Many computer databases impose formatting requirements, such

Question

Many computer databases impose formatting requirements, such as minimum numbers of capital letters or numerals, on users’ passwords in an attempt to enhance security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are more likely to select the simplest possible password that conforms to all the rules.

A. security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are

B.security; these measures, ironically, often result in users creating passwords that are easier to guess and

C.security – ironic measures that often cause passwords to be easier to guess because they are

D.security – measures that, ironically, often make passwords that are easier to guess, with users

E.security – often, ironically, making the passwords easier to guess and making users

daagh · Answer

One thing to note here is the obvious cause and effect extant between ease of guessing the passwords and the reasons for the same. The resultant choice should echo this sentiment. Any choice that is oblivious of the cause and effect is way off;
 
A. security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are ----  the 'cause and effect' is well expressed. Correct choice. 
 
B.security; these measures, ironically, often result in users creating passwords that are easier to guess and ---  showing the cause of the easier guessing as if it is an independent factor by using g the coordinate conjunction  and  is wrong.

C. security – ironic measures that often cause passwords to be easier to guess because they are ---  cause and effect are ok but the pronoun – they - refers to either measures or passwords is illogical, an illogical reference

D. security – measures that, ironically, often make passwords that are easier to guess, with users ----  the cause and effect missing 
 
E. security – often, ironically, making the passwords easier to guess and making users ---- c ause and effect missing; also the modifiers - making the passwords and making easier - are modifying the data bases or the formatting requirements, a drastic change of meaning

crashVcrush · Answer

Many computer databases impose formatting requirements, such as minimum numbers of capital letters or numerals, on users’ passwords in an attempt to enhance security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are more likely to select the simplest possible password that conforms to all the rules.

Going through the rduced stem conveys the meaning : Some measures are imposed on passwords = these measures ironically help to guess passwords easily as users do ...........................

By POE :

B : ................... users CREATING......................AND.........................users TO SELECT = Break parallelism = Eliminated

C : ............ because THEY................. = No clear referrent of THEY, Further Passwords to be easier to guess ( not a valid construction) = Eliminated

D :............. THAT make passwords THAT are easier to guess ( THAT is double hatting ) = Eliminated

E :............ Making incorrectly modifies the preceeding clause ( Guess the security measures doesn't help in making passwords easier to guess, it is users who do something that leads to easier guessing ) = Eliminated
Furthermore ........... Making THE passwords ................... AND.................. making users ( the omission of THE breaks parallelism, though this shouldn't be a marker to eliminate )

Leading to A

Injuin · Answer

What's the difference between using ";" and "--"?

Breezy1122 · Answer

The difference between a semi-colon and a dash, as far as I know, is that the dash is more of a multipurpose grammar tool. A dash can be used in place of a comma, colon, or semi-colon. A semi-colon is more specific, and it separates two independent clauses in the same sentence without a conjunction.

ankit0411 · Answer

A. security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are - perfect meaning and clarity with a semi colon .

B.security; these measures, ironically, often result in users creating passwords that are easier to guess and - not parallel + misplaced ironically

C.security – ironic measures that often cause passwords to be easier to guess because they are - "they" - pronoun ambiguity

D.security – measures that, ironically, often make passwords that are easier to guess, with users - with users - wrong

E.security – often, ironically, making the passwords easier to guess and making users- "often" + making - not required

manimgoindown · Answer

Many computer databases impose formatting requirements, such as minimum numbers of capital letters or numerals, on users’ passwords in an attempt to enhance security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are more likely to select the simplest possible password that conforms to all the rules.

security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are
 security; these measures, ironically, often result in users creating passwords that are easier to guess and
 security – ironic measures that often cause passwords to be easier to guess because they are
 security – measures that, ironically, often make passwords that are easier to guess, with users
 security – often, ironically, making the passwords easier to guess and making users

I know the right answer to this, but could someone please explain the useage of 'as' in this?

What new information I realize about the usage of 'as' from this is that before and after as doesn't have to be parallel in terms of the verbs used but simply from the grammatical structure of the two clauses and tenses within used. Am I correct in this deduction?

sdas · Answer

Correct Answer is A

Please carefully understand the meaning and the sequence of the statement. 
All other choices are distorting the intended meaning completely.

Choice B - these measures dont result in .......
Choice C - these measures are not ironic
Choice D - measures that, ironically, often make passwords that are easier to guess, with users (these measures dont ironically often make passwords/as intended they make the passwords easier to guess)
Choice E - uses present participle "making"

Not very clear on your specific question, if you can please re phrase

Vercules · Answer

Hi manimgoindowndown,

Many computer databases impose formatting requirements, such as minimum numbers of capital letters or numerals, on users’ passwords in an attempt to enhance security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are more likely to select the simplest possible password that conforms to all the rules.

(A) security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are

In this sentence "as" is used as a replacement of "because". In other words "as" is used for causation; other usages of "as" could be in comparisons ( The apples are as sweet as oranges are. ) , in expressing duration ( As he picked up the stick, he heard his mother screaming )  and as a preposition ( As the CEO of the company, you are responsible for all the layoffs ).

Consider the following example:

I am going to bed, as I am tired from a hectic meeting at work.

The sentence is similar to the below one, with "as" replaced with "because"

I am going to bed because I am tired from a hectic meeting at work.

In this case you do not have to look for parallelism because "as" is not comparing anything. If "as" is used for comparison then the compared structures should be logically and grammatically parallel.

Hope this helps,

Vercules

jgnorero · Answer

Hi,

I eliminated A and B, considering the use of semi-colon. For me the second clause, the semi-colon is separating, is not an independent clause. 
What's wrong with that logic?
Best Regards

LoneSurvivor · Answer

+1 for A. Very Interesting question.

Many computer databases impose formatting requirements, such as minimum numbers of capital letters or numerals, on users’ passwords in an attempt to enhance security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are more likely to select the simplest possible password that conforms to all the rules.

A.  security; ironically, these measures often make the passwords easier to guess, as users are.

B.security; these measures, ironically, often result in users creating passwords that are easier to guess  and  (Doesn't not establish the cause and Effect relationship )

C.security –  ironic measures  that often cause passwords to be easier to guess because they are (Measures are not ironic)

D.security – measures that, ironically, often make passwords that are easier to guess,  with users  (Same as B)

E.security – often, ironically, making the passwords easier to guess and making  users  (Same as B)

Adambhau · Answer

This sentence describes an ironic result of certain password security measures: in systems with such requirements, people generally create passwords that are much more predictable, and thus easier for intruders to guess, than in systems with no such restrictions on password formation. The sentence should correctly express the irony of the situation, and should also correctly indicate the sequence of causation: users create simpler passwords because of the security measures, and so the passwords are easier to guess because they are simpler.

(A) CORRECT. In this sentence, the word ironically is correctly placed in front of the actual irony (namely, that the resulting passwords are easier to guess). The transition as properly introduces an explanation for why the passwords are easier to guess.

(B) The construction result in users… illogically suggests that the result of the password security measures is the users themselves, rather than the users’ resultant actions. In addition, the parallelism of easier to guess and more likely… implies that both of these descriptions apply to the passwords—illogically suggesting that the passwords are able to choose themselves.

(C) The construction ironic measures is illogical: what is ironic is not the measures themselves, but users’ reaction to them. In addition, the pronoun they is clearly intended to refer to the users, but the noun users is not actually present.

(D) The construction measures that … often make passwords illogically suggests that the passwords are created (perhaps automatically) by the security measures themselves, rather than by system users in response to those measures.

(E) The construction making the passwords easier to guess and making users more likely… illogically suggests that these are two separate and independent effects of the security measures. The sentence does not properly convey the idea that the passwords are easier to guess because of the way in which users select them.

The correct answer is A.

thorats96 · Answer

Hi, I have same query, can anyone please explain ?

YuktiMaheshwari · Answer

A-correct
B -parallelism issue
C - they - not clear
D & E - meaning issue

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Many computer databases impose formatting requirements, such

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Many computer databases impose formatting requirements, such

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