The success of the program to eradicate smallpox

[SummerCourse]

Can someone please help explain why the answer C and not A?

Thank You.

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[RonPurewal]

There are 2 problems with A.
- Major problem is "THE other infections." THE is too definitive here, carrying the connotation of "every single one of the other infections."
* THE is also incompatible with "such as":
- Correct: I never read this book, but I read the other books on the shelf.
- Correct: I never read this book, but I read other books on the shelf, such as "Right Hand, Left Hand" and "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."
- Incorrect: I never read this book, but I read the other books on the shelf, such as "Right Hand, Left Hand" and "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."
- Minor problem is "what they had not..." vs. "something they had not..." The "what" construction is awfully strong, suggesting that this was THE ONE THING they hadn't thought possible.
* As an analogy, compare the meanings of "I want to do what I love for a living" and "I want to do something I love for a living." The first suggests that the speaker has one particular field in mind; the second doesn't.

[Guest]

B and E are bad because of "like"
I'm still unable to grasp the grammar rule that makes option C better than option A
Is it wrong to have the definitive "the other" while giving examples using "such as"

[Guest]

B and E are bad because of "like"
I'm still unable to grasp the grammar rule that makes option C better than option A
Is it wrong to have the definitive "the other" while giving examples using "such as"

What's the difference between these 2 statements?
- Correct: I never read this book, but I read other books on the shelf, such as "Right Hand, Left Hand" and "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."
- Incorrect: I never read this book, but I read other books on the shelf, such as "Right Hand, Left Hand" and "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."

[StaceyKoprince]

Right now? Nothing. :) Ron's so good at verbal that, even when he wants to type an error on purpose, he's phsyically incapable of doing so. Lol. I'll ask him to take a look to let you know whatever it was he intended to say.

My guess is that the incorrect sentence was supposed to read something like:
"I never read this book, but I read the other books on the shelf, such as "Right Hand, Left Hand" and "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."

Also, guys, please remember only to use screen shots when there is some diagram or formatting that would make it very difficult for you to type the question in. Otherwise, type the question in. Ron was nice enough to answer you anyway (I would've told you to write it out first!) - but, in future, please do follow this rule. Thanks.

[RonPurewal]

My guess is that the incorrect sentence was supposed to read something like:
"I never read this book, but I read the other books on the shelf, such as "Right Hand, Left Hand" and "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."

you guessed right.

i fixed the old post.

that's right - i never make mistakes. if you think i've made a mistake, then you've made a mistake by thinking that. ha!

[StaceyKoprince]

I'm still unable to grasp the grammar rule that makes option C better than option A
Is it wrong to have the definitive "the other" while giving examples using "such as"

Basically, yes. When you say "THE other" you imply one of two things: either certain other things (eg books) that you've previously specified (which we haven't in this case) or ALL other things of that type, which is also not what's going on here.

The implication here is that there are SOME other infections, and here are a few examples.

[rschunti]

In option "C", both words "considered" and "possible" are adjective? Here is the link from marriam online dictionary
a) Considered>>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/considered
b) possible>>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possible

So can we use two adjectives this way without comma? So I have following questions:-
1) What these both adjectives are modifying. Pls can you give some other example where similar construction is used?
2) Are they really functionning as adjectives?
2) What are the errors in other options?

[RonPurewal]

In option "C", both words "considered" and "possible" are adjective? Here is the link from marriam online dictionary
a) Considered>>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/considered
b) possible>>http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possible

So can we use two adjectives this way without comma? So I have following questions:-
1) What these both adjectives are modifying. Pls can you give some other example where similar construction is used?
2) Are they really functionning as adjectives?
2) What are the errors in other options?

ok, this image posting madness has gone on long enough.

let's make a deal: you post the TEXT of the question on this thread, and then we'll post a response. the whole image-posting thing is supposed to be reserved for problems that need image posting (like math problems with diagrams, which can't be rendered on the forum).

thanks.

[rschunti]

Hi Ron, Below is the text version posted as mentioned.

The success of the program to eradicate smallpox has stimulated experts to
pursue what they had not previously considered possible -- better control, if not eradication, of the other infections such as measles and yaws.

A. what they had not previously considered possible -- better control, if not eradication, of the other infections such as
B. what they had not previously considered a possibility -- better control, if not eradication, of such infections like
C. something they had not previously considered possible -- better control, if not eradication, of such infections as
D. something not considered a previous possibility -- better control and perhaps eradication, of other infections such as
E. the possibility of what they had not previously considered possible - better control and possibly eradication of infections like

[brian]

Thanks for posting the text -- definitely makes it easier and quicker for us to use.

As you asked, in Answer C, considered and possible are not servings as adjectives. Considered is part of the verb phrase "had not considered" where as possible can be considered as a verb modifier (think adverb.)

Hope that helps.

Thanks.

Brian Lange

[enginpasa1]

I can see what is wrong with answer A. But I am stuck on the differences between such as. SHouldn't it have a huge play in what is considered right and wrong?

[RonPurewal]

I can see what is wrong with answer A. But I am stuck on the differences between such as. SHouldn't it have a huge play in what is considered right and wrong?

not really sure what you're asking.

if you're referring to the difference between 'such as' and 'like', then of course we should mind that difference. it's very black-and-white: 'such as' introduces examples, while 'like' refers to actual similarity. (in almost all examples in which the two are conflated, 'such as' is correct, so, if you're in doubt, go with 'such as'.)

if you're referring to the distinction between 'X such as Y' and 'such X as Y', that distinction is largely illusory; both forms are considered correct, and there is little, if any, difference in usage between them.

[Guest]

hey dear tutors, I finally can't help posting a reply here, though I previous only read your responses and those well covered all my concerns. My only concern with this one is that, in answer C, 'that' is missed between 'something' and 'they'. I believe the clause beginning with 'they' is an attributive one, which modifies 'something'. Until GMAT came to my life, I had always believed that it didn't matter to omit 'that ' or not in this case. But GMAT has seemed to particularly emphasize the correctiveness of having it. Can you help clarify this point?

[RonPurewal]

hey dear tutors, I finally can't help posting a reply here, though I previous only read your responses and those well covered all my concerns. My only concern with this one is that, in answer C, 'that' is missed between 'something' and 'they'. I believe the clause beginning with 'they' is an attributive one, which modifies 'something'. Until GMAT came to my life, I had always believed that it didn't matter to omit 'that ' or not in this case. But GMAT has seemed to particularly emphasize the correctiveness of having it. Can you help clarify this point?

actually, no, i can't clarify the point any further; you've done an excellent job of dissecting the issue. the only response i can really give is this:
you have just learned that this construction is ok on the gmat.

think of this like one of those times when you were a kid, and you thought your parents had an ironclad rule X, and then one day you discovered that they really didn't enforce X all the time. (we all had moments like this, no matter how much of disciplinarians our parents were) from then on, you (probably) conducted yourself differently because of your newfound knowledge that X wasn't really a rule after all.

same deal here: this is an official problem, so now you know that this construction is ok. remember that. but - you should still look carefully for ambiguity when you eliminate 'that'. if the gmat writes a problem on which little words such as 'that' are required, it's often because those words get rid of some sort of ambiguity that would exist if they weren't there.

since the gmat is apparently ok both ways, you can also safely infer that they will NOT give you a problem whose sole determinant is the presence/absence of 'that' (unless, as just mentioned, there's an ambiguity problem).