Gmat Prep Verbal Sentence Correction

[tdm]

Whereas lines of competition are clearly defined in the more established industries, in the Internet industry they are blurred and indistinct, as companies that compete one day may be partners the next. (Gmat Prep verbal section)

A. Whereas lines of competition are clearly defined in the more established industries, in the Internet industry they are blurred and indistinct, as companies that compete
B. Although the lines of competition are clearly defined in industries that are more established, they are blurred and indistinct in the Internet industry, as competing companies
C. The lines of competition are clearly defined in the more established industries, unlike the Internet where they are blurred and indistinct, as companies that compete
D. Unlike more established industries, where the lines of competition are clearly defined, they are burred and indistinct in the Internet industry, as companies that compete
E. Unlike more established industries, with clearly defined lines of competition, those of the Internet industry are blurred and indistinct, as competing companies

Hi, can anyone explain the choice between A and B? Which is better?

[thanghnvn]

B is wrong because "one day" can not modify a noun "companies". "one day" must modify a verb, like "compete". relize the role of each entity in the sentence is key

[RonPurewal]

That is the issue.

If you see the order of elements in a sentence switched between choices, think about WHAT DESCRIBES WHAT ELSE.
In making this decision, you may need to look at non-underlined words that are adjacent to the words undergoing the switch.

Here, some answer choices contain "competing companies". Others contain "companies that compete", switching those two elements.
This distinction should call your attention to the neighboring phrase "one day""”which can only sensibly describe competition, not the companies themselves.

[gauravtyagigmat]

Hi Ron,

I marked B as Ans,thinking that Although is followed by lines of competion..after subordinate clause next clause is started with they... so I thought they is correctly refering to "lines of competition"
which is not the case in option A
"Whereas....industries" is followed by "in the internet industry"....
so i thought lines of competition is wrongly compared with in the internet industry...

As this kind of construction appears in correct ans please explain why "lines of competition " is not compared with "in the internet industry" in option A

Unlike X , Y (X and y need to be same type ) as unlike is preposition hence x and y has to be noun

Whereas x, y (whereas(subordinate conjunction) is also used for contrast the why Y need not to be same)

[gauravtyagigmat]

Hi... instructors please answer my question

[gauravtyagigmat]

Hi instructors..
Is this forum blocked...Where should i post my question (posted above) to get answer

thanks
Gaurav

[RonPurewal]

There is no problem with the beginning of choice B. The problem is at the end of that choice.

Immediately following the underline is "...one day". One day describes the competition, not the companies. (They compete one day, but cooperate the next.)
Choice B fails there.

If this seems like "a small issue", note that the order of "companies" and "compet(e/ing)" is reversed at the end of each answer choice. That's a pretty clear signal that you should be paying attention to what happens there.

[RonPurewal]

Hi... instructors please answer my question

Remember how things work here. We answer questions in order, from oldest to newest, within each folder.

When you write things like this... you're making your post into the NEWEST post. In other words, you're sending it all the way to the back of the queue again.
Whoops.

[RonPurewal]

Hi instructors..
Is this forum blocked...Where should i post my question (posted above) to get answer

thanks
Gaurav

... and then all the way to the back of the queue again.

Please have patience; we answer the questions as soon as we feasibly can. (Ironically, if you aren't patient, you'll need to have more patience, because you'll keep sending your posts back to the end of the queue.)

[gauravtyagigmat]

There is no problem with the beginning of choice B. The problem is at the end of that choice.

Immediately following the underline is "...one day". One day describes the competition, not the companies. (They compete one day, but cooperate the next.)
Choice B fails there.

If this seems like "a small issue", note that the order of "companies" and "compet(e/ing)" is reversed at the end of each answer choice. That's a pretty clear signal that you should be paying attention to what happens there.

thanks for reply....
I understand that issue in option B

But i still want to know that in correct ans
why "lines of competition " is not compared with "in the internet industry" as "in the internet industry" immediatly follows whereas X.....,"in the internet industry"

Whereas x, y (whereas(subordinate conjunction)) is also used for contrast
in which X and Y has to be same type

Unlike X , Y (X and y need to be same type ) as unlike is preposition hence x and y has to be noun

[jlucero]

There is no problem with the beginning of choice B. The problem is at the end of that choice.

Immediately following the underline is "...one day". One day describes the competition, not the companies. (They compete one day, but cooperate the next.)
Choice B fails there.

If this seems like "a small issue", note that the order of "companies" and "compet(e/ing)" is reversed at the end of each answer choice. That's a pretty clear signal that you should be paying attention to what happens there.

thanks for reply....
I understand that issue in option B

But i still want to know that in correct ans
why "lines of competition " is not compared with "in the internet industry" as "in the internet industry" immediatly follows whereas X.....,"in the internet industry"

Whereas x, y (whereas(subordinate conjunction)) is also used for contrast
in which X and Y has to be same type

Unlike X , Y (X and y need to be same type ) as unlike is preposition hence x and y has to be noun

Difference between unlike/whereas:
Unlike must compare nouns
Whereas must compare clauses

In the correct answer choice, we're not comparing prepositional phrases, we are comparing clauses:

Whereas lines of competition are clearly defined (in the more established industries), (in the Internet industry) they are blurred and indistinct...

This would be similar to:

Whereas John is crazy on his vacations, at his house he is prim and proper.

[gmatkiller_24]

Hi instructors..
Is this forum blocked...Where should i post my question (posted above) to get answer

thanks
Gaurav

... and then all the way to the back of the queue again.

Please have patience; we answer the questions as soon as we feasibly can. (Ironically, if you aren't patient, you'll need to have more patience, because you'll keep sending your posts back to the end of the queue.)

Hi, Ron.

I saw this problem being discussed in other forums and other instructors chose choice A.

http://www.beatthegmat.com/sc-whereas-l ... 81352.html

Can you make a comment on their POEs?

No disrespect, just a little bit confused about two radically different explanations~

[RonPurewal]

i'm confused. is anyone saying the answer is something other than A?

[RonPurewal]

in any case, "comment on other instructors' POEs" is not a fair request--not least since that question has no discernible focus (i.e., it's impossible to tell what, specifically, you are actually trying to ask about).

[RonPurewal]

...and now i'm even more confused, because you wrote "instructors" and "POEs" -- both plural -- but you've provided only one link, at which can be found only one post by one instructor.

help me out a bit here, since now i can't figure out either
1/ what you're specifically asking
and
2/ whose words you're asking about.