Experiments designed to further our understanding of

Question

Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to "ball lightning" as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.

A. Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to "ball lightning" as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived

B. Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to "ball lightning" as they are to normal lightning

C. Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, "ball lightning" cannot be studied by the same experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning as normal lightning

D. Because "ball lightning" is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to it as they are to normal lightning

E. "Ball lightning" is not subject to experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning in the same way as normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived

crashVcrush · Answer

Experiments  designed to further our understanding of lightning  are not as applicable to "ball lightning" as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.

Thus the rduced stem :

EXPERIMENTS are not as applicable to Ball lighting as THEY are to Normal lighting, because IT is ...................

So THEY has a clear referrent = Experiments ,

But what does IT refer back to? ( Understanding the intent of the sentence gives the clue that IT should refer back to Ball Lighting ) ........... but the way IT has been placed creates ambiguity = Experiments or Ball lighting or Normal Lighting ( not clear )

Scanning of options :

A : wrong for IT ambiguity = Eliminated

B : IT (Sing) seems to wrongly modify / pounce on Experiments (plural) = Eliminated

C : Ball lighting cannot be studied by the same experiments as Normal lighting = Changes the meaning ( we don't know whether it can be studied or not = the case is of application ) = Eliminated

E : IT ambiguity apart from ..subject to experiments in the same way.......... = Eliminated

Left with D : because BL is so x, Y and Z.............., Experiments are not appliacble to IT (BL) as they are to NL = Perfect , clears the maze wrt ambiguity 7 has a logical flow.

Leading to D = my take

simplyanuj · Answer

I will go with D here.

A)Use of it is ambiguos as its antecedant is not clear

B)Modifier error-Wrongly modifying experiments instead of lightning
Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed

C)Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, “ball lightning” cannot be studied by the same experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning as normal lightning. is awkward so it is out as well

D) Correct

E) Use of it is ambiguos plus there Comparison error as well
Ball lightning” is not subject to experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning in the same way as normal lightning,because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.

Thanks
AK
Dont forget to give Kudos if explanation makes sense to you :-D

hamdam · Answer

A ambiguous - incorrect
B 1st clause incorrectly modifying "experiments" .. - Incorrect
C incorrectly suggests - experiments studied ball lightning .. & ... understanding = normal lightning 
E wordy - awkward incorrect

D

meghaswaroop · Answer

IMO D,

Question Stem : Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to “ball lightning” as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.

Meaning of Author : Experiments designed blah blah are not as applicable to "ball lightning" as they are to normal lightning.
Because ball lightening is something blah blah blah.

Option A : because  it  is so rare ... , " It " dosen't have any clear antecedent. So, Incorrect.
Option B : because it is so rare... modifies experiments instead of "ball lightening" . So, Incorrect.
Option C : because it is so rare..correctly modifies "ball lightening" but ".... further our understanding of lightning as normal lightning ." distorts the actual intended meaning.
Option D:  Correct Answer  . The meaning is clear and it says "Because "ball xxx" is blah blah, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not  as applicable  to it  as  they are to normal lightning". Correct usage of Idion "as applicable..as".
Option E: Unclear usage of "it". " “Ball lightning” is not subject to experiments...." is wordy.

Regards,
Swaroop

Sasindran · Answer

A- The pronoun "it” is not having a proper antecedent-OUT
B- the Modifier that starts with "Because" modifies Experiments wrongly-OUT
C- No antecedent for "it”-OUT
D- keep this. No error.
E- again unclear antecedent for "it"-OUT

Hence D

gmatexam439 · Answer

Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to "ball lightning" as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.

A. Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to "ball lightning" as they are to normal lightning, because  it  is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived - no antecedent for "it" 
B. Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to "ball lightning" as they are to normal lightning - Incorrect modifier 
C. Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, "ball lightning" cannot be studied by the same experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning as normal lightning - lighting as normal is incorrect 
D. Because "ball lightning" is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to it as they are to normal lightning - CORRECT 
E. "Ball lightning" is not subject to experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning in the same way as normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived - no antecedent for "it"

DharLog · Answer

Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to “ball lightning” as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived.

A. Experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to “ball lightning” as they are to normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived. 
 "it" - is not clear here ---> out 
B. Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to “ball lightning” as they are to normal lightning. 
 Sounds like experiments are rare and in this case SV agreement ---> out 
C. Because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, “ball lightning” cannot be studied by the same experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning as normal lightning. 
 The end of the sentence does not make sense 
D. Because “ball lightning” is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived, experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning are not as applicable to it as they are to normal lightning. 
 Good 
E. “Ball lightning” is not subject to experiments designed to further our understanding of lightning in the same way as normal lightning, because it is so rare, unpredictable, and short-lived. 
 The whole second half does not make sense ---> out

apovit · Answer

I think this question is a classic example of "making a sentence tough" by using modifiers. Because when i first read it and found the error, it took me a lot of time to find out the correct pronoun usage among all the options,but when i just hide the modifier, it takes very less time to find the correct pronoun usage in the options.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Experiments designed to further our understanding of

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