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ash82
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Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly 19 Nov 2006, 09:20
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Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

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Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly expanded agricultural productivity in many parts of the world, an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers may accelerate soil structure deterioration and soil erosion.

(a) an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers

(b) an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems like water pollution, and if substituted for more traditional fertilizers, it

(c) if these fertilizers are used increasingly, they can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and if used as substitutions for more traditional fertilizers, they

(d) the increased usage of these fertilizers can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, while if substituted for more traditional fertilizers, this substitution

(e) the increased usage of these fertilizers can create serious environmental problems like water pollution, while their substitution for more traditional fertilizers

OA to follow. Source GMATPrep

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dwivedys
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Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly 19 Nov 2006, 09:25
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Between A and C, I choose A for correct pronoun usage.
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ak_idc
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Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly 19 Nov 2006, 10:27
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ash82
Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly expanded agricultural productivity in many parts of the world, an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers may accelerate soil structure deterioration and soil erosion.

(a) an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers

(b) an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems like water pollution, and if substituted for more traditional fertilizers, it

(c) if these fertilizers are used increasingly, they can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and if used as substitutions for more traditional fertilizers, they

(d) the increased usage of these fertilizers can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, while if substituted for more traditional fertilizers, this substitution

(e) the increased usage of these fertilizers can create serious environmental problems like water pollution, while their substitution for more traditional fertilizers

OA to follow. Source GMATPrep
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I think D is the answer. The highlighted text seems to be parallel.

E has pronoun reference problem. "their" can refer to problems and fertilizers. A also has the same problem..I guess. :wink:
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Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly 19 Nov 2006, 11:16
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ak_idc
ash82
Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly expanded agricultural productivity in many parts of the world, an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers may accelerate soil structure deterioration and soil erosion.

(a) an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers

(b) an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems like water pollution, and if substituted for more traditional fertilizers, it

(c) if these fertilizers are used increasingly, they can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and if used as substitutions for more traditional fertilizers, they

(d) the increased usage of these fertilizers can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, while if substituted for more traditional fertilizers, this substitution

(e) the increased usage of these fertilizers can create serious environmental problems like water pollution, while their substitution for more traditional fertilizers

OA to follow. Source GMATPrep

I think D is the answer. The highlighted text seems to be parallel.

E has pronoun reference problem. "their" can refer to problems and fertilizers. A also has the same problem..I guess. :wink:
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AK, I am gonna have to differ from you here..

There are two problems in D as I see it..

The usage of "while" suggests a contrast whereas while is traditionally used to imply TIME -- and is used typically as an adverb - They played while he studied.

Sometimes while can also be used as a conjunction - You go boil the water while I peel the potatoes - but again the sense involves TIME.

So that's one problem with D.

Second - look at the highlighted elements below - aside from being parallel, they also bring about the whole meaning of the sentence quite clearly -

Whereas the

USE <OF SOMETHING>HAS DONE SOMETHING,

AN INCREASE IN (THEIR) USE CAN <DO SOMETHING ELSE>

AND

THEIR SUBSTITUTION (FOR YET SOMETHING ELSE) CAN <DO YET SOMETHING ELSE>

Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly expanded agricultural productivity in many parts of the world, an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers may accelerate soil structure deterioration and soil erosion.

I may be wrong, but that's the reasoning I used.
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Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly 19 Nov 2006, 21:17
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dwivedys
ak_idc
ash82
Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly expanded agricultural productivity in many parts of the world, an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers may accelerate soil structure deterioration and soil erosion.

(a) an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers

(b) an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems like water pollution, and if substituted for more traditional fertilizers, it

(c) if these fertilizers are used increasingly, they can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and if used as substitutions for more traditional fertilizers, they

(d) the increased usage of these fertilizers can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, while if substituted for more traditional fertilizers, this substitution

(e) the increased usage of these fertilizers can create serious environmental problems like water pollution, while their substitution for more traditional fertilizers

OA to follow. Source GMATPrep

I think D is the answer. The highlighted text seems to be parallel.

E has pronoun reference problem. "their" can refer to problems and fertilizers. A also has the same problem..I guess. :wink:

AK, I am gonna have to differ from you here..

There are two problems in D as I see it..

The usage of "while" suggests a contrast whereas while is traditionally used to imply TIME -- and is used typically as an adverb - They played while he studied.

Sometimes while can also be used as a conjunction - You go boil the water while I peel the potatoes - but again the sense involves TIME.

So that's one problem with D.

Second - look at the highlighted elements below - aside from being parallel, they also bring about the whole meaning of the sentence quite clearly -

Whereas the

USE <OF SOMETHING>HAS DONE SOMETHING,

AN INCREASE IN (THEIR) USE CAN <DO SOMETHING ELSE>

AND

THEIR SUBSTITUTION (FOR YET SOMETHING ELSE) CAN <DO YET SOMETHING ELSE>

Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly expanded agricultural productivity in many parts of the world, an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers may accelerate soil structure deterioration and soil erosion.

I may be wrong, but that's the reasoning I used.
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I am convinced and agree with the explanation. The only thing that worried me about A was "their". Is there a possibility of it refering to problems?
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Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly 19 Nov 2006, 21:19
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- You need such-as, not like. So B and E out.
- present continuous (increasingly) in C is unnecessary. Also since whereas is already present in the begininng pf the sentence, the if is unecessary.
- while if substituted ---- , this substitution in D is wordy and akward.

Give me A!
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Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly Updated on: 20 Nov 2006, 21:04
Originally posted by ash82 on 20 Nov 2006, 20:49.
Last edited by ash82 on 20 Nov 2006, 21:04, edited 1 time in total.
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OA is A.... I got it right when I attempted this question in GMATPrep...

Here is my reasoning:


Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly expanded agricultural productivity in many parts of the world, an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution, and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers may accelerate soil structure deterioration and soil erosion.

Pay attention to the clause separated by comma, we should be able to remove or move it and sentence should still stand. so we have...

Whereas the use of synthetic fertilizers has greatly expanded agricultural productivity in many parts of the world and their substitution for more traditional fertilizers may accelerate soil structure deterioration and soil erosion, an increase in their use can create serious environmental problems such as water pollution

Now see the choices... except (A) all choices make it look like that 'use...' is substituted not fertilizers which is clearly wrong.

I am almost sure of this analysis. You never know I may be wrong also :)
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