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The correct answer is C - Earthquakes strike...... and thus cost the nation ....... The word “thus” is used to indicate that the second clause is a result of the first clause.
Option A is incorrect because the conjunction “and” is missing between the two clauses.
Option B is incorrect because 'So as to' is an awkward construction
Option D is incorrect because “that clause” modifies damage - restrictive meaning
Option E is incorrect because “which modifier” is restrictive and leads to change in meaning
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Option C- As "Strike" and "Cost" need to be parallel
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there is a 2/3 split in lost repair costs and is wrong
eliminate option D & E

(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost it is not the earthquakes but damages which cost nation
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost so as to .. is wrong
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
OPTION C is correct

Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 🎅 GMAT Competition with Lots of Questions & Fun

Earthquakes, the most frequent natural disaster in Japan, strike the 430 inhabited Japanese islands approximately 1,500 times per year, causing significant structural damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and


 


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(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost

This option provides a clear and concise structure to the sentence, using "and thus" to connect the two consequences of earthquakes: damage and cost to the nation. The use of "thus" helps convey the cause-and-effect relationship more effectively.
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Earthquakes, the most frequent natural disaster in Japan, strike the 430 inhabited Japanese islands approximately 1,500 times per year, causing significant structural damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost Incorrect
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lostIncorrect
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lostIncorrect
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs andIncorrect
(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs andCorrect
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I'm going with E because I think it's the "least wrong" option

(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
"they" is ambiguous and also doesn't follow parallelism rules
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
"so as to" is wordy and awkward
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
"and thus cost" doesn't follow parallelism rules
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
"lost repair costs" changes the meaning of the sentence
(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
I think this is the correct option
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(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost................pronoun ambiguity.

(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost.................use of 'so as to' distorts the meaning.

(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost...........seems fine

(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and..................meaning issue. Damage is not costing in lost productivity infact the earthquake is doing that. Further, 'lost repair cost' completely changes the meaning.

(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and.................Meaning issue. 'which' shouldn't be used and 'lost repair cost' changes the meaning

OA should be C
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1 B changes the meaning with so as to.
2. C has 'and thus' which is parallel to Causing significant damages and not to earthquakes, hence gone.
3. D and E has 'lost repair costs', incorrect, hence gone.

Answer is A
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(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost --> keep at first but a bit ambiguous for they
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost --> so as to is wrong
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost --> keep
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and --> that is modify damage. wrong
(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and --> wrong for the modifier.

btw a and C I choose C b/c less ambiguous
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Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 🎅 GMAT Competition with Lots of Questions & Fun

Earthquakes, the most frequent natural disaster in Japan, strike the 430 inhabited Japanese islands approximately 1,500 times per year, causing significant structural damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and


 


This question was provided by Experts'Global
for the 12 Days of Christmas Competition

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(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost (damage cost the nation money, so cost should be associated with damage and not earthquake)
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost (so as to is used to stress on purpose, but here the purpose of damage is not to cause money)
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost (Same as A)
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and ('lost' is not mentioned, sentence implies- costs money in lost repair costs and productivity)

(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and (damage causes the cost to nation. Hence, which can be used to correctly indicate that)
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Earthquakes strike the 430 inhabited Japanese islands approximately 1,500 times per year, causing significant structural damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

A. causing.... is already a subordinate clause, having another ", and" structure won't make sense
B. Same as above
C. presence of and, distorts meaning, as it is the structural damage that causes loss in economy
D. that... is an essential modifier, so it would make sense
E. meaning wise D is better than E
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A) The use of 'they' makes it seem like Earthquakes striking the islands, causing structural damage and them costing $70 billion are two unconnected things

B) the use of 'so as to' makes it seem like earthquakes strike with the intention of costing $70 billion

C) Clearly conveys that earthquakes cause structural damage and thus cost $70 billion in repair cost and...

D) 'lost repair costs' does not make sense. As if the repair costs are somehow lost and the earthquake costs $70 billion is that 'lost' repair costs

E) Same issue as D. 'costs' takes a singular subject which is incorrect in given context. If it refers to 'damage', then the usage of 'thus' has no logical reason to be there.
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(A)damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
Incorrect- Equarthes,(ignore everything b/w the commas), and they cost the nation......
Does not form a proper sentence.

(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
Incorrect - No independent clause. Equarthes,(ignore everything b/w the commas),so as to cost the nation....

(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
Correct - Subject verb error issue is resolved

(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
Incorrect - Earthquakes is plural, costs here is singular. Subj - Ver error

(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
Incorrect - Earthquakes is plural, costs here is singular. Subj - Ver error
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Earthquakes, the most frequent natural disaster in Japan, strike the 430 inhabited Japanese islands approximately 1,500 times per year, causing significant structural damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost ~ "and" referred as joining two independent clauses but 1st clause is the cause and 2nd is the effect.

(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost ~ "so as to" is again joining two independent clauses. Also so as to represent the positve conotations. which is not the intended meaning.

(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost ~ Correct, represent the cause and effect relationship by joining the two clauses with "and".

(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and ~ 'that', incorrectly refers to the damage which is not responsible for repair cost and productivity lost.

(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and ~ 'which', incorrectly refers to the damage which is not responsible for repair cost and productivity lost.''

IMO Choice C
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Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 🎅 GMAT Competition with Lots of Questions & Fun

Earthquakes, the most frequent natural disaster in Japan, strike the 430 inhabited Japanese islands approximately 1,500 times per year, causing significant structural damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and


 


This question was provided by Experts'Global
for the 12 Days of Christmas Competition

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(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost

the use of a conjunction is incorrect here. Because and separates two independent clauses, the sentence seems to convey two different thoughts. However, we need to establish the fact that the damages costs the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost

The use of 'so as to' is incorrect here. As if the damages intend to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost

Correct.

(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and

The usage of lost repair cost is incorrect.

(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and

Usage of lost repair cost is incorrect.

IMO C
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Bunuel
12 Days of Christmas 🎅 GMAT Competition with Lots of Questions & Fun

Earthquakes, the most frequent natural disaster in Japan, strike the 430 inhabited Japanese islands approximately 1,500 times per year, causing significant structural damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and


 


This question was provided by Experts'Global
for the 12 Days of Christmas Competition

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Problem with the question stem:
[…], and they cost the nation […] -> This sounds just fine, but if we remove the modifier, it’ll look like this: Earthquakes […] strike the 430 […], and they cost the nation […]
We see a meaning problem: It must be the damage that costs the nation the money

Hence, A, B, C are out. Now we’re down to D and E.

Now, between D and E
D: structural damage must be smt non restrictive, so “that costs” sounds just right
E: which thus costs […] - No

So IMO the answer is D
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Earthquakes, the most frequent natural disaster in Japan, strike the 430 inhabited Japanese islands approximately 1,500 times per year, causing significant structural damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity every year.

Quote:
(A) damage, and they cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
Usage of and is incorrect since cause and effect relationship is lost.

Quote:
(B) damage, so as to cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
It seems that action of earthquakes is done with a purpose to cost the nation.
Change in meaning
Incorrect

Quote:
(C) damage and thus cost the nation $70 billion in repair costs and lost
The meaning of original sentence is correctly conveyed.
Correct

Quote:
(D) damage that costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
$70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity is correct usage
Incorrect

Quote:
(E) damage, which thus costs the nation $70 billion in lost repair costs and
$70 billion in repair costs and lost productivity is correct usage
Incorrect

IMO C
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