|
|
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.
31 Dec 2020, 22:29
Kudos
Bookmarks
C
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:
70% (01:18) correct
30%
(01:31)
wrong
based on 239
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Early supporters of the theory of quantum mechanics hailed it as a major breakthrough in understanding the universe; however, critics of the theory called it a crude and inelegant description of the processes behind the physical world, which they likened to rolling dice.
A) which they likened to rolling dice
B) likening them to rolling dice
C) likening it to the act of rolling dice
D) which they liken to dice that are rolled
E) which they likened to the act of rolling dice
✨ HAPPY NEW YEAR! ✨
31 Dec 2020, 22:32
Kudos
Bookmarks
OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
→ This question is very similar to this official question, here.
QUICK POE
Two things are being compared in this sentence: the theory of quantum mechanics (as a description of the universe) and the act of rolling dice.
The use of which in options A, D, and E is needlessly unclear: does which refer to description or to the theory?
Although both words are quite far from which, this distance might be easily overlooked if the antecedent were clear.
The antecedent is not clear.
Eliminate A, D, and E
Option B incorrectly uses the plural pronoun them to refer to the singular noun, theory.
Eliminate B.
By POE, the answer is C.
ANALYSIS
• Split #1: • which they likened vs. likening
→ which cannot logically refer to physical world
The physical world cannot be equated with the rolling of dice.
→ which can modify description
Which often but not always modifies the immediately preceding noun, so which could modify the "main noun" description.
→ We call description the "main noun" because it anchors a noun phrase whose construction is
NOUN + noun modifiers (the modifiers are phrases that begin with prepositions)
DESCRIPTION of the processes behind the physical world
→ Is it logical to say that critics equated a description with the act of rolling dice?
Possibly.
The critics charge that the theory IS (linking verb) a "crude and inelegant description . . .," and this "crude" description of what happens could be likened to the act of rolling dice.
On the other hand,
(1) the noun “description,” however "crude and inelegant," is not really the culprit.
The theory of quantum mechanics is the culprit. The theory is compared to the act of rolling dice
and
(2) crude and inelegant description is how the critics characterize the theory but is not the theory itself.
Options A and D are easy to eliminate because in addition to this vexing which, they respectively use rolling dice and dice that are rolled
Both are inapposite nouns.
The critics mean to say that the theory involves too much randomness, chaos, and uncertainty.
The critics do not mean to say that the theory is similar to a pair of dice that are rolling after having been thrown.
In A, the phrase rolling dice suggests six-sided cubes that are tumbling end over end.
-- At the least, rolling dice may suggest the act of rolling dice (whose outcome is unpredictable), but the phrase is not very clear.
In D, the phrase dice that are rolling suggests six-sided cubes that are tumbling end over end.
The theory is not likened to an actual pair of dice rolling on a surface but rather to the act of rolling dice.
Finally, option D incorrectly uses present tense liken: past tense has already been established by "critics called."
Eliminate A and D, tentatively keep E (per the latter, look for a better answer)
• Split #2: Pronouns
In option B, the pronoun them has no logical antecedent.
Processes is the only plural noun. Processes are not being likened to the act of rolling dice.
(Oh. And option B uses the problematic "rolling dice," too.)
Eliminate B
• Split #3: Option C vs. option E
Option C is better than option E.
→ (C) uses "likening it," which refers back to the theory, which has already been deemed "it" in the nonunderlined portion.
I am sure that the critics believe that the theory is too unpredictable and chaotic.
Because (C) uses likening it, I do not have to decide whether the which-statement in (E) applies to description rather than theory.
In option C, likening it refers me immediately to another it that refers to the theory.
In option E, the distance of which from its antecedent coupled with the uncertainty about which word IS the antecedent both make the answer inferior to option C.
Eliminate E.
The answer is C.
COMMENTS
DinoPen , you wrote:
description of the processes behind the physical world, WHICH . . .
The short answer is that which can refer to either of the nouns.
I'm gonna have to borrow at least in part from MGMAT, because I can't think of better example sentences.
Correct: The box of nails, which is heavy, is Jonathan's.
Correct: I found the big box of nails, which we should use to secure the studs when we renovate the attic.
Logic and meaning determine which noun is the antecedent for which.
The touch rule can be confusing.
Yes, noun modifiers should "touch" (or be very close to) the nouns that they modify, but many exceptions exist.
Logic and context dictate the noun antecedent of which—although that antecedent is usually the immediately preceding noun (noun2/physical world) OR the main noun (description).
In other words, the "default" rule is that which refers to the immediately preceding word (your "noun2," physical world).
In analysis, everyone must go further than this default.
After the default guideline, we have another guideline: which can refer to the main noun of a noun phrase.
Which can refer to noun1 in this setup:
NOUN 1 + preposition + noun2(object) + preposition + noun3(object), WHICH
I was deeply impressed by Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman when he testified in the hearings on the impeachment of Donald Trump, which were broadcast by every major American news channel.
I hope that answer helps.
People do have to explain "labeling" or highlighting in order to get kudos.
These answers are quite good. Nicely done.
Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1)
Quote:
→ This question is very similar to this official question, here.
QUICK POE
Two things are being compared in this sentence: the theory of quantum mechanics (as a description of the universe) and the act of rolling dice.
The use of which in options A, D, and E is needlessly unclear: does which refer to description or to the theory?
Although both words are quite far from which, this distance might be easily overlooked if the antecedent were clear.
The antecedent is not clear.
Eliminate A, D, and E
Option B incorrectly uses the plural pronoun them to refer to the singular noun, theory.
Eliminate B.
By POE, the answer is C.
ANALYSIS
• Split #1: • which they likened vs. likening
→ which cannot logically refer to physical world
The physical world cannot be equated with the rolling of dice.
→ which can modify description
Which often but not always modifies the immediately preceding noun, so which could modify the "main noun" description.
→ We call description the "main noun" because it anchors a noun phrase whose construction is
NOUN + noun modifiers (the modifiers are phrases that begin with prepositions)
DESCRIPTION of the processes behind the physical world
→ Is it logical to say that critics equated a description with the act of rolling dice?
Possibly.
The critics charge that the theory IS (linking verb) a "crude and inelegant description . . .," and this "crude" description of what happens could be likened to the act of rolling dice.
On the other hand,
(1) the noun “description,” however "crude and inelegant," is not really the culprit.
The theory of quantum mechanics is the culprit. The theory is compared to the act of rolling dice
and
(2) crude and inelegant description is how the critics characterize the theory but is not the theory itself.
Options A and D are easy to eliminate because in addition to this vexing which, they respectively use rolling dice and dice that are rolled
Both are inapposite nouns.
The critics mean to say that the theory involves too much randomness, chaos, and uncertainty.
The critics do not mean to say that the theory is similar to a pair of dice that are rolling after having been thrown.
In A, the phrase rolling dice suggests six-sided cubes that are tumbling end over end.
-- At the least, rolling dice may suggest the act of rolling dice (whose outcome is unpredictable), but the phrase is not very clear.
In D, the phrase dice that are rolling suggests six-sided cubes that are tumbling end over end.
The theory is not likened to an actual pair of dice rolling on a surface but rather to the act of rolling dice.
Finally, option D incorrectly uses present tense liken: past tense has already been established by "critics called."
Eliminate A and D, tentatively keep E (per the latter, look for a better answer)
• Split #2: Pronouns
In option B, the pronoun them has no logical antecedent.
Processes is the only plural noun. Processes are not being likened to the act of rolling dice.
(Oh. And option B uses the problematic "rolling dice," too.)
Eliminate B
• Split #3: Option C vs. option E
Option C is better than option E.
→ (C) uses "likening it," which refers back to the theory, which has already been deemed "it" in the nonunderlined portion.
I am sure that the critics believe that the theory is too unpredictable and chaotic.
Because (C) uses likening it, I do not have to decide whether the which-statement in (E) applies to description rather than theory.
In option C, likening it refers me immediately to another it that refers to the theory.
In option E, the distance of which from its antecedent coupled with the uncertainty about which word IS the antecedent both make the answer inferior to option C.
Eliminate E.
The answer is C.
COMMENTS
DinoPen , you wrote:
Quote:
You refer to this long noun phrase, I think (except this phrase contains three nouns?):
description of the processes behind the physical world, WHICH . . .
The short answer is that which can refer to either of the nouns.
I'm gonna have to borrow at least in part from MGMAT, because I can't think of better example sentences.
Correct: The box of nails, which is heavy, is Jonathan's.
Correct: I found the big box of nails, which we should use to secure the studs when we renovate the attic.
Logic and meaning determine which noun is the antecedent for which.
The touch rule can be confusing.
Yes, noun modifiers should "touch" (or be very close to) the nouns that they modify, but many exceptions exist.
Logic and context dictate the noun antecedent of which—although that antecedent is usually the immediately preceding noun (noun2/physical world) OR the main noun (description).
In other words, the "default" rule is that which refers to the immediately preceding word (your "noun2," physical world).
In analysis, everyone must go further than this default.
After the default guideline, we have another guideline: which can refer to the main noun of a noun phrase.
Which can refer to noun1 in this setup:
NOUN 1 + preposition + noun2(object) + preposition + noun3(object), WHICH
I was deeply impressed by Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman when he testified in the hearings on the impeachment of Donald Trump, which were broadcast by every major American news channel.
I hope that answer helps.
People do have to explain "labeling" or highlighting in order to get kudos.
These answers are quite good. Nicely done.
General Discussion
31 Dec 2020, 22:40
Kudos
Bookmarks
