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MSDHONI
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Tektites Updated on: 08 May 2011, 08:14
Originally posted by MSDHONI on 07 May 2011, 18:49.
Last edited by MSDHONI on 08 May 2011, 08:14, edited 1 time in total.
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C
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

35% (medium)

Question Stats:

68% (00:59) correct 32% (01:26) wrong based on 19 sessions

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C
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sudhir18n
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Tektites 07 May 2011, 21:42
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C in my opinion.
Idiom is different/differ from.. correct using 'semi-colon' to separte the independent clause.

PS: On what basis are you rating the difficulty levels of the problems?
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Tektites 07 May 2011, 22:57
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+1 C

"they" (tektites) are logically comparable with obsidian.
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Tektites 08 May 2011, 01:17
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different from/than -- split options A and B eliminated.

D comparison error hence POE..

C and E, lava's containing -- gives a run on and change in meaning. POE.

C here the only problem is the antecedent of they in the second independent clause.
They is the subject referring clearly to tektites here. Its pronoun refers to Obsidian here.

C.
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Tektites 08 May 2011, 04:47
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Isn't it supposed to be E?

The correct Idiom is "different from" or "differs from". So eliminate (A) and (B).

"..., but their chemical composition is different than any terrestrial lava,.." I think there is a parallelism error here. The CHEMICAL COMPOSITION should not be compared to the TERRESTRIAL LAVA, but the CHEMICAL COMPOSITION of the LAVA.

With that I go with (E).

Tektites, ..., are much like the volcanic glass obsidian, but THEIR CHEMICAL COMPOSITION differs from that of any TERRESTRIAL LAVA's, containing far less water than obsidian does and none of its characteristic microcrystals.

Also (C) could be eliminated because it is using the pronoun THEY.

Looking at the sentence, THEY contain less water than obsidian does and none of ITS characteristic microcrystals. The Pronouns do not agree in NUmber.

MY ANSWER: E
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Tektites 08 May 2011, 08:23
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The subject in both the independent clauses is same(tektites).
Problem with choice "E" is use of "containing" (gerund).It refers back to "chemical composition"!
The comparison is done between Obsidian & Tektites not between their chemical compositions.
lawschoolsearcher
Isn't it supposed to be E?

The correct Idiom is "different from" or "differs from". So eliminate (A) and (B).

"..., but their chemical composition is different than any terrestrial lava,.." I think there is a parallelism error here. The CHEMICAL COMPOSITION should not be compared to the TERRESTRIAL LAVA, but the CHEMICAL COMPOSITION of the LAVA.

With that I go with (E).

Tektites, ..., are much like the volcanic glass obsidian, but THEIR CHEMICAL COMPOSITION differs from that of any TERRESTRIAL LAVA's, containing far less water than obsidian does and none of its characteristic microcrystals.

Also (C) could be eliminated because it is using the pronoun THEY.

Looking at the sentence, THEY contain less water than obsidian does and none of ITS characteristic microcrystals. The Pronouns do not agree in NUmber.

MY ANSWER: E
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MSDHONI
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Tektites 08 May 2011, 08:37
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I have no set pattern!!
Any suggestion??
sudhir18n
C in my opinion.
Idiom is different/differ from.. correct using 'semi-colon' to separte the independent clause.

PS: On what basis are you rating the difficulty levels of the problems?
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Tektites 08 May 2011, 19:55
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So I chose E... but I spotted an error in it...
It is using THAT OF and a possessive structure of lava's...


So E is obviously wrong.,..

I dont like C though because I think THEY contain and none of ITS is a bit ambiguous to me... BUT since you say THEY refers to Tektites and ITS to obsidian... then maybe C...

But C is still ugly... but it is the least ugly of all the choices...
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Tektites 09 May 2011, 11:56
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The best choice is C.

Get rid of fluff from the first word up to "but.."
You will see that chemical composition is to be compared.
To what cheimcal composition of a substance could be compared? Right, to chemical composition of other substance.
THAT is used to refer to chemical composition of other substance.

Thus, eliminate all answers, but E and C.
in E lava's logically refers to composition, but THAT has been already mentioned before, so this is why E is wrong.
Moreover the modifier in E "contaning .....? does not have a clear reference. (lava's?).

C is the best answer.



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