Verbal problems from the *free* official practice tests and
problems from mba.com
ivonnecy
Forum Guests
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:59 pm
 

The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by ivonnecy Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:10 pm

Source from PREP
The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for the year, largely because it was profitable only overseas, where much of their profits were used for paying higher taxes, while continuing to lose money in North America.
  (A) where much of their profits were used for paying higher taxes, while continuing
  (B) where much of their profits went to pay higher taxes, as they continued
  (C) where much of its profit went to pay higher taxes, while it continued
  (D) with much of their profits going to pay higher taxes, while continuing
  (E) with much of the profit used for paying higher taxes, as it continued

First, I aware that we should not use their and they here, it is the computer company, so A\B\D are gone. And I do feel that, in choice E, the usage of "with *** profits used for doing" is not so good.
But i don't know, technically, why this usage is wrong?

Second, if we replace their in choice A with its, will the new choice A be right?

Any instructors, pls.
Thanks in advance!
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by RonPurewal Wed Oct 23, 2013 12:55 pm

I don't think "with" is problematic.
Idiomatically, it should be "used to pay", because the profits were directly used to pay the taxes.
("Used for __ing" is more indirect. E.g., My father uses this chair for watching television, but my father uses his eyes to watch television.)

Second, if we replace their in choice A with its, will the new choice A be right?


Don't edit GMAC's sentences. Your hands are full enough with what's there.

In that case, you've still got the issue of "for __ing".
ivonnecy
Forum Guests
 
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:59 pm
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by ivonnecy Wed Oct 23, 2013 1:09 pm

RonPurewal Wrote:I don't think "with" is problematic.
Idiomatically, it should be "used to pay", because the profits were directly used to pay the taxes.
("Used for __ing" is more indirect. E.g., My father uses this chair for watching television, but my father uses his eyes to watch television.)

Second, if we replace their in choice A with its, will the new choice A be right?


Don't edit GMAC's sentences. Your hands are full enough with what's there.

In that case, you've still got the issue of "for __ing".


many thanks!
I always don't know how to distinguish for doing & to do. Sometimes they just both work! Both means a purpose.
If I happen to have this dilemma in my GMAT real test, should I look for other splits rather than keep myself stick at this issue? Or choose to do since it is more direct as you say.
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by RonPurewal Thu Oct 24, 2013 11:55 am

ivonnecy Wrote:many thanks!
I always don't know how to distinguish for doing & to do. Sometimes they just both work! Both means a purpose.
If I happen to have this dilemma in my GMAT real test, should I look for other splits rather than keep myself stick at this issue? Or choose to do since it is more direct as you say.


Yeah, there should be something else.

If you have to guess, then, statistically, you're probably better off guessing "to ___" than "for ___ing". But there are also plenty of instances in which "for ___ing" is right.

It's extremely unlikely that this split will be necessary in a problem. You'll most likely be able to find something else to look at.
Suapplle
Forum Guests
 
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:48 pm
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by Suapplle Wed Nov 20, 2013 10:00 am

Hi, Ron, I don not understand the intended meaning of the original sentence.in choice (A),"while" means "at the same time" or "contrast"? Thanks in advance.
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by RonPurewal Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:00 am

Suapplle Wrote:Hi, Ron, I don not understand the intended meaning of the original sentence.in choice (A),"while" means "at the same time" or "contrast"? Thanks in advance.


Well, if it's both, then even better!

The part before "while" describes a profitable operation. The part after "while" describes an operation that's losing money. So, contrast.
Also, these things are happening at the same time.
So, "while" is just the most perfect word ever invented for this context.
Suapplle
Forum Guests
 
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:48 pm
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by Suapplle Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:56 am

RonPurewal Wrote:
Suapplle Wrote:Hi, Ron, I don not understand the intended meaning of the original sentence.in choice (A),"while" means "at the same time" or "contrast"? Thanks in advance.


Well, if it's both, then even better!

The part before "while" describes a profitable operation. The part after "while" describes an operation that's losing money. So, contrast.
Also, these things are happening at the same time.
So, "while" is just the most perfect word ever invented for this context.

great explanation,I get it,thank you very much,O(∩_∩)O~
thanghnvn
Prospective Students
 
Posts: 711
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:09 pm
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by thanghnvn Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:27 am

ivonnecy Wrote:Source from PREP
The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for the year, largely because it was profitable only overseas, where much of their profits were used for paying higher taxes, while continuing to lose money in North America.
  (A) where much of their profits were used for paying higher taxes, while continuing
  (B) where much of their profits went to pay higher taxes, as they continued
  (C) where much of its profit went to pay higher taxes, while it continued
  (D) with much of their profits going to pay higher taxes, while continuing
  (E) with much of the profit used for paying higher taxes, as it continued

First, I aware that we should not use their and they here, it is the computer company, so A\B\D are gone. And I do feel that, in choice E, the usage of "with *** profits used for doing" is not so good.
But i don't know, technically, why this usage is wrong?

Second, if we replace their in choice A with its, will the new choice A be right?

Any instructors, pls.
Thanks in advance!


"where..." in choice a,b and c is a relative clause, that must refer to a place. we do not have a place. "oversea" is adverb, to which "where..." clause can not refer.

a,b,c are out.

E is correct?
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by RonPurewal Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:32 am

thanghnvn Wrote:"where..." in choice a,b and c is a relative clause, that must refer to a place. we do not have a place. "oversea" is adverb, to which "where..." clause can not refer.

a,b,c are out.

E is correct?


"Overseas" refers to a physical location, so you're fine here. (The correct answer is C.)

"Where" is not restricted to describing nouns.
eggpain24
Forum Guests
 
Posts: 137
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:32 pm
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by eggpain24 Thu Aug 07, 2014 4:46 pm

HI, instructors

Is it “as” and "while" an effective split here?

I think "while" simultaneously conveys 1. contrast 2. simultaneous action

but "as" is much more inferior in this question ?

also,
I think the problem in "D" is the presence of "their", is there another other split I miss in choice D?
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by RonPurewal Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:26 am

eggpain24 Wrote:HI, instructors

Is it “as” and "while" an effective split here?

I think "while" simultaneously conveys 1. contrast 2. simultaneous action

but "as" is much more inferior in this question ?


"While" is somewhat better, for basically the exact reason you wrote here: it indicates contrast, whereas "as" does not.

Still, "as" is not actually incorrect, so this is the sort of thing you should save for last—as a guessing method—if necessary.
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by RonPurewal Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:26 am

also,
I think the problem in "D" is the presence of "their", is there another other split I miss in choice D?


I'm confused by this question. How can a single answer choice contain a "split"?

"Split" means "a difference between answer choices". It makes no sense to talk about "splits" unless you're discussing two or more choices.
gmatkiller_24
Students
 
Posts: 103
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:33 pm
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by gmatkiller_24 Thu May 28, 2015 3:04 pm

Hi, Ron:

Can we eliminate E because of incorrect usage of modifier.

in choice E,

the usage of with should modify the preceding parts, offering some extra information.

But the usage does not make sense, because the non-underlined part talks about losses, and the with part talks about the usage of profit. ( it shouldn't serve as a modifier to the non-underlined part since there is no logical relationship there)

if the analysis above is incorrect, then how should we eliminate choice E much more confidently? Thanks in advance.
RonPurewal
Students
 
Posts: 19744
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by RonPurewal Mon Jun 01, 2015 5:31 pm

that's the right idea. (note that the modifier doesn't really make sense with "it was profitable only overseas", either, since the "with" modifier is not about geography.)
qianruS779
Students
 
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2014 4:40 am
 

Re: The computer company registered a $16 million net loss for

by qianruS779 Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:36 pm

Usage of much is not correct for the choices A, B and D, should it be many?

Thank you for confirmation!

Best, Song