8/27/2014

700+ level GMAT SC Practice Questions

WARM UP QUESTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING FREE WEBINAR “THE KEY TO SCORE 760 ON THE GMAT”

Payal Tandon
E-GMAT LLC

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CONTENTS
Free WebinaR: The Key to score 760 on the GMAT .................................................................................................. 2 Attend this webinar to learn the strategies to score 760. You’ll learn:..................................................... 2 Webinar Details .............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Instructor .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Solve These 700 level SC Questions ................................................................................................................................. 4 Question 1 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Question 2 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Question 3 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Answers ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Solution 1 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Solution 2 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Solution 3 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 More e-GMAT Free Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 13 Meet the Top Instructors .................................................................................................................................................... 14

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FREE WEBINAR: THE KEY TO SCORE 760 ON THE GMAT

760 (or 99%le) on the GMAT is a dream score because it not only gets admissions to the top B-schools but also helps in getting dream jobs post MBA. But do you know what does it take to achieve this score?

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Attend this webinar to learn the strategies to score 760. You’ll learn:

Webinar Scheduled on Sunday, August 31, 7:00 AM PST, 7:30 PM IST

How to divide your time between Quant and Verbal- Depending on who you are learn what the best strategy to score 760 is. Core Skills to ace Verbal- High ability = High Verbal Score. People often confuse ability with accuracy. Understand the core skills that need to be mastered to score a V40 GMAT Verbal. How to deal with a stagnant Verbal score- Stuck at a score of V35 or lower? Learn how to uncover the areas that you need to focus on to move to the next level.

Webinar Details
When: Sunday, August 31, 7 AM PST, 7:30 PM IST

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Note: Even if you can't make it to the session, register anyway and we'll send you the recording Where: Adobe Connect. The joining link would be sent to you before the session

Mira 750 (V44): Know your Strengths and Weeknesses
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses and following a proper study plan, based on your strengths and weaknesses, can actually make your GMAT preparation 2.5 times more efficient!

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Instructor
Technology, when applied to a well-defined problem, can lead to unbelievable results. Rajat mastered the skill of taking standardized tests at an early age by scoring better than 99 percentile on most exams including the CET (the Indian equivalent of the SAT), the GATE (the Indian equivalent of the GRE, including the technical GRE), and the GMAT

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SOLVE THESE 700 LEVEL SC QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1
A new study suggests that different species of mice have different burrow design: a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrow due to its genes, carrying various DNA combinations of burrow creation in genome.

A. a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrow due to its genes, carrying various DNA B. a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrow because of its genes that carry various DNA C. a mouse raised in the lab builds species-specific burrow so that its genes carry various DNA D. a mouse in the lab can build species-specific burrow as its genes can carry various DNA E. a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrows because of their genes carrying various DNA

QUESTION 2
Planned reduction in orders for components for the iPhone 5 is due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined from 23% to 14% since the last year while Samsung’s share has steadily increased from 8.8% to 31% during the same time period.

A. due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined B. because of weaker-than-expected demand: Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments declined C. due to weaker-than-expected demand: Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments has declined D. because of weaker-than-expected demand, declining Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments E. because of weaker-than-expected demand that decreased Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments

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QUESTION 3
Apple, the company that has the highest revenue per employee, focusses more on simplistic and functional design than its competitors.

A. B. C. D. E.

more on simplistic and functional design than on more simplistic yet functional design than more on simplistic and functional design than on on simplistic and functional design than more on simplistic design and is more functional than are

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ANSWERS
The correct answers for the above questions are listed below: 1. B 2. C 3. C

SOLUTION 1
A new study suggests that different species of mice have different burrow design: a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrow due to its genes, carrying various DNA combinations of burrow creation in genome. MEANING • • • • This sentence presents facts. Different species of mice build burrows of different designs. Even a mouse raised in lab can make a burrow specific to its species. Burrow making is genetic as genes carry DNA combinations of burrow making in every species.

GRAMMAR

ERROR ANALYSIS

• • •

Clause 1: A new study suggests Clause 2: that different species of mice have different burrow design: Clause 3: a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrow due to its genes, carrying various DNA combinations of burrow creation in genome.

1. Use of “due to” is incorrect in this sentence because it has been used to modify the verb in this sentence, more specifically to present the reason for the verb – how can a lab-raised mouse build species-specific burrow. “Due to” can only be used to explain the noun and not a verb.

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2. The comma + verb-ing modifier “carrying” modifies the preceding clause. This modification does not make much sense as it seems to suggest that mice carry various DNA combinations. Logically, it is the genes in the mice that carry DNA combinations. Hence, we need a modifier that refers to “genes”.

POE

A. a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrow due to its genes, carrying various DNA: Incorrect for the reasons stated above. B. a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrow because of its genes that carry various DNA: Correct Answer. It corrects both errors of choice A and does not introduce any other errors. C. a mouse raised in the lab builds species-specific burrow so that its genes carry various DNA: Incorrect. a. Error 1 – Use of simple presents “builds” is incorrect because the original sentence presents the ability of the lab raised mouse to build species-specific burrow by saying “can build”. This choice suggests that it is a general fact that lab- raised mice make species-specific burrow. b. Error 2 – Use of “so that” is incorrect. This phrase is used to present the result of the preceding clause. This usage distorts the intended meaning. D. a mouse in the lab can build species-specific burrow as its genes can carry various DNA: Incorrect. a. Error 1 – “A mouse in the lab” does not mean the same as “a lab-raised mouse”. A mouse in the lab can be just any mouse there and not necessarily the mouse that has been raised there. b. Error 2 – Per the original sentence, it is a general fact that “genes” carry various DNA combinations. Per this choice, “can carry” suggests the ability of genes to carry various DNA combinations. This is not the intended meaning. E. a lab-raised mouse too can build species-specific burrows because of their genes carrying various DNA: Incorrect. Pronoun “their” should logically refer to “mouse”. But grammatically, plural pronoun “their” does not agree in number with the singular noun “mouse”.

TAKE AWAY

1. “Due to” cannot be used to present reason for the verb. It can only describe noun entities. “Because of” is the correct expression to do so.

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2. We must use the correct Modifier must be used correctly to modify the entity it is supposed to modify. 3. “Can verb” presents the ability, while simple presents tense presents general truth. 4. We must use correct expressions to communicate the intended meaning. For example, lab-raised mouse is not the same as mouse in the lab.

SOLUTION 2
Planned reduction in orders for components for the iPhone 5 is due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined from 23% to 14% since the last year while Samsung’s share has steadily increased from 8.8% to 31% during the same time period. MEANING • • • Apple has reduced orders for iPhone 5 components. The reason for this decision is weaker-than-expected demand. Since last year, a. Apple’s share has declined from 23% to 14%. b. However, Samsung’s share has increased from 8.8% to 31%. GRAMMAR

ERROR ANALYSIS

  

Clause 1: Planned reduction in orders for components for the iPhone 5 is due to weakerthan-expected demand Clause 2: because Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined from 23% to 14% since the last year Clause 3: while Samsung’s share has steadily increased from 8.8% to 31% during the same time period.

Error 1 – Illogical Meaning – The sentence implies that demand if weaker because Apple’s share has declined over a certain time period. The causal relationship in this context does not make much sense since the demand did not become weak because the shipments decreased. In fact the correct relationship should be as follows: Demand has weakened as evidenced by the decrease in number of shipments. So the correct sentence should present such relationship.

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Error 2 - Plural verb “have declined” does not agree in number with singular subject “Apple’s share”.

POE

A. due to weaker-than-expected demand because Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments have declined: Incorrect for the reasons stated above. B. because of weaker-than-expected demand: Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments declined: Incorrect. Correct Part – This choice uses correct construction to express the logical intended meaning. The clause after the colon is used to present the idea that explains the weaker than expected demand. Error 1 – Use of “because of” is incorrect because it modifies the noun entity “Planned reduction”. “Due to” should be used to modify nouns. Error 2 – Use of past tense “declined” is incorrect because the word “since” has been used to present the sequencing decline in shipments started in the recent past and may still be continuing. Hence we need present perfect tense. C. due to weaker-than-expected demand: Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments has declined: Correct Answer D. because of weaker-than-expected demand, declining Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments: Incorrect. Error 1 – Use of “because of” is incorrect because it modifies the noun entity “Planned reduction”. Error 2 – The comma + verb-ing modifier “declining” modifies the preceding clause. It presents the result of the modified clause. This modification is illogical as discussed in original choice. E. because of weaker-than-expected demand that decreased Apple’s share of world-wide smartphone shipments: Incorrect. Error 1 – Use of “because of” is incorrect because it modifies the noun entity “Planned reduction”. Error 2 – Use of past tense “decreased” is not correct. We need present perfect. Error 3 – Illogical meaning. This choice implies that weaker than expected demand decreased Apple’s share of shipments. This is not logical intended meaning.

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TAKE AWAY

1. “Because of” cannot be used to refer to a noun entity. Use of “Due to” is correct for such usages. 2. Subject and Verb must agree in number with each other. 3. Use present perfect tense with “since”, when “since” is used to present sequencing. 4. Comma + Verb-ing modifies the preceding clause. It either presents additional information about the preceding clause or it presents the result of the preceding clause.

SOLUTION 3
Apple, the company that has the highest revenue per employee, focuses more on simplistic and functional design than its competitors. MEANING • • • Apple, the company that has the highest revenue per employee, focuses more on simplistic and functional design than its competitors.

The sentence presents a comparison. However, the way this sentence is written, one can infer two comparisons:   Apple focusses more on simplistic and functional design than on its competitors. The entities compared are simplistic and functional design and competitors. Apple focusses more on simplistic and functional design than its competitors focus on. The entities compared are Apple and its competitors.

The correct sentence should clearly state one clear meaning.

GRAMMAR

ERROR ANALYSIS

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• Apple, the company • that has the highest revenue per employee, • focuses more on simplistic and functional design than its competitors. If the sentence is intended to compare simplistic and functional design and competitors (stating that Apple focuses on design more than it focuses on its competitors), then we need the pronoun “on” before “its competitors” to make the comparison clear. If the sentence is intended to compare Apple and its competitors (stating that Apple focuses on design more than its competitors do), then we need the helping verb “do” before “its competitors” to make the comparison clear.

POE A. more on simplistic and functional design than Incorrect for the reasons stated above. B. on more simplistic yet functional design than: Incorrect. Error 1 – Repeats the same ambiguous comparison error as in choice A. Error 2 – Change of placement of “more” changes the meaning. Per the original sentence, “more” modifies “focusses”. Apple focusses more on design than its competitors. Per this choice, “more” modifies “simplistic design”. Here the emphasis is not the action of focusing but on the design itself. Error 3 – Use of “yet” changes the meaning. Per the original choice, “and” suggests that the design is simple and functional. Use of word “yet” brings in the contrast, implying that even though the design is simple, it is functional. The original sentence does not present this contrast. C. more on simplistic and functional design than on: Correct Answer Use of preposition “on” makes the comparison clear. The sentence states that Apple focusses on design more than it focuses on its competitors. D. on simplistic and functional design than: Incorrect. Error 1 – Use of “than” requires the use of some comparative terms such as “more” to present comparison. Just using “than” leads to idiom error in this choice. Error 2 – Repeats the same ambiguous comparison error as in choice A. F. more on simplistic design and is more functional than are: Incorrect. Error 1 – This choice distorts the intended meaning. Per this choice, the subject for “is” is “Apple”. The choice suggests that Apple is more functional whereas, per the original choice, the design is functional. Also the choice suggests comparison between Apple and the competitors on the basis that Apple is more functional. This is certainly not the intended meaning of the sentence

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TAKE AWAY

1. The sentence must be constructed in such a way that the comparison is absolutely clear. As we saw in this case due to omission of words, the comparison was no longer clear. So when we omit words we should always make sure that the comparison does not become unclear. 2. Pay attention to the change in placement of the words. Such changes in placement may lead to change in the intended meaning of the sentence.

3. Be wary of the choices that distort the intended meaning of the sentence.

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MEET THE TOP INSTRUCTORS

Technology, when applied to a well-defined problem, can lead to unbelievable results. Rajat mastered the skill of taking standardized tests at an early age by scoring better than 99 percentile on most exams including the CET (the Indian equivalent of the SAT), the GATE (the Indian equivalent of the GRE, including the technical GRE), and the GMAT.

If you take on a task, give it your 200%, or else don’t take that task on at all. A perfectionist to the core, she gives everything her best without cutting any corners. She was the topper (the absolute topper, not just 99 percentile) in the 12th grade State of Haryana board exam taken by more than 1 million people.

Shraddha is a gold medalist from Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) – India’s topmost institute for journalism that is more selective than Harvard Business School. She scored better than 99.5 percentile in the entrance exam, and is the very definition of the term ‘child prodigy’. Within 4 months of joining e-GMAT, Shraddha has gained the status of “Most Thanked Expert” on Beat The GMAT and GMAT Club. She has authored more articles on GMAT Sentence Correction and GMAT Reading Comprehension than any other expert.

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Meghna has a PhD in English and has been teaching since 2001. A consistent topper, she won the gold medal for the highest rank in both her higher secondary and college courses. As a Master’s student, she was among twelve writers selected by the British Council for a residential writing workshop with the Booker Prize winner Bernice Rubens. At e-GMAT, Meghna is a subject matter expert and enjoys engaging with students and answering their queries. She loves working at e-GMAT because she learns something new every day and gets to hang out with awesome people who also think that the GMAT is really fun.

Neeti comes in with a varied educational background. She is an Economics Honors graduate who went on to study TV and Video Production at the prestigious Bournemouth University, UK. That she has a sectional Verbal score of 44 on the official GMAT and that she is a certified ESL tutor who graduated in the top percentile of her class in Cambridge University’s CELTA program, add just the right amount of authority to her work. As a Verbal expert, Neeti has helped numerous GMAT takers cross the V40 barrier.