have a choice. The word "like" introduces examples.
[Sidebar. In CR and RC, I have seen "like" used to introduce examples.
Do not rely on prose in CR, RC, or the official guides as an example of GMAC's position on an SC issue.]
Many people believe that GMAC will abandon this preference soon.
Before I saw OG VR 2020, I might have agreed.
I thought that one question would disappear from OG VR 2020.
The question explicitly tests such as and like to introduce examples, although both incorrect options that use like have an additional error.
The question did not disappear from OG VR 2020.
Its official explanation states:
The preferred way to introduce examples is with the phrase "such as," rather than with the word "like," which suggests a comparison.
Spoiler alert: two incorrect answers to an official question are revealed
The official question (OG VR 2020 #310) is HERE.
In addition to the statement above, the author of the OE writes:
(A) Like should be replaced by such as. Have been becoming is an incorrect verb tense.
(D) Like should be replaced by such as. Those of is unnecessary and awkward. Have been becoming is an incorrect verb tense.
In addition to the statement above, the author of the OE writes:
(A) Like should be replaced by such as. Have been becoming is an incorrect verb tense.
(D) Like should be replaced by such as. Those of is unnecessary and awkward. Have been becoming is an incorrect verb tense.
At this point I would not use such as/like as the only basis upon which to eliminate an answer, but if you narrow the answers down to two, choose the one that uses "such as."
• THIS [and THESE?] as a standalone pronoun
THESE is the plural form of this. Some controversy exists: can this and these be used as standalones?
Answer: almost never.
I base my analysis of these on analysis of its singular counterpart, this.
THIS without a clear reference is almost always wrong.
-- This is a "determiner." It "points" to the noun in question -- determines for us that it is this noun, not that one.
-- Typically, GMAC requires "this" to "point" to a noun: this red chair near me, not that white couch on the other side of the room. (This and that, used in this way, are also called "demonstrative adjectives." To demonstrate is to show, and adjectives modify nouns.)
-- For the first time that I know of, OG 2020 published a question in which THIS was a standalone pronoun rather than a demonstrative adjective accompanied by a noun.
-- That is, GMAC allowed THIS to refer to a situation described but not actually named by a noun.
Spoiler alert: if you click on the link, the correct answer to a new official question is revealed
You can find that official question-- be on the lookout. GMAC has signaled that "this" as a standalone is okay.
-- perhaps these, standing alone, will also be okay. Eliminate other worse errors.
I doubt that GMAC will start allowing THIS or THESE as standalone pronouns on a routine basis, but be aware that GMAC seems to have signaled that this, standing alone, is allowed.
COMMENTS
Nipungupta9081 , chrtpmdr , and Abhajadon , welcome to SC Butler.
I am glad to see new people—the more, the merrier.
I am always glad to see returning participants, too.
I like the variety of styles and the different ways of thinking that I see on display in these posts.
Some of these answers are very good indeed.
Kudos go to correct answers that contain clear explanations.
General Discussion
02 Aug 2020, 00:13
Kudos
Bookmarks
Clinical trials are the key to obtaining information about the safety and efficacy of new medications, and without volunteers to take part in it, there will be no new treatments for serious diseases like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis.
A) without volunteers to take part in it, there will be no new treatments for serious diseases like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
Incorrect Use of Like
B) with volunteers to take part in these being absent, there would be no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
with volunteers to take part in these being absent is wordy and awkward.
C) in the absence of the participation by volunteers, there will be no new serious disease treatments, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
Best Guess and Choice
D) without volunteers to participate in them, there would be no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
Tense Error, what is them refferring to
E) without voluntary participation, there are no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis[/quote]
Tense Error
A) without volunteers to take part in it, there will be no new treatments for serious diseases like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
Incorrect Use of Like
B) with volunteers to take part in these being absent, there would be no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
with volunteers to take part in these being absent is wordy and awkward.
C) in the absence of the participation by volunteers, there will be no new serious disease treatments, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
Best Guess and Choice
D) without volunteers to participate in them, there would be no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis
Tense Error, what is them refferring to
E) without voluntary participation, there are no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis[/quote]
Tense Error
