Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming

Question

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC2) 
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Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming  is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting  silence as a sign of danger.

A) is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting

B) have been perceived to be soothing because humans, like many social animals tend to be, have the predisposition to interpret

C) are perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed to interpret

D) is perceived to be soothing because humans, just as many social animals, are predisposed in the interpretation of

E) are perceived as soothing due to humans, like many social animals, having the predisposition to interpret

generis · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC2)

• Split #1: Subject/verb agreement

All the choices except option B contain  is  or  are .
Now we know that subject-verb agreement is being tested.

When you are not working under intense pressure, this subject is easy to find:  soft music and gentle humming. 
Strategy tip: under intense pressure, don't let your eye get tricked by formatting.
That is, your eye will want to follow the formatted underline of the question.
The underlined  is perceived  follows the singular noun  humming .
Because you noticed that the options are split between  is  and  are , you will remember to search for the whole subject.

Options A and D incorrectly pair the singular verb is with the plural subject  soft music and gentle humming. 
(Option D also incorrectly uses "just AS" and should use "just like." 
In comparisons, the word AS must be followed by a clause  with a verb , even if the verb is implied. In this case, no verb exists, implied or otherwise. The word AS does not always have to be followed by a clause.)
ELIMINATE A and D

• Split #2: DUE TO

When you see "due to," see whether you can replace it with "caused by" (or "resulting from" or "attributable to").
If the replacement works, then  due to  is correct.
If  caused by  does not work,  due to  is not correct.

Option E incorrectly uses  due to.  Insert  caused by . Fail.
Part of the problem is that  having  should be  have  and  due to  should be  because .
 It is enough to know that  due to  fails.

In addition, option E's use of  having the predisposition to interpret  is long-winded and unwieldy, especially compared to the parallel phrase in (C).
ELIMINATE E

• Split #3: LIKE and STYLE  
We are down to options B and C.

The word  like  is a  preposition  and thus can be followed only by a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase.
If you see the word  like  (which means "similar to") in the same clause as a verb, you are almost certainly looking at error.
Option B erroneously uses   like  many social animals  tend  to be. 
Wrong. No verb allowed.
Option C solves the problem, using only  like many social animals  as a phrase set off by a comma. No verb. 
Option C wins.

Suppose that this whole  like/as  issue confuses you. (Try to simplify: in comparisons,  like  cannot be followed by a verb and  as  must be followed by a verb.)

Option C is stylistically superior to option B.
→ The verb tense switch in B is a distraction except to the extent that the verb tense makes the sentence longer than is necessary.

→ Stylistically, this pairing is not a contest: Option C handily beats option B.
--  are predisposed to interpret  in (C) is more concise and forceful than  have the predisposition to interpret  in (B). 
--  perceived as soothing  in (C) is less wordy than  perceived to be soothing  (yes, one word counts).
ELIMINATE D

The answer is C.

COMMENTS

Just as is the case on today's other question, aspirants here range from newcomers (yet again, welcome) to veterans.
Excellent!
GMAT Club members generally are hardworking and resilient, traits that are prevalent because this site consists of self-selected members.
That tenacity is especially evident in Verbal generally and SC specifically.

And yet again I have too many excellent answers: I cannot bump all of them to Best Community Reply.
Good work!

beeblebrox · Answer

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming  is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting silence as a sign of danger.

A)  is  perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are   predisposed in   interpreting
A & B  are perceived  and not  is perceived .

B)   have been perceived to be   soothing because humans, like many social animals   tend to be, have the   predisposition to interpret

C)  are perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed to interpret

D)   is perceived to be   soothing because humans,   just as   many social animals, are   predisposed in   the interpretation of

E) are perceived as soothing   due to   humans, like many social animals,   having the predisposition to interpret  
Replace  due to  with  caused by  to check whether the statement makes any sense.

Correct answer is option C.

zhanbo · Answer

My answer is  (C) . It took me 44 seconds.

I typically preview five options briefly (just 2-5 seconds and only on the first few words), and I can tell that SVA is tested because of the split between "is” and "are". Such an understanding helps greatly in this question.

(A) Since we know an important split between "is" and "are", we must know if "soft music and gentle humming" should be considered as singular or plural. Generally speaking, "A and B" should be considered as plural even if both A and B are singular. (There are exceptions.) Eliminate A as it uses "is".

(B) The major issue is “like many social animals tend to be” because "like" is a preposition not a conjunction. It is wrong to use like to introduce a subordinate clause.

(D) Eliminated because of SVA.

(E) The major issue is the incorrect, albeit widespread, practice of using "due to" to modify verbs. 
Correct: Eliminated because of SVA. 
Incorrect: Eliminated due to SVA.

ramlala · Answer

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming  is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting  silence as a sign of danger.

KEY is soft music and gentle humming shall have plural verb i.e.ARE.

A)  is  perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed  in interpreting 
 Subject verb error

B)  have been perceived  to be soothing because humans, like many social animals tend to be, have the predisposition to interpret
 Tense error. Use present perfect tense wrongly after suggested.

C)  are perceived  as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed  to interpret 
 No Remarks

D)  is  perceived to be soothing because humans, just as many social animals, are predisposed  in the interpretation of 
 Subject verb error

E)  are perceived  as soothing  due to humans , like many social animals,  having the predisposition  to interpret
 due to humans having....is worng

IMO C

DinoPen · Answer

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming  is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting silence as a sign of danger.

A) is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting
 soft music and gentle humming is plural. 'is' is incorrect.

B) have been perceived to be soothing because humans, like many social animals tend to be, have the predisposition to interpret
 'like many social animals tend to be' is incorrect since this is comparing the action of social animals and the noun humans.

C) are perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed to interpret
 Correct use of 'because' and comparisons and SV agreement.
 
D) is perceived to be soothing because humans, just as many social animals, are predisposed in the interpretation of
 soft music and gentle humming is plural. 'is' is incorrect.

E) are perceived as soothing due to humans, like many social animals, having the predisposition to interpret
 'due to' is meant to modify nouns. But, 'due to' is modifying 'perceived as soothing' which is a verb.

TarunKumar1234 · Answer

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting silence as a sign of danger.

A) is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting Incorrect

soft music and gentle humming - plural, so is uses wrong

B) have been perceived to be soothing because humans, like many social animals tend to be, have the predisposition to interpret Incorrect

modifier problem - like modifies noun, here like modifies predisposition

C) are perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed to interpret Correct

D) is perceived to be soothing because humans, just as many social animals, are predisposed in the interpretation of Incorrect

same as A

E) are perceived as soothing due to humans, like many social animals, having the predisposition to interpret Incorrect

due to uses wrong, because is perfect for this choice
having uses wrong

penco · Answer

Answer : C The initial sentence seems to suggest the researchers have suggested two things that are perceived by humans as soothing because humans sense silence as danger. In this option, however, the use of 'is' tries to refer them as one things. Good reason to ditch and go for the next one. Also, when we use like or as to compare, they have different uses. Like is used to refer to nouns or a noun phrase whereas as can be used to refer to actions or other things. Here, like many social animals seems correct as comparison is with humans . This option can be ditched on many fronts. The sentence already used have suggested to indicate present perfect but have is repeated throughout. Doesn't seem right. Moreover, like is trying to compare some action, not only a noun phrase which is also against our principles. Let's move on. are is used rightly, have is not repeating, meaning and diction seems right. Let's keep it

is cannot be used to represent two things. as is used for comparison between noun phrases. Not gonna work. It just reverses the causal relationship by saying they are perceived due to humans and turns having into a modifier as if that is a concurrent event happening at the same time. Not gonna work. Seems like C is right match for us and makes sense. I would mark C and see if this works. Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming are perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed to interpret silence as a sign of danger. Bang on !

carouselambra · Answer

IMO C

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting silence as a sign of danger.

Since we have "and" used - the subjects are plural.
3:2 split

A)  is perceived  as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting

B)  have been perceived  to be soothing because humans, like many social animals tend to be, have the predisposition to interpret

C)  are  perceived as soothing because  humans , like many social animals,  are  predisposed to interpret

D)  is perceived to be  soothing because humans, just as many social animals, are predisposed in the interpretation of

E)  are  perceived as soothing  due to humans , like many social animals,  having  the predisposition to interpret

jhavyom · Answer

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming  is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting  silence as a sign of danger.
 
IDIOM: perceive as  is correct.
Eliminate B and D.

A)  is  perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting
SVA

B) have been  perceived to be  soothing because humans, like many social animals tend to be, have the predisposition to interpret

C)  are perceived as  soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed to interpret

D)  is perceived to be  soothing because humans, just as many social animals, are predisposed in the interpretation of
SVA

E) are perceived as soothing due to humans, like many social animals, having the predisposition to interpret
Here 'due to' is used in place of 'because of'. This usage is incorrect.

Choice C is the answer.

ArindamLucky · Answer

IMO C

soft music and gentle humming are perceived not is perceived. So only C and E are left.

We have because humans in C and Due to humans in E. Replace Due with caused by and see if makes sense. Here it doesn't make sense. Hence C is the right option with because

Posted from my mobile device

winterschool · Answer

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming is perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting silence as a sign of danger.

A)  is  perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed in interpreting  Incorrect

soft music and gentle humming - plural, so is uses wrong

B) have been perceived to be soothing because humans, like  many social animals tend to be , have the predisposition to interpret  Incorrect

modifier problem - like modifies noun, here like modifies predisposition

C)  are perceived as soothing because humans, like many social animals, are predisposed to interpret   Correct

D)  is  perceived to be soothing because humans, just as many social animals, are predisposed in the interpretation of  Incorrect

same as A

E) are perceived as soothing  due to  humans, like many social animals,  having  the predisposition to interpret  Incorrect

due to uses wrong, because is perfect for this choice
having uses wrong

generis · Answer

The official explanation is  here .

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Researchers have suggested that soft music and gentle humming

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615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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