Though viewed from a distance, Saturn's main rings

[reshma_menghani]

Though viewed from a distance, Saturn's main rings may appear to be smooth and continuous, they are in fact composed of thousands of separate icy ringlets when viewed up close.


(a) Though viewed from a distance, Saturn's main rings may appear to be smooth and continuous, they are in fact composed of thousands of separate icy ringlets when viewed up close.
(b) Though Saturn's main rings may appear smooth and continuous when viewed from a distance, they are in fact composed of thousands of separate icy ringlets when viewed up close.
(c) Saturn's main rings, when viewed from a distance, may appear to be smooth and continuous, though when viewed up close they are in fact composed of thousands of separate icy ringlets.
(d) When viewed from a distance, Saturn's main rings may appear smooth and continuous, but closer viewing reveals them to be composed of thousands of separate icy ringlets.
(e) Though composed of thousands of separate icy ringlets if viewed up close, the main rings of Saturn may appear smooth and continuous when they are viewed from a distance.
The original sentence introduces the main clause with "though viewed from a distance", which establilshes the expectation of a contradiction that never materializes. For example, "Though sleepy, the child stayed awake" is correct, whereas "Though sleepy, the child may have eaten soup" is not. Also, "when viewed up close" is placed in such a way as to illogically suggest that the rings are composed of icy ringlets as a result of being viewed up close. Finally, "appear to be" is redundant.


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

(B) This choice incorrectly introduces the main clause with "though." Additionally, the placement of "when viewed up close" illogically suggests that the rings are composed of icy ringlets as a result of being viewed up close.

(C) This choice incorrectly uses the redundant phrase "appears to be." Additionally, the use and placement of the words "when viewed up close, they are . . ." illogically suggests that the rings are composed of icy ringlets as a result of being viewed up close.

(D) CORRECT. This choice replaces "though" with "when" and shortens "appear to be" to "appear." Further, its use of the phrase "closer viewing reveals" clearly indicates that the close viewing only reveals (not causes) the composition of the rings.

(E) This choice incorrectly introduces the main clause with "though." Additionally, the placement of "if viewed up close" illogically suggests that the rings are composed of icy ringlets as a result of being viewed up close.

I'm not sure why I cannot use choice b. It seems like using though in this case should make sense.

Reshma :)

[dbernst]

Reshma, the problem with B is more an issue of clarity of meaning than one of grammatical construction. By stating they are in fact composed of thousands of separate icy ringlets when viewed up close, the sentence is implying that the rings are composed of something else when viewed from far away. Obviously, this is not a possibility, as rings are rings and are thus composed of the same material no matter the distance from which they are viewed.

Hope that helps!
-dan[/i]

[reshma_menghani]

Dan, I understand what you said. It make sense.
However the answer key says the following for choice b....
This choice incorrectly introduces the main clause with "though."
So whatever you said is true. However, I don't understand why the answer
key said that i cannot use though. Because from what it seems by reading the sentence,
I should be able to....

please help

reshma menghani :(

[JadranLee]

Hi Reshma,

You're right. The use of "though" is fine in (B). There seems to have been an editing mistake, which will be corrected shortly.

Thanks,

Jad

[reshma_menghani]

thank you :wink:
you guys are awesome

[sid090188]

I agree with the error in b.But I still dont think that d should be the answer because 'When..............,but closer viewing reveals them to be'

This is awkward.Isnt it. This should be closer viewing reveals that.....So d does not seem to be the correct answer then.

[tim]

first --
OFFICIALLY CORRECT ANSWERS ARE CORRECT!
do not question officially correct answers!
far too many students on this forum make the mistake of questioning the correct answers; please note that doing so is a complete waste of your time and effort. i.e., exactly 0% of the time that you spend posting "isn't this official answer wrong?" is productive, and exactly 100% of that time is wasted.

"is this correct?" is never a productive question to ask about one of GMAC's correct answers. the answer is always yes.
"is this wrong?" / "is this X type of error?" is never a productive question to ask about one of GMAC's correct answers. the answer is always no.

instead, the questions you should be asking about correct official answers, if you don't understand them, are:
"why is this correct?"
"how does this work?"
"what understanding am i lacking that i need to understand this choice?"



There is nothing wrong with an answer choice sounding "wordy" or "awkward". In fact, I have NEVER seen a GMAT problem for which the only way to eliminate an answer is awkwardness. If you ever use the phrase "wordy and awkward" (or anything else that sounds similar) to explain your reasoning on a SC question, you have done something wrong. If you are willing to eliminate an answer choice because it is awkward, you may end up eliminating the correct choice. There is ALWAYS a real reason why SC answer choices are wrong, and "wordy and awkward" is NEVER that reason. Please note that if you read an explanation that uses the words "awkward" or "wordy", that explanation is wrong - EVEN IF IT IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE OFFICIAL GUIDE.

[Harshdeeps795]

Hi Manhattan Team

I am sorry that I had to reopen this discussion page. I understand that Option B has a meaning issue, and that it is incorrect. However, when I was eliminating the answer choices, I eliminated D because of the phrase ", but closer viewing reveals them to be composed of thousands of separate icy ringlets". Now, I am not doubting the correct answer choice, but just confirming that our Manhattan strategy guide does not represent such a construction for the word REVEAL in the idiom chapter. It mentions the following:

CORRECT:The analysis REVEALED THAT the comet WAS mostly ice.
SUSPECT:The analysis REVEALED the comet WAS mostly ice.
WRONG: The analysis REVEALED the comet TO HAVE BEEN mostly ice.

Honestly, I found the construction in Option D very similar to the last representation even though verb forms are different. Plus, the initial reading of the choice suggested that closer viewing reveals something to Saturn Rings themselves.

I hope that you will help me to understand the nuances involved here. Thanks

[Harshdeeps795]

Hey can some one from the team please answer the question or atleast let me know if its not viable for them. I have been waiting on this please. Thanks

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

Sorry for the delay here. If you post again, then the thread goes to the back of the queue. Plus it looks like a question from our CATs, so it's in the wrong category.

Thanks for your clear question. I can say that the construction in the correct answer- 'reveals them to be composed' is the same as the third construction in the idiom, albeit with a present rather than past infinitive. This looks like an inconsistency in our materials - I will notify our curriculum team. Nice work!