Polio

[anthonymok930]

Hi, this is a GMATPrep question from the software.

Polio, although it is eradicated in the United States, it continues elsewhere and is able to be brought into the country by visitors.

(A) Polio, although it is eradicated in the United States, it continues elsewhere and is able to be
(B) Polio, although eradicated in the United States, it still continues elsewhere and can be
(C) Although still continuing elsewhere, polio has been eradicated in the United States and could be
(D) Although having been eradicated in the United States, polio still continues elsewhere and is capable of being
(E) Although eradicated in the United States, polio continues elsewhere and could be

The correct answer is E. Can someone please explain to me what is wrong with C? Thanks in advance.

[gauravkapoor08]

It is related to tenses.

In this case simple present tense will be preferred over the 'ing' form (still continuing vs continues). C option says that Polio is going on while we are reading --- it should be simple present actually.

Best,
Gaurav

[mikrodj]

I agree with gauravkapoor08

In addition, i believe that although always requires a clause, not 100% sure, can someone confirm?

another problem is that the verb tense "has been eradicated" is also wrong. It should be past tense.

[RonPurewal]

nah, the tenses are ok. it's the way in which connecting conjunctions are used.

specifically:

* you should use AND to join the statements whose meanings ARE SIMILAR or REINFORCE EACH OTHER.

* you should use ALTHOUGH to set off a CONTRASTING statement.

the two statements that GO TOGETHER are:
* polio continues
* it could be brought into the U.S. by visitors

the CONTRASTING statement is:
* it has been eradicated in the U.S.

(c) makes no sense, because "although" is put in front of something that doesn't completely contrast with the following clause, and "and" is used to connect two elements that DO contrast.

(e) uses the connectors properly.

[290275981]

why is B incorrect？

[gauravkapoor08]

B is incorrect. If you read this sentence after deleting the words betwen the two commas, then it should make proper sense. Here it reads "Polio it still continues elsewhere and can be". Polio it is incorrect.

Also, the word "still" is redundant.

Hope this makes sense.

[chitrangada.maitra]

Although the official explanation does not say anything about it, I find the use of the pronoun 'it' the modifier in option A of this question unnecessary.

option A> Polio, although it is eradicated in the united states, it continues elsewhere and is able to be

I wonder if this can also be attached to the long list of reasons of why A is incorrect

[RonPurewal]

B is incorrect. If you read this sentence after deleting the words betwen the two commas, then it should make proper sense. Here it reads "Polio it still continues elsewhere and can be". Polio it is incorrect.

yes.
(this also rules out (a).)

Also, the word "still" is redundant.

maybe, but probably yes.
if the sentence had said "still exists", though, that would definitely not be redundant.
with "still + continues", though, i think you're right here.

[morningdew123]

Hi Ron..

Let me know if my reasoning is correct:

A) Polio, although it is eradicated in the United States, it continues elsewhere and is able to be- "is able to be" implies polio itself can come.

(D) Although having been eradicated in the United States, polio still continues elsewhere and is capable of being - "is capable of being" implies polio itself is capable of coming to the country.

[RonPurewal]

A) Polio, although it is eradicated in the United States, it continues elsewhere and is able to be- "is able to be" implies polio itself can come.

more importantly, this isn't a sentence.
if you eliminate the modifier that is included between the commas, you get:
Polio, it continues elsewhere ...
this isn't correct usage; it's like having a sentence with two subjects.
i have no idea what this construction is actually called, but you should recognize it as incorrect; i've seen it in a couple of different official problems.
here are a couple more examples of the same incorrect construction:
my brother, he is a consultant. (wrong)
The Estadio Atanasio Girardot, it is where two major teams of Medellin play their home games. (wrong)

(D) Although having been eradicated in the United States, polio still continues elsewhere and is capable of being - "is capable of being" implies polio itself is capable of coming to the country.

"still continues" is a redundant construction; that's a clear error.
i believe that what you have pointed out here is correct, though. i'm not 100% sure -- i'd have to see a few more examples to be that confident -- but i'm fairly sure.

i also don't like "although having been eradicated..." i can't put my finger on exactly why, but this modifier seems to give the sense that the disease has been eradicated in the past on a couple of different occasions but keeps returning.
by contrast, "although eradicated" (from the correct answer) gives the definite sense that the disease has been eradicated permanently.

[ankitp]

Ron - I have a question for you regarding answer E.

"Although eradicated in the United states, Polio continues elsewhere and could be "

I thought after Although must be a clause, but "eradicated in the United States is just a phrase. Doesn't it require a subject and verb,
i.e Although polio is eradicated in the United Sates"

If anyone else can help too.

[RonPurewal]

Ron - I have a question for you regarding answer E.

"Although eradicated in the United states, Polio continues elsewhere and could be "

I thought after Although must be a clause, but "eradicated in the United States is just a phrase. Doesn't it require a subject and verb,
i.e Although polio is eradicated in the United Sates"

If anyone else can help too.

nope -- if it's attached directly to a subject, an "although" modifier can contain just an adjective, or a thing that acts as an adjective (such as the past participle "eradicated" in this problem).

e.g.,
Although exhausted, Jim managed to keep himself awake for the duration of his three-hour drive home.
or
Jim, although exhausted, managed to keep himself awake for the duration of his three-hour drive home.
both correct

[ankitp]

Thanks Ron, awesome understandable advice as usual.

Thank you.

[RonPurewal]

Thanks Ron, awesome understandable advice as usual.

Thank you.

sure thing

[george.kourdin]

is it correst to eluminate answers choices that use the <still continue(s)> construction because it's redundant/akward? if something continues to occur, it is by definition on-going, and the word still does not seem to be necessary because it re-emphasizes an the fact that it is an on-going process. it's not like the phrase is blah blah something still happens (still is necessary here and changes the meaning of the sentence, correct or am i off?).

thank you