Prepositional Phrase

Ex: Canada is a land of freedom which has already accepted thousands of refugees In the above, what is in red is a prepositional phrase. As you can see, "which" in this case cannot refer to freedom because it is the land which "accepted thousands of refugees, not the "freedom". My point is that you have to be careful what relative pronouns refer to, it does not have to be the immediately preceding pronoun although if often times is.

I just want to bring up another example to show you the confusion prepositional phrases can create:
Ex: The manager of the investment division stood against the door. In the above, who "stood" against the door? It is without any doubt "the manager". This example is just to show to you that the prepositional phrase, in this case, is just extra information and does not have any impact on the indepedent sentence structure(bolded portion).

Ex: Canada is a land of freedom which has already accepted thousands of refugees In the above, what is in red is a prepositional phrase. As you can see, "which" in this case cannot refer to freedom because it is the land which "accepted thousands of refugees, not the "freedom". My point is that you have to be careful what relative pronouns refer to, it does not have to be the immediately preceding pronoun although if often times is.

I just want to bring up another example to show you the confusion prepositional phrases can create:
Ex: The manager of the investment division stood against the door. In the above, who "stood" against the door? It is without any doubt "the manager". This example is just to show to you that the prepositional phrase, in this case, is just extra information and does not have any impact on the indepedent sentence structure(bolded portion).

Konstantin Stanislavski

Konstantin Stanislavski’s justly praised method for training actors arose from Stanislavski’s own awkwardness and susceptibility to theatrical cliches as a young actor. The “method” must be understood in terms of Stanislavski’s personal search for release from the temptations of stock gestures, well-tried vocal intonations, and standard emotional formulas. Despite the pretensions of certain of his disciples in the United States, the Russian director never intended to formulate a textbook of rigid solutions to acting problems.

It can be inferred that the author of the preceding statements about Stanislavski’s method holds which of the following opinions about acting?

(A) Acting is essentially spontaneous emotional expression, with which systematic training usually interferes.
(B) The Stanislavski method has lost some of its flexibility and exploratory qualities as it has been used by some followers of Stanislavski in the United States.
(C) The Stanislavski method has misled those actors in the United States who have adopted it.
(D) Virtually the only advice young actors need be given is that they must systematically suppress theatrical cliches in their performances.
(E) The Stanislavski method is useful primarily for young actors who must overcome artificiality and immaturity in their performances.

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B

On pain of death

 The Forbidden City in Beijing, from which the emperors ruled by heavenly mandate, was a site which a commoner or foreigner could not enter without any permission, on pain of death.
(A) which a commoner or foreigner could not enter without any permission,
(B) which a commoner or foreigner could enter without any permission only
(C) which no commoner or foreigner could enter without permission,
(D) which, without permission, neither commoner or foreigner could only enter,
(E) which, to enter without permission, neither commoner or foreigner could do,

 
To me C made most sense. But it seems C distorts the meaning of the sentence. Hence B is the best alternative.

The Forbidden City in Beijing, from which the emperors ruled by heavenly mandate, was a site which a commoner or foreigner could enter without any permission only on pain of death.
This says that the commoner or foreigner could enter, but they would die for for their actions.
C then that the commoner and foreigner cant enter, but then leaves on pain of death hanging and not refering to anything.

SC - Comparison with

 Many investors base their choice between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to the dividends available on common stocks.

(A) between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to
(B) wrong
(C) between bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields with
(D) wrong
(E) between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields with

I felt that A is incorrect and so the options left were C and E. OF those I thought E was the better of the two because I did not consider 'on comparison of A's yeild with dividends from B' as correct. How wrong I was.

wrote SmashingGrace...
Investors base their choice [on what?] comparisons.  This clearly calls for a noun to follow.

wrote ashkg...
People "base their choice on comparisons " .....of X with Y.
Here X and Y are similar...so we use "comparison with"

 

Singular or plural?

If we say "The wealth and postion is important for anybody to survive in a better way", then we are treating both of them as a necessary tool required for a better survival.

If we say "The wealth and the postion are important for anybody to survive in a better way", then we treating the wealth and the postion as two tools required for a better survival.

The key here, is 'the'. 'The' before a noun indicates an entity. Thus, multiple 'the's make multiple enities(plural). A single 'the' followed by a list of nouns refer to a single entity(singular).

CR - US-Qurope Safety Belt

In the United States, injuries to passengers involved in automobile accidents are typically more severe than in Europe, where laws require a different kind of safety belt. It is clear from this that the United States needs to adopt more stringent standards for safety belt design to protect automobile passengers better.
 
Each of the following, if true, weakens the argument above EXCEPT:
(A) Europeans are more likely to wear safety belts than are people in the United States.
(B) Unlike United States drivers, European drivers receive training in how best to react in the event of an accident to minimize injuries to themselves and to their passengers.
(C) Cars built for the European market tend to have more sturdy construction than do cars built for the United States market.
(D) Automobile passengers in the United States have a greater statistical chance of being involved in an accident than do passengers in Europe.
(E) States that have recently begun requiring the European safety belt have experienced no reduction in the average severity of injuries suffered by passengers in automobile accidents.
 
The key-word here is "accidents are typically more severe than in Europe". On the face of it, all the options given above actually weaken the argument, except for option D which talks about frequency of accidents rather than their severity.

CR - Lark Manufacturing/ Quality Circles

Lark Manufacturing Company initiated a voluntary Quality Circles program for machine operators. Independent surveys of employee attitudes indicated that the machine operators participating in the program were less satisfied with their work situations after two years of the program's start. Obviously, any workers who participate in a Quality Circles program will, as a result, become less satisfied with their job.
 
All of the following weaken the argument above EXCEPT:
 
A. The second survey occurred during a period of recession when rumors of cutbacks and layoffs at Lark Manufacturing were plentiful
B. The surveys also showed that those Lark machine operators who neither participated in Quality Circles nor knew anyone who did so reported the same degree of lessened satisfaction with their work situations as did the Lark machine operators who participated in Quality Circles
C. While pariticipating in Quality Circles at Lark Manufacturing, machine operators exhibited two of the primary indicators of improved job satisfaction: increased productivity and decreased absenteeism
D. Several workers at Lark Manufacturing who had participated in Quality Circles while employed at other companies reported that while participating in Quality Circles in pervious companies, their work satisfaction has increased
E. The machine operators who participate in Quality Circles reported that when the program started, the felt that participation might improve their work situation
 
My answer was A, but since the question finds itself here, my choice was incorrect.
 
 I think it is E which is not relevant to the argument. "The machine operators who participate in Quality Circles reported that when the program started, the felt that participation might improve their work situation" means that the quality of the program is not good. There is no relevance between the this and the job satisfaction.
 
 

CR - Governor

While Governor Verdant has been in office, the state’s budget has increased by an average of 6 percent each year. While the previous governor was in office, the state’s budget increased by an average of 11.5 percent each year. Obviously, the austere budgets during Governor Verdant’s term have caused the slowdown in the growth in state spending.
 
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion drawn above?
 
(A) The rate of inflation in the state averaged 10 percent each year during the previous governor’s term in office and 3 percent each year during Verdant’s term.
(B) Both federal and state income tax rates have been lowered considerably during Verdant’s term in office.
(C) In each year of Verdant’s term in office, the state’s budget has shown some increase in spending over the previous year.
(D) During Verdant’s term in office, the state has either discontinued or begun to charge private citizens for numerous services that the state offered free to citizens during the previous governor’s term.
(E) During the previous governor’s term in office, the state introduced several so-called “austerity” budgets intended to reduce the growth in state spending
 
Very confusing question. I could not get it right.
 
A is my FA (1min 26s)
Reason: If the rate of inflation increased by a greater factor in the previous governer's term, and just by 3% in Verdant's term then low spending does not imply that there is a stunted growth, rather, it would imply that with the same amount of money the state could achieve more growth (the only thing which I am still thinking about is whether 10% and 3% mean anything!...it is possible that money spent (or) the value achieved with 10% rate of increase in inflation might be more than with 3% increase in the rate of inflation....)
 
 

SC - Mails

 Nearly all mail that is correctly addressed arrives at its destination within two business days of being sent. In fact, correctly addressed mail takes longer than this only when it is damaged in transit. Overall, however, most mail arrives three business days or more after being sent.
 
If the statements above are true, which one of the following must be true?
A) A large proportion of the mail that is correctly addressed is damaged in transit.
B) No incorrectly addressed mail arrives within two business days of being sent.
C) Most mail that arrives within two business days of being sent is correctly addressed.
D) A large proportion of mail is incorrectly addressed.
E) More mail arrives within two business days of being sent than arrives between two and three business days after being sent.
 
The first time I had taken this question, I applied a good amount of logic to it and got it right. But not the next time.
 
Ans is
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D

Usual

 The new sports car is heavier than usual for a performance automobile, but it is exceptional because of its high-powered engine.
A) usual
B) it is usual
C) one usually is
D) is usual
E) has been usual
 
I had chosen A (how silly of me)
 
mba wrote this
 
(D) it is,
 
(A) makes an improper comparison.
(B) "it" has no referent.
(C) "one" has no referent
(E) has a tense problem.

Usual

The new sports car is heavier than usual for a performance automobile, but it is exceptional because of its high-powered engine.

A) usual
B) it is usual
C) one usually is
D) is usual
E) has been usual

My first answer was A (how silly of me:) )

This is what mba wrote

(D) it is,

(A) makes an improper comparison.
(B) "it" has no referent.
(C) "one" has no referent
(E) has a tense problem.

it?

A federal study of farm debt finds that one-third of all family-run commercial farms will face financial difficulty in the next year; over ten percent of these farms are either insolvent or on the verge of it
A. year; over ten percent of these farms are either insolvent or on the verge of it
B. year; over ten percent of these farms are either insolvent or on the verge of insolvency
C. year; over ten percent of them either are insolvent or they verge on being so
D. year, over ten percent of them either being insolvent or on the verge of insolvency
E. year, over ten percent of them being either insolvent or verging on it

Ans is B, as it in the end of A is not sure of what its referring to

Active voice, Passive voice

I found this interesting piece of information in a post on GmatClub Verbal Forum

The point is that in most cases we should avoid passive voice, meaning that there might be some constructions in which we would have nothing to do but use passive voice. I assume those cases are rare. But in general active voice is preferred. The same applies to being. Some sources claim that constructions employing being are as a rule incorrect, but there are exceptions.

SC Hospital

Building large new hospitals in the bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources, on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone.

(A) on the basis of avoidance of duplicated facilities alone
(B) on the grounds of avoiding duplicated facilities alone
(C) solely in that duplicated facilities should be avoided
(D) while the duplication of facilities should be avoided
(E) if only because the duplication of facilities should be avoided

The OA is E, but makes little sense to me. Actually, the whole question makes little sense to me.

This is what one guy wrote, ant it makes some sense

I still think E is best.

This is what i would call a 'meaning' question. Apart from the grammar rules, you are tested on what sentence fragment actually makes the correct sense.

Lets turn E around.

If only because duplication of facilities should be avoided, building new hospitals in the new bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources.

In other words, Its like saying,

[If your only criterion is no duplication of facilities, then building new hospitals in the new bistate area would constitute a wasteful use of resources.]

Another way of explaining it is:

[ Hospitals already exist , so if you build new hospitals , it would duplicate facilities and would consitute an wasteful use of resources]

IMO, E conveys the intended meaning clearly. Other choices fall way short of introducing the conditional clause necessary for the sentence to make sense.

CR Time Consuming but intelligent

It may someday be worthwhile to try to recover uranium from seawater, but at present this process is prohibitively expensive.

(A) It may someday be worthwhile to try to recover uranium from seawater
(B) Someday, it may be worthwhile to try and recover uranium from seawater
(C) Trying to recover uranium out of seawater may someday be worthwhile
(D) To try for the recovery of uranium out of seawater may someday be worthwhile
(E) Recovering uranium from seawater may be worthwhile to try to do someday

I went for C, but the OA is A. I am still not sure why C is not a good choice.
Ob mentiond this in his post
An impersonal construction with "it" is preferred in sentences such as this one. A should be it.

I still don't get it.

SC on Gold and Demand

There are fundamentally two possible changes in an economy that will each cause inflation unless other compensating changes also occur. These changes are either reductions in the supply of goods and services or increases in demand. In a prebnking economy the quantity of money available, and hence the level of demand, is equivalent to the quantity of gold available.

If the statements above are true, then it is also true that in a prebanking economy

(A)any inflation is the result of reductions in the supply of goods and
services
(B)if other factors in the economy are unchanged, increasing the quantity
of gold available will lead to inflation
(C)if there is a reduction in the quantity of gold available, then, other
things being equal, inflation must result…
(D)the quantity of goods and services purchasable by a given amount of
gold is constant
(E)whatever changes in demand occur, there will be compensating
changes in the supply of goods and services

Here I was stuck between B and C. I could get it properly that gold represents demand and that if gold increases, then demand increases and vice versa.

What I should have kpt in mind that the increase of gold (demand) has been mentioned, but its reduction has not been mentioned. So C should have been rejected.

Idiom usage - Acclaim

An artistic presence of the first order, one frequently ranked with Picasso, Stravinsky, and James Joyce, Martha Graham was acclaimed as a great dancer long before her innovative masterworks made her the most honored of American choreographers.
(A) Martha Graham was acclaimed as
(B) Martha Graham was acclaimed to be
(C) Martha Graham’s acclaim is as
(D) Martha Graham’s acclaim to be
(E) Martha Graham’s acclaim was in being

The thing is usage of idiom.

"to acclaim as" and "to be acclaimed as" are the correct idioms.

Ans: A

SC - not grammer, but more than that

For all his professed disdain of such activities, Auden was an inveterate literary gossip.

(A) For all his professed disdain of such activities
(B) Having always professed disdain for such activities
(C) All such activities were, he professed, disdained, and
(D) Professing that all such activities were disdained
(E) In spite of professions of disdaining all such activities

Here the answer not really lies in the grammer, but the fact that only two options clearly show the contrast implied in the sentence
"Even though Auden said one thing, he did completely the opposite"

Ans - A

E Seems too wordy