The ability of scientists to provide models of the

Question

The ability of scientists to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions, have become ever more accurate. 

A..
B. The ability of scientists has become ever more accurate in providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, such as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

C. Scientists have become able to provide ever more accurate models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

D. Scientists have become ever more accurate in their ability for providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

E. Scientists' ability to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions have become ever more accurate.

Please point out the errors in the incorrect answers if you recognize them. I used POE, but had a hard time finding the actual error and went by my ear....which is why I got it wrong :wink:

haas_mba07 · Answer

A is wrong because "..ability... have" sh'd be "...ability ...has"

B. Correct.

C. Wrong as "... have become able ..." says nothing about improving ability to model. Its as if they got up one day and have become able to do something better.

D. Wrong ... "ability for providing..." is not correct.

E. Wrong .. . "...ability .. have" again.

This took some thought for me... OA?

buckkitty · Answer

I'll wait on OA to see if more people want to answer.

I think the main thing this SC is testing is the convuluted construction of the idiom "ability...to"

For me, that ruled out B and D

A uses "like" when it should use "such as"...."Such as seasonal and daily cycles..." OUT

That leaves C and E????

Thoughts???

haas_mba07 · Answer

IF B is wrong and I need to choose between C/E .. I think I would go for C.

As for my answer, I would be interested in getting the analysis on this answer. I'll pick up a couple of things...

gmatmba · Answer

A and D - incorrect for using  like , we need to use  such as  to indicate examples. "seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions" are examples of changing conditions.

C - Looks ok

E - "such changing conditions as seasonal" ... shouldn't this be 'changing conditions such as'..

B - I dont know if the Scientists have become more accurate, or their ability has become more accurate.

E - "Scientists' ability ... have become.." dont sync - incorrect

buzzgaurav · Answer

Picking E.
I was torn between C and E.
In C, ' have become able ' looks awkward.
While in E, ' such changing conditions as ' is also not the best construction.

ps_dahiya · Answer

The ability of scientists to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions, have become ever more accurate. 

A..
 
Like is wrong. "Such as" would be better. Also "The ability of scientists" has not become something. Its the "Scientists" that have becom eable to do something. 

B. The ability of scientists has become ever more accurate in providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, such as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

 "The ability of scientists" has not become something. Its the "Scientists" that have becom eable to do something. 

C. Scientists have become able to provide ever more accurate models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

 Correct for proper placement of words and use of "such as" 

D. Scientists have become ever more accurate in their ability for providing models of the atmosphere's complex responses to changing conditions, like seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions.

 Too wordy because of "in their ability for providing" 

E. Scientists' ability to provide models of the atmosphere's complex responses to such changing conditions as seasonal and daily cycles or different planetary conjunctions have become ever more accurate.

 Same as B. "Scientists' ability" has not become something. Its the "Scientists" that have become able to do something.

jaynayak · Answer

Will go wtih C.
Picked D first but noticed the idiom problem and had to analyse the problem.

Problem with other options

A. use of like and "ability has" not "ability have"
B. unidomatic ability of 
D. unidomatic ability for
E. Scientists ability has become not have become.

selene · Answer

^ C ^

Scientists' ability cannot become more accurate. A, B and E are out. Also in A and E we have "have" for singular subject "ability".

So, we are left with C and D:

Again in D, scientist are "more accurate in their ability". This is awkward and we should prefer "such as" when giving examples over "like". Thus, we are left with C.

buckkitty · Answer

GREAT explanations guys!! OA is C. This one completely confused me. I thought it was pretty tricky especially as my concentration was waning. 

Good point to those who mentioned that scientist's ABILITY cannot become more accurate, rather Scientists themselves are becoming more accurate.

The ability of scientists to provide models of the

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