三问OG184(大全131)(新增ETS官方回复)

vincent0330

184. As measured by the Commerce Department, corporate profits peaked in the fourth quarter of 1988 and have slipped since then, as many companies have been unable to pass on higher costs.

(A) and have slipped since then, as many companies have been unable to pass on higher costs

(B) and have slipped since then, the reason being because many companies have been unable to pass on higher costs

(C) and slipped since then, many companies being unable to pass on higher costs

(D) but, many companies unable to pass on higher costs, they have slipped since then（A）

(E) yet are slipping since then, because many companies were unable to pass on higher costs

A, the best choice, observes an appropriate sequence of verb tenses a single act in the past (peaked) followed by an extended activity reaching to the present (have slipped). The as clause states clearly the cause of the slippage. B suffers from the redundant and unidiomatic expression the reason being because. In C, the use of the simple past slipped with since then is unidiomatic because since then denotes extended time. In D, the intrusion of the awkward many... costs causes the antecedent of they to become unclear. Furthermore, a comma should precede the but since it introduces a second independent clause. In E, yet also requires a comma before it, are slipping with since then is illogical, and were unable represents an ungrammatical tense shift.

我对ETS对yet前面要加逗号感到怪异与不解:

其实我看过之前的讨论, 但认为在OG里面有太多例子说若是连接两独立句子需要用逗号连接;

而且前人说yet前加逗号是固定用法, 个人觉得没有明确的证据证实这个理论啊!!

譬如:

OG10. However much United States voters may agree that there is waste in government and that the government as a whole spends beyond its means, it is difficult to find broad support for a movement toward a minimal state.

(A)  However much United States voters may agree that

(B)  Despite the agreement among United States voters to the fact

(C)  Although United States voters agree

(D)  Even though United States voters may agree

(E)   There is agreement among United States voters that

A is the best choice. Choices B, C, and D incorrectly omit that after agree; that is needed to create the parallel construction agree that there is waste . . . and that the government... spends. Choice E, though it retains that, is grammatically incorrect: because E starts with an independent rather than a subordinate clause and separates its two independent clauses with a comma, it creates a run-on sentence with no logical connection established between the halves. In B, the agree­ment ... to the fact is unidiomatic, and B, C, and E alter the sense of the original sentence by saying that voters agree rather than that they may agree.

OG135. Intar, the oldest Hispanic theater company in New York, has moved away from the Spanish classics and now it draws on the works both of contemporary Hispanic authors who live abroad and of those in the United States.

(A)  now it draws on the works both of contemporary Hispanic authors who live abroad and of

(B)   now draws on the works of contemporary Hispanic authors, both those who live abroad and those who live

(C)  it draws on the works of contemporary Hispanic authors now, both those living abroad and who live

(D)  draws now on the works both of contemporary Hispanic authors living abroad and who are

(E)   draws on the works now of both contemporary Hispanic authors living abroad and those

In choices A and C, it intrudes between the halves of the compound verb has moved... and [now] draws to introduce a new grammatical subject, thereby creating a run-on sentence:

the inclusion of it requires a comma after classics to set off the new independent clause. The placement of now is awkward in C, and the construction living abroad... and who is not parallel in C and D. Misplacement of words creates ambiguity in E: for example, the positioning of both immediately before the phrase describing the authors suggests that there are only two contemporary Hispanic authors living abroad. The logical word placement and parallel phrasing of B, the best choice, resolve such confusions.

OG149. Last year, land values in most parts of the pinelands rose almost so fast, and in some parts even faster than what they did outside the pinelands.

(A)  so fast, and in some parts even faster than what they did

(B)  so fast, and in some parts even faster than, those

(C)  as fast, and in some parts even faster than, those

(D)  as fast as, and in some parts even faster than, those

(E)   as fast as, and in some parts even faster than what they did

The properly completed sentence here must (1) use the proper form of the comparative conjunction, as fast as; (2) enclose the parenthetical statement and... even faster than in commas; and (3) preserve parallel structure, clarity of reference, and economy by using those to substitute for land values in the completed comparison. D, the best choice, does all these things correctly. A and B use so unidiomatically in place of as. A and E omit the comma needed after than and use the confusing and unparallel what they did instead of those. C omits the second as needed in the comparative conjunction as fast as.

OG179. During the early years of European settlement on a continent that was viewed as "wilderness" by the newcomers. Native Americans, intimately knowing the ecology of the land. were a help in the rescuing of many Pilgrims and pioneers from hardship, or even death.

(A)  Native Americans, intimately knowing the ecology of the land, were a help in the rescuing of

(B)  Native Americans knew the ecology and the land intimately and this enabled them to help in the rescue of

(C)  Native Americans, with their intimate knowledge of the ecology of the land, helped to rescue

(D)  having intimate knowledge of the ecology of the land. Native Americans helped the rescue of

(E)   knowing intimately the ecology of the land, Native Americans helped to rescue

Choice A suffers from the wordy and indirect expression were a help in the rescuing of. B creates an awkward, redundant, fused sentence in which the first clause has to be repeated in the vague this of the second clause; further­more, the comma required before and in larger compound sentences is omitted. D and E are confusingly worded because they begin with present participles (having and knowing) that appear at first to refer to the immediately preceding noun, newcomers, rather than to Native Ameri­cans. D also has the wordy and unidiomatic helped the rescue of. Clear, direct, and economical, choice C is best.

有那个nn能回答OG184这个yet前面需加逗号的现象??

[此贴子已经被作者于2004-8-26 9:36:05编辑过]

vincent0330

发完帖才知道下面有人发过.....

vincent0330

upupup

blackhorse

不是牛牛。但是OG上面说，两个句子之间有连词的时候，句子之间需要逗号隔开。领会精神吧。

vincent0330

以下是引用blackhorse在2004-8-8 14:27:00的发言：
不是牛牛。但是OG上面说，两个句子之间有连词的时候，句子之间需要逗号隔开。领会精神吧。

谢谢.....你说的是(D), 我认同

但(E)不是独立句啊, 是两个从句共用一主语, 要是(E)的yet前加了逗号, 那干嘛(A)不加.....

perpetual

114. From the bark of the paper birch tree the Menomini crafted a canoe about twenty feet long and two feet wide, with small ribs and rails of cedar, which could carry four persons or eight hundred pounds of baggage so light that a person could easily portage it around impeding rapids.

(A) baggage so light

(B) baggage being so light

(C) baggage, yet being so light

(D) baggage, and so light（E）

(E) baggage yet was so light  

horsefish

以下是引用vincent0330在2004-8-9 0:29:00的发言：

谢谢.....你说的是(D), 我认同

但(E)不是独立句啊, 是两个从句共用一主语, 要是(E)的yet前加了逗号, 那干嘛(A)不加.....

借花献佛啦.http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=23&star=1&replyid=357631&id=43230&skin=0&page=1

马鱼总结: 1. and后面有主语出现则and前要有逗号

特例:如果有从句或插入语跟着捣乱, 那就只好不要逗号来保持意思的清晰

2. yet前面需要逗号, 无论是否在yet后有新主语出现. 特例同上种情况.

vincent0330

2. yet前面需要逗号, 无论是否在yet后有新主语出现. 特例同上种情况

我就是这点疑惑.....cc

flyinfish

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?BoardID=23&ID=43230

可以参考一下！

vincent0330

今天总算等到ETS的官方回复了......也证实我的疑问.....

以下是我的询问(0810)&ETS的回复(0825):

To whom will concern:

First of all, thank you for paying attention to my question.

In "Sentence Correction" of the Official Guide, I found one thing I cannot
figure it out.

184. As measured by the Commerce Department, corporate profits peaked in
the fourth quarter of 1988 and have slipped since then, as many companies
have been unable to pass on higher costs.

(A) and have slipped since then, as many companies have been unable to pass
on higher costs

(B) and have slipped since then, the reason being because many companies
have been unable to pass on higher costs

(C) and slipped since then, many companies being unable to pass on higher
costs

(D) but, many companies unable to pass on higher costs, they have slipped
since then（A）

(E) yet are slipping since then, because many companies were unable to pass
on higher costs

A, the best choice, observes an appropriate sequence of verb tenses a
single act in the past (peaked) followed by an extended activity reaching
to the present (have slipped). The as clause states clearly the cause of
the slippage. B suffers from the redundant and unidiomatic expression the
reason being because. In C, the use of the simple past slipped with since
then is unidiomatic because since then denotes extended time. In D, the
intrusion of the awkward many... costs causes the antecedent of they to
become unclear. Furthermore, a comma should precede the but since it
introduces a second independent clause. In E, yet also requires a comma
before it, are slipping with since then is illogical, and were unable
represents an ungrammatical tense shift.

The explanation---In E, yet also requires a comma before it--- made me
confused since "yet" is not connected with two independent clause.
Instead, "yet" in choice E is connected with verb to modifer the same
subject, corporate profits.
Then I checked  several grammar books, but nothing like this condition I
can find.
The similar explanation appear in No. 10, No. 135, No.149, and No.179; and
all explain the same thing: when "and" connecting two independent clauses, 
a "comma" is required before the "and". 

I know this is a slight question about sentence correction. Nevertheless, I
hope someone can give me the complete explanation to resolve this puzzle.

In the end, thank you again for paying attention and help me figure out.

Sincerely,

One puzzled student

 
Thank you for your message concerning question 184 in the Sentence
Correction section of The Official Guide for GMAT Review. You indicated that
you were confused by the explanation for why option (E) is incorrect.

The explanation does contain an error; while a comma before "yet" might be
added for emphasis, it is not required because, as you point out, "yet are
slipping since then" is not an independent clause. The rest of the
explanation does accurately describe the grammatical and rhetorical problems
with option (E).  

Again, thank you for taking the time to point out this error. We are always
grateful to receive inquiries such as yours because they help us to improve
the quality of our tests and test preparation materials.