Meaning Flashcards
The javelin has a sharp point, which is more obviously dangerous than the discus; moreover, the discus is actually more likely to injure bystanders because, especially when wet, it can slip out of the thrower’s hand and fly in a random trajectory.
(A) javelin has a sharp point, which is more obviously dangerous than the discus; moreover,
(B) javelin has a sharp point and is obviously more dangerous than the discus; however,
(C) javelin’s sharp point is obviously more dangerous than the discus, even though
(D) javelin’s sharp point makes it obviously more dangerous than the discus, even though
(E) javelin, with its sharp point, is more obviously dangerous than the discus; however,
Ans = E
also, the use of “and” (in choice B) is a clear error.
the use of “and” (by itself–i.e., NOT “and so/therefore/thus…” implies that the two things are separate and independent.
so, you have a sentence that mistakenly implies that the sharp point is just a random observation, and is NOT the reason why the javelin is dangerous.
” if obviously is placed in front of more dangerous, then the resulting sentence contradicts itself. The intended meaning is not that the javelin is actually more dangerous, but, rather, that the danger posed by the javelin is more obvious than that posed by the discus; therefore, obviously should be placed directly in front of dangerous.”
Because of less availability and greater demand for scientific research, platinum remains consistently expensive, like gold.
(A) Because of less availability and greater demand for scientific research, platinum remains consistently expensive, like gold.
(B) Because of less availability and increased demand for scientific research, platinum remains consistently expensive, like that of gold.
(C) Because of decreased availability and increased demand in scientific research, platinum remains expensive, like gold.
(D) Because of decreased availability and increased demand for scientific research, platinum remains expensive, like gold.
(E) Because of decreased availability and greater demand in scientific research, platinum remains at a consistently high price, like that of gold.
Split #1: (less & greater) vs. (decreased & increased). This is really a false split. It’s true, the former pair will be more widely applicable than the latter pair, because the latter pair is limited to instanced in which there has been a change in quantity over time, but apparently that’s true here, so either is fine.
Split #2: demand for vs. demand in. This is a very clever idiom split. The phrasing “demand for scientific research” would mean that, overall, folks want more scientific research — it doesn’t matter the topic, the research area — people just want more. That would be very non-specific, and would necessarily have a whole lot to do with platinum. The focus, the star, of the sentence is platinum. The “availability” is clearly the availability of platinum, so for logical consistency, it should also be a “demand” for platinum. The noun “scientific research” is NOT the thing demanded, but instead the context in which the platinum is demanded. Therefore, we must say “demand in scientific research”, which implies that the demand is for platinum. The only answers consistent with this split are (C) and (E).
Split #3: the comparison with “gold” at the end. Three answers have “platinum remains consistently expensive, like gold,” which is perfectly correct. Since there’s no other noun in that clause, it’s crystal clear that the comparison is between platinum and gold. Choice (B) has “platinum remains consistently expensive, like that of gold,” which is logically incorrect — we are comparing the metal platinum to what about gold???? Choice (E) has “platinum remains at a consistently high price, like that of gold” is grammatically & logically correct, but rhetorically unacceptable: it’s a long, indirect, bulky way of saying something that can be said much more efficiently and succinctly, and in fact, is said that way in three other answer choices. Choice (B) & (E) cannot be correct.
On the basis of these splits, only (C) can be the correct answer. Choice (C) is mistake-free and elegant, and each of the other four answer choices has an unambiguous problem preventing it from being the answer. This is an an exceptionally good question. Kudos to whoever wrote it!!
The original sentence contains several errors. First, less availability is incorrect when not used in a direct Comparison: it raises the question Less than what? Decreased availability would be better here. Second, greater demand also raises the question greater than what? Increased demand would be better. Third, demand for scientific research implies that the research is in demand, when in fact it is the platinum. Demand in scientific research would be better. Fourth, remains consistently expensive is redundant. Remains expensive would be enough to convey the idea.
Statisticians studying the health effects of uranium mining on Navajo communities have found others besides miners and mill workers to be affected; birth defects, children’s cancer, and altered birth ratios of males and females are much higher in mining than in non-mining communities.
(A) children’s cancer, and altered birth ratios of males and females are much higher
(B) cancer among children, and altered male and female ratios at birth are much higher
(C) cancer among children, and altered birth ratios of males and females occur much more frequently
(D) altered birth ratios of males and females, and children’s cancer are much higher
(E) altered male and female ratios at birth, and cancer among children occur much more
Ans = C
Birth defects, children’s cancer, and altered birth ratios are much higher in mining than in non-mining communities.
Here, the portion in blue serves as the subject for are.
Conveyed meaning:
Birth defects are higher in mining communities than birth defects are high in non-mining communities.
This meaning is nonsensical, since a DEFECT cannot be HIGH.
Cancer is higher in mining communities than cancer is high in non-mining communities.
This meaning is nonsensical, since CANCER cannot be HIGH.
Altered birth ratios are higher in mining communities than altered birth ratios are high in non-mining communities.
Implication:
Birth ratios are altered in BOTH types of communities.
The altered birth ratios in mining communities are HIGHER.
The statement in red seems unintended.
The following meaning seems more likely:
Altered birth ratios in non-mining communities are RARE.
Altered birth ratios in mining communities are FAR MORE COMMON.
This meaning is conveyed by the OA:
Altered birth ratios OCCUR MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY in mining than in non-mining communities.
Implied comparison:
Altered birth ratios occur much more frequently in mining communities than altered birth ratios occur in non-mining communities.
In other words:
Altered birth ratios in non-mining communities are RARE.
When Medicare was enacted in 1965, it was aimed at the prevention of a catastrophic illness from financially destroying elderly patients.
(A) at the prevention of a catastrophic illness from financially destroying elderly patients
(B) at being a preventive against catastrophic illness financially destroying elderly patients
(C) at preventing a catastrophic illness from financially destroying the elderly patient
(D) to prevent a catastrophic illness financially destroying an elderly patient
(E) to prevent elderly patients being financially destroyed by a catastrophic illness
Ans = E
Sophisticated laser-guided land graders can now flatten uneven farmland almost perfectly so as not to waste rainwater in runoff down sloping fields.
(A) so as not to waste rainwater (B) so that rainwater is not wasted (C) so that there is no wasted rainwater (D) and thereby not waste rainwater (E) and there is no rainwater wasted
Ans = B
IMP - D from parallelism pov means that land graders can not waste which is illogical
More than 300 rivers drain into Siberia’s Lake Baikal, which holds 20 percent of the world’s fresh water, more than all the North American Great Lakes combined.
(A) More than 300 rivers drain into Siberia’s Lake Baikal, which holds 20 percent of the world’s fresh water, more than all the North American Great Lakes combined.
(B) With 20 percent of the world’s fresh water, that is more than all the North American Great Lakes combined, Siberia’s Lake Baikal has more than 300 rivers that drain into it.
(C) Siberia’s Lake Baikal, with more than 300 rivers draining into it, it holds more of the world’s fresh water than all that of the North American Great Lakes combined, 20 percent.
(D) While more than 300 rivers drain into it, Siberia’s lake Baikal holds 20 percent of the world’s fresh water, which is more than all the North American Great Lakes combined.
(E) More than all the North American Great Lakes combined, Siberia’s Lake Baikal, with more than 300 rivers draining into it, holds 20 percent of the world’s fresh water.
Ans = A
For the farmer who takes care to keep them cool, providing them with high energy feed and milking them regularly,Holstein cows are producing an average of 2275 gallons of milk each year.
A. providing them with high energy feed and milking them regularly, Holstein cows are producing
B. providing them with high energy feed ,and milked regularly, the Holstein cow produces
C. provided with high energy feed, and milking them regularly, Holstein cows are producing
D. provided with high energy feed ,and milked regularly, the Holstein cow produces
E. provided with high energy feed ,and milked regularly, Holstein cows will produce
Ans = E
One of the limiting factors in human physical performance is the amount of oxygen that is absorbed by the muscles from the bloodstream. Accordingly, entrepreneurs have begun selling at gymnasiums and health clubs bottles of drinking water, labeled “SuperOXY,” that has extra oxygen dissolved in the water. Such water would be useless in improving physical performance, however, .
Which of the following, if true, would serve the same function in the argument as the statement in boldface?
(A) the water lost in exercising can be replaced with ordinary tap water
(B) the amount of oxygen in the blood of people who are exercising is already more than the muscle can absorb
(C) world-class athletes turn in record performance without such water
(D) frequent physical exercise increases the body’s ability to take in and use oxygen
(E) lack of oxygen is not the only factor limiting human physical performance
