12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 6: The resistance against

Question

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The resistance against the extreme nature of the Securities Transaction Tax seems to have finally gained traction; after all,  no less an authority than  the last governor of the central bank has suggested that this tax should be abolished.

(A) no less an authority than
(B) nonetheless an authority
(C) nevertheless authoritarian
(D) not less an authority than
(E) an authority not less than

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

Experts' Global Official Explanation:

Idioms + Meaning + Comparison

Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that “the last governor of the central bank” is an authority of significant importance and has suggested that the Securities Transaction Tax should be abolished.

• “no less an A than B” is a correct, idiomatic construction used to suggest that B exemplifies the qualities of A.

A. Correct.  This answer choice uses the idiomatic construction “no less a/an A than” to convey the intended meaning of the sentence- that “the last governor of the central bank” is an authority of significant importance and has suggested that the Securities Transaction Tax should be abolished.

B. This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “nonetheless an authority”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that regardless of other information “the last governor of the central bank” is an authority; the intended meaning of the sentence is that “the last governor of the central bank” is an authority of significant importance and has suggested that the Securities Transaction Tax should be abolished.

C. Trap. This answer choice incorrectly uses “nevertheless authoritarian” to modify “the last governor of the central bank”, incorrectly implying that “the last governor of the central bank” is “authoritarian” in nature; the intended meaning of the sentence is that “the last governor of the central bank” is an authority of significant importance and has suggested that the Securities Transaction Tax should be abolished.

D. This answer choice utilizes the unidiomatic construction “not less an authority than” rather than the proper construction “no less an authority than”; please remember, “no less an A than B” is a correct, idiomatic construction used to suggest that B exemplifies the qualities of A.

E. Trap. This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “an authority not less than”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that an unnamed authority who is of equal importance to “the last governor of the central bank” has suggested that the Securities Transaction Tax should be abolished; the intended meaning of the sentence is that “the last governor of the central bank” is an authority of significant importance and has suggested that the Securities Transaction Tax should be abolished.

A is the best answer choice.

____________________________
  Video Explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAmKBQPPRaY

nivivacious · Answer

(A) Correct - This phrase is worded so because it is used to emphasise the importance of the person referred ie last governor of the central bank.
(B) Incorrect - Changes the meaning of the sentence and does not provide the same emphasis on the importance of the person as in option A
(C) Incorrect - Changes the meaning of the sentence entirely and implies that the person is authoritarian which is not the intended meaning.
(D) Incorrect - This is grammatically incorrect
(E) Incorrect - This is not only grammatically incorrect but also does not provide the same emphasis on the importance of the person.

Hence A

VivekSri · Answer

I will go with option A. Let us break down the remaining option :
Nonetheless and nevertheless is used to show the contrast and the there is no sign of contrast in the sentence so option B and C is out.

Let us now move to D and E,
Instead of not less, we commonly used no less which is more correct, so we eliminate D, similar to D, option E is also less idiomatic.

So A is correct.

poojaarora1818 · Answer

The resistance against the extreme nature of the Securities Transaction Tax seems to have finally gained traction; after all,  no less an authority than  the last governor of the central bank has suggested that this tax should be abolished.

(A) no less an authority than Correct 
(B) nonetheless an authority ncorrect 
(C) nevertheless authoritarian ncorrect 
(D) not less an authority than ncorrect 
(E) an authority not less than ncorrect

Elite097 · Answer

A - is the best answer. It introduces the value of the person and is an accepted
B - nonetheless means "in spite of" and would indicate that the tax has gained traction even though governor has suggested that tax should be abolished 
C - authoritarian is an adjective that's completely unrelated to the sentence
D - Not is typically used to negate something. In this case, the sentence is just using a correct way to introduce him.
E - using "an authority" would indicate someone other than last governor , who was at least his equal. (Since we use indefinite articles to introduce previously unreferenced nouns into conversation)

Ans A

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Schinchan_bh · Answer

The correct choice is (A) "no less an authority than."

The sentence is expressing that a significant authority, the last governor of the central bank, has suggested that the Securities Transaction Tax should be abolished. The phrase "no less an authority than" emphasizes the importance of this authority's opinion, making it the most appropriate choice in this context.

bv8562 · Answer

The resistance against the extreme nature of the Securities Transaction Tax seems to have finally gained traction; after all,  no less an authority than  the last governor of the central bank has suggested that this tax should be abolished.

(A) no less an authority than  - it correctly modifies the "governor"
(B) nonetheless an authority -  after all and nonetheless redundant 
(C) nevertheless authoritarian -  same as B 
(D) not less an authority than - "not" is incorrect here. It should be "no"
(E) an authority not less than -  an authority is not any other third entity but it is the governor himself. So, "an authority" should describe the governor.

arpan7 · Answer

no less than *someone powerful* is the correct idiom.
Hence A

Archit3110 · Answer

(A) no less an authority than  wrong usage 
 (B) nonetheless an authority  correct option 
 (C) nevertheless authoritarian  nevertheless is wrong
 (D) not less an authority than  meaning issue
 (E) an authority not less than  incorrect option
 OPTION B is correct

SushantPaudel · Answer

Let's go through each option:

(A) no less an authority than: This is the correct idiomatic expression that emphasizes the significance or authority of the last governor of the central bank who made the suggestion.

(B) nonetheless an authority: "Nonetheless" suggests contrast or contradiction, and it doesn't convey the intended meaning of emphasizing authority. The use of "nonetheless" is not appropriate in this context.

(C) nevertheless authoritarian: "Nevertheless" is used to indicate contrast or opposition, and "authoritarian" refers to a governing style, not the authoritative status of the individual. This option changes the meaning.

(D) not less an authority than: This option is awkward and less idiomatic. The correct expression is "no less an authority than" to emphasize authority.

(E) an authority not less than: This option is also awkward and less idiomatic. The correct expression is "no less an authority than" for proper usage.

So,option (A) is the correct and idiomatic expression that conveys the intended meaning.

sj296 · Answer

(A)  no less an authority than ................Seems fine

(B)  nonetheless  an authority.............nonetheless means "in spite of" and would changes the meaning

(C) nevertheless  authoritarian ..........authoritarian wrongly used here

(D) not less an authority than............tricky but "no less an authority than" is the correct idiom.

(E)  an authority  not less than............using "an authority" would indicate someone other than the governor. distorts the meaning.

IMO OA should be A.

pooh.2304 · Answer

(A) no less an authority than

This phrase is idiomatic and appropriately conveys the idea that the suggestion to abolish the Securities Transaction Tax comes from a person of significant authority—the last governor of the central bank. The use of "no less an authority than" emphasizes the importance of the individual making the suggestion.

oiploiloi · Answer

Going with A

The resistance against the extreme nature of the Securities Transaction Tax seems to have finally gained traction; after all, no less an authority than the last governor of the central bank has suggested that this tax should be abolished.

(A) no less an authority than
This is idiomatic. It means that an authority has great/influential as the last governor of the central bank has suggested that the tax be abolished
(B) nonetheless an authority
Makes no sense. "Nonetheless" would negate the first part of the sentence which is incorrect
(C) nevertheless authoritarian
Makes absolutely no sense. It is negating the first part of the sentence instead of agreeing with it
(D) not less an authority than
This is a close choice to A but it is not as idiomatic
(E) an authority not less than
Also not as idiomatic. It is clunky

juancarlos12 · Answer

The resistance against the extreme nature of the Securities Transaction Tax seems to have finally gained traction; after all,  no less an authority than  the last governor of the central bank has suggested that this tax should be abolished.
 The right idiom is No less X than Y, so the only answer that fit with this idiom is A.

(A) no less an authority than -->No less X than Y, 
(B) nonetheless an authority --> Not Right because we have an authority + the last governor --> Not sense
(C) nevertheless authoritarian --> Change of meaning 
(D) not less an authority than --> Is "No" no "Not"
(E) an authority not less than --> Not right idiom

Right answer: A

Kinshook · Answer

The resistance against the extreme nature of the Securities Transaction Tax seems to have finally gained traction; after all,  no less an authority than  the last governor of the central bank has suggested that this tax should be abolished.

"No less a (blank) than (person/entity)" means that (person/entity) is the subject of the sentence, and is (a blank) to a very high degree.
The resistance against the extreme nature of the Securities Transaction Tax seems to have finally gained traction; after all, the last governor of the central bank, a great authority, has suggested that this tax should be abolished.
Correct

nonetheless means "in spite of" 
Change in meaning of the original sentence
Incorrect.

Authoritarian is an adjective that's completely unrelated to the sentence
Incorrect

No less an ... than is the correct idiom
Incorrect

Change in meaning.
It means someone other than the last governor of the central bank has suggested that this tax should be abolished. 
Incorrect

IMO A

brp616 · Answer

'no less an X' is a relatively commonly used phrase emphasizing how strong/important the 'X' is, in this case the authority, so A.

B - nonetheless disregards the prior argument

C - this would be a run-on/broken sentence

D - no less more correct than not less

E - again, not less not used and the order is off

$!vakumar.m · Answer

The resistance against the extreme nature of the Securities Transaction Tax seems to have finally gained traction; after all,  no less an authority than  the last governor of the central bank has suggested that this tax should be abolished.

(A) no less an authority than
correct - the idiom - no less an authority than - is used correctly - It emphasizes the significance of the the last governor of the central bank(an authority) who suggested abolishing the Securities Transaction Tax.
(B) nonetheless an authority
incorrect - "Nonetheless" is used to indicate contrast, and it doesn't convey the intended meaning. 
(C) nevertheless authoritarian
Incorrect - "Nevertheless" means "in spite of that" or "however," and it doesn't convey the intended meaning. 
(D) not less an authority than - option A is better than D
(E) an authority not less than
incorrect - The placement of "not less than" is awkward. We have a better choice in Option A. 
Answer A.

Shwetamed · Answer

A.
provides correct meaning

B. doesn't make any sense
C. 'authoritarian last governor' conveys different meaning
D.,E. implies that someone else who has authority less than the governor proposed that

missionmba2025 · Answer

(A) no less an authority than

Correct as it is.

(B) nonetheless an authority

ambiguous and portrays incorrect meaning.

(C) nevertheless authoritarian

This is grammatically incorrect

(D) not less an authority than

The construction is unidiomatic .

(E) an authority not less than

The choice alters the meaning of the sentence.

IMO A

12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 6: The resistance against

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