batchgmat Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Rivaling the pyramids of Egypt or even the ancient cities of the Maya as an achievement, the army of terra-cotta warriors created to protect Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, in his afterlife is more than 2,000 years old and took 700,000 artisans more than 36 years to complete them. A. took 700,000 artisans more than 36 years to complete them B. took 700,000 artisans more than 36 years to complete it C. took 700,000 artisans more than 36 years to complete D. 700,000 artisans took more than 36 years to complete E. to complete them too 700,000 artisans more than 36 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatit Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 A,E can be eliminated - usage of "them" for army which is singular. Rephrasing the sentence - "The army is more than 2000 years old and took....." The army didn't take x number of artisans. Wrong meaning. B,C can be eliminated. I choose D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safazal Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Would go with C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shud Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 I think D is better. But a comma is missing after artisans. ...army is more than 2,000 years old and 700,000 artisans, took more than 36 years to complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zahuruddin Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 D seems to be correct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbharti Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 D is the one as in C i could get the feel that the artisans were more 36 years (of age).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boddy Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Would go with D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batchgmat Posted May 16, 2006 Author Share Posted May 16, 2006 The OA is B. I was having a hard time between B & C. I don't think D is correct. Consider the stripped down version of the sentence: The army of terra-cotta warriors...is more than 2,000 years old...and 700,000 artisans took more than 36 years to complete. That doesn't sound right to me..Any other thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
800Bob Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 OA is wrong. Correct response is C. ... army ... is more than 2,000 years old and took ... more than 36 years to complete. Choice B is wrong because of the superfluous "it." Examples Gould's most recent book, "The Structure of Evolutionary Theory" (2002), is a 1433-page opus that took him more than 20 years to complete. Susanna Clarke admits that her first novel took her more than 10 years to write. The letter, of just 250 or so Chinese characters, took her more than two hours to compose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatit Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 800Bob: Could you please explain how to neatly eliminate D. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batchgmat Posted May 16, 2006 Author Share Posted May 16, 2006 Thanks, 800Bob! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjaacc Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 C is clear choice of me. D just doesn't "sound" right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatit Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 C is clear choice of me. D just doesn't "sound" right It might just sound right on the day of the test. I am hoping for a more concrete rule-based answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fØrti Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 agree with C "them" usage is wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catchamogh Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 ya..my pick is C too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maverick312 Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Imo C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rays28 Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 D is wrong - think it this way 'it is more than 2000 years old and (it) took 700,000 artisans more than 36 years to complete' is correct in C. In D, 'it is more than 2000 years old and (it) 700,000 artisans took more than 36 years to complete', isn't it awkward? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edros Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I think B is correct. The terra cotta army is more than 2000 years old and took 700,000 artisans more than 36 years to complete it. With out the 'it' at the end I could say something like this: The terra cotta army is more than 2000 years old and 50 feet high. (you are describing the army) But when you add another verb 'took' to the description you must reference a pronoun..if you do not...you have to ask yourself: What took 36 years to complete? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbawannabe Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I think competition is between B & D. B. The X was created to protect Qin in his afterlife is more than 2,000 years old and took many artisans more than 36 years to complete it. D. The X was created to protect Qin in his afterlife is more than 2,000 years old and took many artisans more than 36 years to complete We can all agree that the above sentence provides two clauses but there is no subject in 'D' in the second clause, So, 'B' is a better choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
check.stone Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 If you disagree with a guy named 800Bob who's quoting Stephen Jay Gould and you're posting for the very first time, it probably behooves you to examine your approach and answer. His explanation and examples are pretty good by the way. Also, the sentence seems to indicate that what took 36yrs to complete is the terra cotta army. Maybe you're overthinking this one just a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edros Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 check.stone, Forums are meant to solicit everyone's opinion. Just because I only have one post does not infer that I know nothing. It 'behooves' you to assume. Anyways, here are some more things to make everyone think. I have to admit upon first glance, I would definitely choose 'C'. I may be looking into to this too deeply. But here are my thoughts. 800Bob's examples are close but not exact comparisons to this particular example The book took him more than 20 years to complete. (Everyone knows you can complete a book) The letter took her more than two hours to compose. (Everyone knows that you can compose a letter) In the passages below, what does complete reference? Maybe the 'terra-cotta army' is a description for an actual army (i.e. 'red army') the army took 700,000 artisans 36 years to complete it or the army took 700,000 artisans 36 years to complete (complete what?) In this reference...did the army need 700,000 artisans to be completed; is the army made up of 700,000 artisans? This is a tough question...maybe the simpler answer of 'C' is correct...I really don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
check.stone Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 The terra cotta army is an archaeological find, like a pyramid. The confusion stems from the fact that "soldiers" are what make up the monument. Try treating the entire army as a pyramid and the soldiers as the steps, it will be clearer. You happened to post after I read through a series of other posts by people on the board who seem to disregard discussions leading up to the correct OA, then proceed to write down their incorrect choice using wrongheaded reasoning in spite of everything discussed before their posts. Far more people fall into this group on the verbal side than on the math. They think BSing is somehow all right on verbal - just take a stab - when the same thing would be laughable on math and is the exact reason why they do poorly on verbal in the first place. I have no problems with thoughtful but incorrect posts, but thoughtfulness also requires giving due consideration to what others had to say before. There's a big difference between asking after the discussion why an answer choice is wrong as opposed to plunking down the incorrect choice as the answer after a discussion has already led to the OA. Here again, you did the lformer; only I'd already come across a whole bunch of the latter just before I came across you. Since study time is precious, these time-wasters do get on my nerves. My hit rate on math is around 85% and I can tell who I can learn from on the math posts. I started off with a 90 hit rate on verbal so a board like this may not be the place to improve on that. I'm coming around to that conclusion, but it does behoove a board to keep its discussions on a high level. When the level drops off, it bores or annoys people who can answer the questions, driving them off and leaving the rest to grope in the dark. As you can see, I don't come from the all questions are good questions, you're ok I'm ok school of thought. Opinions are like orifices as the saying goes. I don't want to read every opinion any more than I care to see every orifice. You're obviously a thoughtful guy so good luck with the GMAT. There are a lot smart people on the board, and a good many of them are a lot smarter and more patient than I am. But the reaon you'll see someone announce a high score after hardly having posted on this board is precisely because this board can get to be a waste of time for the high scorers. A lot of these thoughts really needed to be posted earlier, but where? Sorry you got to be the one to take the hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edros Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 check.stone thanks for the reply.....I agree totally with you! Maybe I did need to take my first hit to get me warmed up. I am 37 yr old IT Engineer just beginning to study for this GMAT. I assumed I would ace the Math and have to put in a lot of time on the verbal, but it has been quite the opposite. I was very surprised to find out that my verbal skills over the past 15 years have increased compared to my math skills decreasing. I was a Math major in college and definitely need to brush up on the math more than the verbal. I wish you all the luck and keep posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
check.stone Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 edros, i think you'll kill on the test. you'll no doubt answer a few of my questions in the next couple of months. stay warm there in the windy city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zico10 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 check.stone, so what is the answer, are you suggesting that C is the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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