Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in America

Question

Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in America found that active mice demonstrate a greater ability to learn, suggesting that exercise increases brain chemicals  that make it more resilient to cognitive decline .

A. that make it more resilient to cognitive decline
B. that makes it more resilient to cognitive decline
C. that make them more resilient to cognitive decline
D. that makes them more resilient to cognitive decline
E. that make it most resilient to cognitive decline

Deyoz · Answer

i am confused why the right answer has "makes" for the plural noun "chemicals" ? can someone pleease clarify?

Sagart21 · Answer

Makes them is correct as mice in plural

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Deyoz · Answer

them is ok but why makes? and not make?

Sagart21 · Answer

Exercise makes them more resilient

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vv65 · Answer

This should be "brain chemicals that MAKE them more resilient"

MAKES is wrong

The OA needs correction

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DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

This is definitely not a valid question. The only logical subject for "makes" is chemicals (the exercise isn't  directly  making anything more resilient--it's just working on the chemicals), so we need "make." Also, "increase brain chemicals" doesn't make much sense. You can't increase a chemical; rather, you'd increase the  level  of a chemical.

Nups1324 · Answer

Hi DmitryFarber I too think that brain chemicals needs the plural "make" but what if "brain chemicals" is considered as a noun phrase and thus singular "makes" is required? Is such case even possible? Just a thought. Apologies if its completely wrong. Tagging others just in case GMATNinja VeritasKarishma AndrewN IanStewart Thank you

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DmitryFarberMPrep · Answer

Nups1324 
I'm afraid there's no way for "brain chemicals" to be singular. Generally, when we see two nouns in a row, the first one is serving as a modifier for the second: plastic  fork , dance  major , poetry  book , space  exploration , etc. There's no meaningful way to have "chemicals" modify brain here, and if we did, that would mean the whole brain was responsible for the action. It just can't work.

IanStewart · Answer

I agree with Dmitry, both about the need for "make" here, and about the quality of the question. It's not good writing, and it's using words imprecisely in a few places. Where is it from?

AndrewN · Answer

I concur with both of my colleagues above. All I can think of is that the author of the question may have been thinking of a placeholder pronoun—i.e.   it  makes them more resilient —and thought that a  that  could serve in the same capacity. The answer, in any case, cannot be (D).

- Andrew

Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in America

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Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in America

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