Numerous studies have shown that the income levels of working adults

Question

Numerous studies have shown that the income levels of working adults who were students of average academic ability often surpass  the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities .

A. the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities

B. those of adults who had been exceptionally able students academically

C. those of adults who were students of exceptional academic ability

D. adults who were students of exceptional academic ability

E. the incomes of adults who had been students of exceptional academic ability

This question is part of the  GMAT Club Sentence Correction : Comparison" Revision Project.

souvik101990 · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

The original sentence correctly makes a comparison between the income levels of working adults who were average students and the income levels of students who were exceptional students. These two elements are logically parallel, and thus should be structurally parallel. However, this sentence is problematic in its use of the term "those adults," since the pronoun "those" is both unnecessary and not parallel in this context. Also, the phrase “of exceptional academic abilities” is not precisely parallel to the phrase “of average academic ability” in the non-underlined portion of the sentence. As this sentence makes a comparison, the two elements should be as parallel as possible.

(A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.

(B) This choice correctly uses "those" to refer to income levels, enabling a correctly framed comparison. However, it incorrectly uses the past perfect tense "had been," which is unjustified by the sentence and is not parallel to the simple past tense "were" used earlier to describe students of average academic ability. Finally, “exceptionally able students academically” is both unparallel and awkward.

(C) CORRECT. The pronoun "those" is correctly used to refer to income levels, enabling a properly drawn comparison. Additionally, the simple past tense verb "were" is parallel to the verb "were" in the non-underlined portion of the sentence.

(D) This choice incorrectly compares income level to adults, rather than the proper comparison between income levels and income levels.

(E) This choice incorrectly uses the past perfect tense “had been," which is unjustified and also not parallel to the non-underlined simple past tense verb "were."

yangsta8 · Answer

This is a parallel question. 
a) is wrong "were" not parallel to "were once"
b) "were" not parallel to "had been"
 c) Parallel. Correct answer. 
d) incorrect comparison of income levels to adults directly
e) income levels incorrectly compared to incomes, in addition "were" not parallel to "who had been".

GMAT TIGER · Answer

A and C are close to each other as BDE are easily ruled out.

B: Wrong structure: had been ... able students academically?
D: Wrong comparision:  the income levels of working adults ........ often surpass  adults ?
E: Wrong tense: "working adults who were students of average academic ability" often surpass "...........audlts who had been students of exceptional academic ability"?

Numerous studies have shown that the income levels of working adults who were students of average academic ability often surpass  the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities .
 
A: Wrong comparision and redundant: "the income levels" is repetition and can be replaced by "those". 
Also wrong use of "those" - who are those? Unclear.

C: Correct usage and comparision: "those" is correctly used to refer to "the income levels". 
"the income levels of working adults" is compared with "the income level (those) of adults".

C is best..
Initially considered A but found C much clearer and concise.

321kumarsushant · Answer

A. the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic  abilities

B. those of adults who had been exceptionally able students  academically

C. those of adults who were students of exceptional academic ability - correct

D.  adults  who were students of exceptional academic ability - wrong comparison

E. the incomes of adults who  had been  students of exceptional academic ability - wrong

OA - C

chetan2u · Answer

Numerous studies have shown that the income levels of working adults who were students of average academic ability often surpass  the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities .

A. the income levels of those adults who were  once  students of exceptional academic abilities..
 once is redundant.. does not follow parallelism 
B. those of adults who  had been   exceptionally able students academically 
 no requirement of had been and structure of the sentence not proper

C. those of adults who were students of exceptional academic ability
 correct as it is

D. adults who were students of exceptional academic ability
 wrong comparisons

E. the incomes of adults who had been students of exceptional academic ability
 had been not required

Skywalker18 · Answer

Numerous studies have shown that the income levels of working adults who were students of average academic ability often surpass  the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities .
A. the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities – the two groups are not structurally parallel; usage of once is redundant 
B. those of adults who had been exceptionally able students academically – parallelism issue ; usage of past perfect had been is incorrect
C. those of adults who were students of exceptional academic ability - Correct
D. adults who were students of exceptional academic ability – illogical comparison 
E. the incomes of adults who had been students of exceptional academic ability -usage of past perfect had been is incorrect
Answer C

naturalimproviser · Answer

The question compares " the income levels ".

A. the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities. -  The use of "once" is extra and "abilities" are being compared to "ability". -  Incorrect

B. those of adults who had been exceptionally able students academically -  Correct comparison but the phrase "exceptionally able" incorrectly modifies students. -  Incorrect

C. those of adults who were students of exceptional academic ability -   Correct  Comparison

D. adults who were students of exceptional academic ability -  Income levels being compared to adults. -  Incorrect

E. the incomes of adults who had been students of exceptional academic ability -  Income levels being compared to "incomes" -  Incorrect

TarunKumar1234 · Answer

Numerous studies have shown that the income levels of working adults who were students of average academic ability often surpass the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities.

A. the income levels of those adults who were once students of exceptional academic abilities..
once is redundant.. does not follow parallelism
B. those of adults who had been exceptionally able students academically
no requirement of had been and structure of the sentence not proper

C. those of adults who were students of exceptional academic ability
correct as it is

D. adults who were students of exceptional academic ability
wrong comparisons

E. the incomes of adults who had been students of exceptional academic ability
had been not required

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

Numerous studies have shown that the income levels of working adults

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

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

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Numerous studies have shown that the income levels of working adults

Prep Toolkit

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

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards