While spark ignitions start the combustion in gasoline engines, typica

Question

While spark ignitions start the combustion in gasoline engines, typical in automobiles, high compression of gases, with high temperatures, are igniting the combustion in diesel engines.

(A) high compression of gases, with high temperatures, are igniting the combustion in diesel engines

(B) the high temperatures made by high compression of gases, igniting the fuel in diesel engines

(C) diesel engines highly compress the gasses, and this high compression ignites the combustion of the fuel in the engine

(D) high compression of gases, producing high temperatures, ignite the combustion in diesel engines

(E) it is the high compression of gases, causing high temperatures, that ignites the fuel in diesel engines

For the OE, see:
GMAT Grammar: “On a White Bus” with Subordinate Conjunctions

Mike :-)

Show Answer

Official Answer

E

AkshdeepS · Accepted Answer

(A)high compression  of gases,  with  high temperatures,  are igniting  the combustion in diesel engines

SV-agreement issue. Also "igniting the combustion" is wrong. "with high temperatures" is also wrong here.
  
(B) the high temperatures made by high compression of gases, igniting the fuel in diesel engines

No verb for subject "The high temperature".

(C)  diesel engines highly compress the gasses , and this high compression ignites the combustion of the fuel in the engine

Change in the meaning and also " ignites the combustion" is wrong.

(D)  high compression  of gases, producing high temperatures,  ignite the combustion  in diesel engines

" ignites the combustion" is wrong. Also SV agreement issue.

(E) it is the high compression of gases, causing high temperatures, that ignites the fuel in diesel engines

sevenplusplus · Answer

Thanks for detailed explanation in the referred link.
The only challenge I see in E is that it assumes that the reader knows:
combustion = igniting the fuel
and that the above "does not change the meaning".

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear sevenplusplus , Thank you for your feedback, my friend. :-)

I point out that (A) says " igniting the combustion " and (E) says " ignites the fuel ." Basically, folks need to know that " to ignite " means " to set on fire, to start a fire ," and that " combustion " is " fire "--those are basic English vocabulary terms. They also need to know the factual information that what burns in a car engine, what is set on fire, is fuel: I would take that as basic factual knowledge about the world that people need to have. Therefore, I don't believe anyone with requisite GMAT skills can argue that there's a change in meaning here. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

Nightmare007 · Answer

Between D and E. I find D is having a subject verb agreement error.

D -  high compression  of gases, producing high temperatures,  ignite  the combustion in diesel engines.

Though E seems a bit wordy. It is grammatically right and aptly expressing the intended meaning.

Hence, Answer should be E.

hellosanthosh2k2 · Answer

Hi Mike,

Please evaluate my reasoning for this question.

While spark ignitions start the combustion in gasoline engines, typical in automobiles, high compression of gases, with high temperatures, are igniting the combustion in diesel engines.

(A)  high compression of gases , with high temperatures,  are  igniting the combustion in diesel engines.
  WRONG - 1. incorrect to use present progressive
 2. subject verb agreement as boldfaced

(B) the high temperatures made by high compression of gases, igniting the fuel in diesel engines

WRONG - missing verb error,  igniting  is participle

(C) diesel engines highly compress the gasses, and this high compression ignites the combustion of the fuel in the engine

WRONG - awkward construction, also change in meaning -> diesel engines compress the gas.

(D)  high compression of gases , producing high temperatures,  ignite  the combustion in diesel engines

WRONG - Subject verb error - as highlighted by bold face

(E) it is the high compression of gases, causing high temperatures, that ignites the fuel in diesel engines

CORRECT - corrects subject - verb error as other options have, also gives correct meaning.

Thanks

ajtmatch · Answer

in option E, how can 'that' - a restrictive modifier - be preceded by a comma?

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

(E) it is the high compression of gases, causing high temperatures, that ignites the fuel in diesel engines

A restrictive relative clause can be preceded by a comma when the comma is associated with something other than the restrictive relative clause.

Consider the following example:

I saw a dog, a spotted one, that seemed lost.

Notice, the comma before the restrictive relative clause, "that seemed lost" is not associated with the use of the clause but rather with the use of the appositive "a spotted one."

If we remove the appositive, we will remove the commas as well.

I saw a dog that seemed lost.

So, the comma before "that" in choice (E) is associated with the modifier that precedes "that."

Mpuneet · Answer

A – Subject Verb disagreement and wrong tense
B – Wrong verb form for ‘igniting’, should be ‘ignites’
C – This implies that the diesel engine is compressing the gasses, which is wrong.
D –Subject verb disagreement
Thus, E is the correct option

ravigupta2912 · Answer

(A) high compression of gases, with high temperatures, are igniting the combustion in diesel engines -- "high temperature" is an outcome of "high compression of gases". The construction here makes these two parallel elements in the list and change the meaning. Eliminate.

(B) the high temperatures made by high compression of gases, igniting the fuel in diesel engines -- Incorrect. "Igniting" acts as a gerund here, therefore, the subject "high temp made..gases" does not have a verb anymore. Fragment.

(C) diesel engines highly compress the gasses, and this high compression ignites the combustion of the fuel in the engine -- "ignites the combustion of fuel". This choice is rather clunky and wordy. Also illogical comparison. "while X starts combustion in gasoline engines, Y does it in diesel engine". In this, the contrast is not brought about in a perfect manner.

(D) high compression of gases, producing high temperatures, ignite the combustion in diesel engines -- Incorrect. SV error. "ignite" (plural verb) for "high compression" (singular noun).

(E) it is the high compression of gases, causing high temperatures, that ignites the fuel in diesel engines -- Correct. No problem here.

VerbalBot · Answer

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While spark ignitions start the combustion in gasoline engines, typica

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While spark ignitions start the combustion in gasoline engines, typica

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