1st CAT - verbal - Spicy Foods question

by **jonas** Fri Feb 01, 2008 6:17 am

Question (from first free ManhattanGMAT CAT test.):
The reason that certain spicy foods, such as the Habanero pepper, makes some people sweat is because they contain a chemical that stimulates the same nerve endings in the mouth as does a rise in temperature; this stimulation sometimes results in the activation of certain biological cooling mechanisms, one of which is perspiration.

1. The reason that certain spicy foods, such as the Habanero pepper, makes some people sweat is because they contain a chemical that stimulates the same nerve endings in the mouth as does a rise in temperature
2. The reason that certain spicy foods, such as the Habanero pepper, makes some people sweat is that these foods contain a chemical that stimulates the same nerves in the mouth like a rise in temperature
3. Certain spicy foods, such as the Habanero pepper, make some people sweat because they contain a chemical that stimulates the same nerves in the mouth like a rise in temperature does
4. The reason that certain spicy foods, such as the Habanero pepper, make some people sweat is that these foods contain a chemical that stimulates the same nerves in the mouth and on the tongue as does a rise in temperature
5. The reason that certain spicy foods, such as the Habanero pepper, make some people sweat is because they contain a chemical that stimulates the same nerves in the mouth as does a rise in temperature

Answer:
There are three errors in the sentence. First, the plural subject "foods" does not agree with the singular verb "makes." Second, the pronoun "they" has an ambiguous referent: it could refer either to "foods" or "people." Third, "the reason X is because Y" is redundant.

(A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.

(B) The plural subject "foods" does not agree with the singular verb "makes." In addition, it is not clear to what "a rise in temperature" is being compared; a clearer and more logical comparison is "a chemical that stimulates ... as does a rise in temperature."

(C) The pronoun "they" has an ambiguous referent: it could refer either to "foods" or "people." In addition, the clause "a rise in temperature does" should be introduced by "as" rather than "like," which, in this context, should be used to introduce a noun. The correct forms of the idiom are "X behaves like Y," "X behaves as Y does", or "X behaves as does Y."

(D) CORRECT. The choice corrects all three errors in the original sentence. The plural "foods" agrees with the plural "make." The ambiguous "they" is replaced by "these foods," and the redundant construction "the reason X is because Y" is gone.

(E) The pronoun "they" has an ambiguous referent: it could refer either to "foods" or "people." In addition, the clause "the reason X is because Y" is redundant. The correct forms of the idiom are "X is because Y" and "the reason X is Y."

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The problem is that correct answer mentions 'the same nerves in the mouth and on the tongue'. The problem is that tongue is not mentioned in the original sentence therefore it modifies the meaning of the question and cannot be correct answer. If we consider tongue as part of the mouth, then sentence repeats the same information tongue=mouth. Or is it a typo ? ....

by **StaceyKoprince** Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:27 pm

I have no idea why the right answer suddenly inserts "on the tongue" although it's not in the original sentence or any of the other answers! We do occasionally have to insert a new word to make something grammatically correct, but this instance doesn't qualify. I'll forward to our curriculum director. :)

by **christiancryan** Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:50 pm

Good catch -- those words "and on the tongue" should not have been in the correct answer. They've been removed.