og 243 - can't believe nobody ever aasked this question.

valarie

243. Some scientists have been critical of the laboratory tests conducted by the Federal Drug Administration on the grounds that the amounts of suspected carcinogens fed to animals far exceeds those that humans could consume.

(A)  far exceeds those that humans could consume

(B)  exceeds by far those humans can consume

(C)  far exceeds those humans are able to consume

(D)  exceed by far those able to be consumed by humans

(E)   far exceed those that humans could consume

Choice E is best. The plural verb exceed agrees in number with its subject, amounts, and the phrase those that humans could consume conveys the intended meaning clearly and without unnecessary wordiness. In choices A, B, and C, the singular exceeds does not agree in number with its plural subject, amounts. Choices B and C omit the conjunction that _an omission that is grammatically acceptable, but in the case of this sentence diminishes clarity. In D, the use of the passive voice in the phrase those able to be consumed by humans is unjustified, as it increases wordiness while stating the meaning less precisely: it is accurate to call humans "able,' but not to call those [amounts] "able."

No questions regarding the answer. But why in E, the right answer, ETS uses " could consume" rather than "can consume"? If all things equal and only difference is "could" and "can", in this question, which one should we choose?

LES

这里can和could只是语气上的区别，could更委婉，大家都表推测，could含义较不确定。

blackhorse

选E的原因主要是因为主谓一致。

Tiangel

Choices B and C omit the conjunction that _an omission that is grammatically acceptable, but in the case of this sentence diminishes clarity.

why? thanks so much!

LISAYUAN750616

为了和fed to animals 对称是否需要to be consumed by humans 呢。

我越来越分不清到底怎样算是对称呢， 因为前面是被动的好像后面又是主动的如果不是EXCEEDS OR EXCEED 的区别的话，我就认为to be consumed by humans 更好了但解释却说它是WORDY， 求救！！

valarie

以下是引用Tiangel在2004-8-15 17:22:00的发言：

Choices B and C omit the conjunction that _an omission that is grammatically acceptable, but in the case of this sentence diminishes clarity.

why? thanks so much!

why "diminishes calrity"?

wwwhahchn

以下是引用Tiangel在2004-8-15 17:22:00的发言：

Choices B and C omit the conjunction that _an omission that is grammatically acceptable, but in the case of this sentence diminishes clarity.

why? thanks so much!

因为those 可以与后面的humans结合，组成those humans作为consume的逻辑主语

小女公子

243. Some scientists have been critical of the laboratory tests conducted by the Federal Drug Administration on the grounds that the amounts of suspected carcinogens fed to animals far exceeds those that humans could consume.

(A)  far exceeds those that humans could consume

(B)  exceeds by far those humans can consume

(C)  far exceeds those humans are able to consume

(D)  exceed by far those able to be consumed by humans

(E)   far exceed those that humans could consume

为什么用复数呢？虽然amount是可数+不可数，可是我觉得这里用单数好，就像the number of一样……

另外，B)  exceeds by far those humans can consume，这里省略了those that humans can consume

我只想确定一下ets的一个原则，宾语从句that不能胜，那么定语从句that能省马？？

[此贴子已经被作者于2005-4-15 18:02:44编辑过]

colacat

定语从句,that如果是定语,就可以省略

welkin

以下是引用colacat在2005-4-15 19:55:00的发言：
定语从句,that如果是定语,就可以省略

应该定语从句中that做宾语可以省略吧