2 questions from an actual Toefl exam!!! Help plzz

**harbinger** · 09-13-2002, 12:00 AM

HI all,

The following questions are from a PBT Toefl exam held on August 2001.

18.[Because] the diamond is the hardest [naturally] substance, it is used in industry for [to cut], grinding, and boring other [hard]materials.

No doubt, the answer is [to cut], it should be "cutting". But I am wondering why it isn't "naturally".??.
I have read a definition of diamond, where the noun phrase "the hardest naturally occurring substance" is used. I guess maybe in the given Toefl question, the copier forgot the word "occurring". That is the reason explaining why there are 2 solutions for only 1 Toefl question. But that is just my guess. :o

20. [Being] chemical compounds, minerals have [characteristic] shapes and colors, [whereas] do [rocks not].

What is wrong here? I guess [rocks not], but I am wondering why "do" is not changeable. That means this is a verb subject inversion structure. Hummm, I don't understand, and come more confused...[xx(]

Help me to solve them please!

Thanks

**atnoon** · 09-13-2002, 01:43 AM

Hi Harbinger!

Originally posted by harbinger

HI all,

The following questions are from a PBT Toefl exam held on August 2001.

18.[Because] the diamond is the hardest [naturally] substance, it is used in industry for [to cut], grinding, and boring other [hard]materials.

No doubt, the answer is [to cut], it should be "cutting". But I am wondering why it isn't "naturally".??.
I have read a definition of diamond, where the noun phrase "the hardest naturally occurring substance" is used. I guess maybe in the given Toefl question, the copier forgot the word "occurring". That is the reason explaining why there are 2 solutions for only 1 Toefl question. But that is just my guess. :o

Yes, "to cut" is wrong. It should be "cutting".
For "naturally", maybe the word "occuring" disappeared as you said. If the Toefl didn't want to mention "occuring", "the hardest naturally subtance" would be "the naturally hardest subtance" or "the hardest natural subtance". Anyway, I feel "the hardest naturally subtance is o.k. At least it mistake less obvious than "to cut".

20. [Being] chemical compounds, minerals have [characteristic] shapes and colors, [whereas] do [rocks not].

What is wrong here? I guess [rocks not], but I am wondering why they keep "do" not changing. That means it is a verb subject inversion structure. Hummm, I don't understand, and come more confused...

I don't know where is wrong here too

. This sentence is a comparation between minarals and rocks, right? Minerals and rocks are the subject of this sentence. Let see this:
http://www.TestMagic.com/Knowledge_B.../inversion.htm

see item 4. comparatives. In the right most column, it state that
We normally only have inversion here if we are comparing subjects of the verb, not objects. For example, in the following two sentences, we are comparing objects, carrots and potatoes, not the subject I.:.......

So, "do rocks not" is o.k. here, right?

Hope I don't misunderstand any thing[|)]
At noon

**chaiyachoti** · 09-13-2002, 01:58 AM

Hi Harbinger,

18.[Because] the diamond is the hardest [naturally] substance, it is used in industry for [to cut], grinding, and boring other [hard]materials.

I think like you. Naturally should be natural.
But I still wonder whether ETS would make such a mistake.

20. [Being] chemical compounds, minerals have [characteristic] shapes and colors, [whereas] do [rocks not].
As far as I understand, I have never seen that whereas is used with the subject verb inversion pattern. Maybe it should be as.

However, if it is an inversion pattern, I still wonder whether we should change the position of rocks not to not rocks .

HTH.
HTH

**harbinger** · 09-13-2002, 09:03 AM

Originally posted by chaiyachoti

Hi Harbinger,

18.[Because] the diamond is the hardest [naturally] substance, it is used in industry for [to cut], grinding, and boring other [hard]materials.

I think like you. Naturally should be natural.
But I still wonder whether ETS would make such a mistake.

Thank all for your help!
Chaiyachoti! I don't think this is a mistake of ETS. I think this is the mistake of the copier. I downloaded this test from http://downdowndown.net, and I am not sure about the reliablity of it.