The Soviets thought that the Marshall Plan, the United

Question

The Soviets thought that the Marshall Plan, the United States’ blueprint for aiding and rebuilding war-torn countries in Europe  and subtle as a strategy to install capitalism and repel communism as well, represent  an insidious effort to implement the Truman Doctrine.

A) and subtle as a strategy to install capitalism and repel communism as well, represent
B) as well as a subtle strategy to install capitalism and repel communism, represented
C) and also a strategy of subtlety in installing capitalism and repelling communism were representing
D) a subtle strategy to install capitalism and repel communism and had been representative of
E) and in installing capitalism and repelling communism a subtle strategy too, represented

OA after some discussion.

Source:Grockit

daagh · Answer

We need simple past tense for the subordinate clause just as in the main clause. It should also be singular as the Marshall plan is singular. Therefore ‘ represented ’ is the verb to be used. Between B and E, though B, apparently tempting, falls out because, the second arm ‘to install capitalism and repel communisms not // with for aiding and rebuilding war-torn countries. Although E is as convoluted as it could be by virtue of the placement of the phrase ‘ a subtle strategy ’ at the fag end, it still is grammatically better than B

metallicafan · Answer

+1 B

Marshall Plan is singular. A and C out.
D doesn't complete the relative clause "that the Marshal plan". We need a verb, and possibly an object.
E is not parallel, and it changes the meaning. The plan is a blueprint and a strategy. E doesn't make sense.

vyassaptarashi · Answer

E for me .... seems parallel to me .... prepositions to prepositions...

Whats OA

gmatking800 · Answer

Seems B

Soviets thought that Plan, the U.S's 
blueprint for blah blah in Europe ------> 1 
as well as
subtle strategy to install blah blah---->2
, represent an blah blah

1 is parallel with 2

fluke · Answer

daagh, I am sure you wanted to convey something that I didn't get. I see it like this:

B) as well as a subtle strategy to install capitalism and repel communism, represented

The Soviets thought that the Marshall Plan, the United States’ 
 blueprint for  
>>>>>>>>>aiding AND
>>>>>>>>>rebuilding war-torn countries in Europe

AS WELL AS

a subtle strategy to  
>>>>>>>>>install capitalism AND
>>>>>>>>>repel communism
,represented an insidious effort to implement the Truman Doctrine.

This is making complete sense and is parallel too.

E) and in installing capitalism and repelling communism a subtle strategy too, represented

The Soviets thought that the Marshall Plan, the United States’ blueprint:
for aiding and rebuilding war-torn countries in Europe AND 
in installing capitalism and repelling communism a subtle strategy too, represented
an insidious effort to implement the Truman Doctrine.

Here, blueprint seem to have achieved both the tasks:
blueprint:
for aiding 
AND
in installed capitalism

Now, blueprint for something makes sense.
blueprint in something doesn't.

Ans: "B"
*******************************

daagh · Answer

@ fluke 
I said E is convoluted somewhat, so let me straighten it a bit. Read with the other parts, 
Original E): The Soviets thought that the Marshall Plan, the United States’ blueprint  for aiding and rebuilding  war-torn countries in Europe and in installing capitalism and repelling communism a subtle strategy too, represented an insidious effort to implement the Truman Doctrine
Flipped: The Soviets thought that the Marshall Plan, the United States’ blueprint for aiding and rebuilding war-torn countries in Europe and a subtle strategy too in installing capitalism and repelling communism, represented an insidious effort to implement the Truman Doctrine.
The amended version is what the text means, though the text twisted it a bit to befuddle readers. You may see the //ism now between  ‘a blue print for aiding and rebuilding’  and ‘ a subtle strategy too in installing capitalism and repelling communism’  
In B, ‘ for aiding and rebuilding’ , essentially prepositional phrases are not in rhyme with the Infinitives ‘ to install and to repel’.  
B looks more like a camouflaged pitfall to me, as I noted that it looks tempting. 
But the OA is B I believe. So I admit that my reasoning is too far extended

fluke · Answer

Got you!!! I didn't consider flipping. Now that it's flipped, it makes more sense indeed. thanks

The Soviets thought that the Marshall Plan, the United

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