ตัวอย่างข้อสอบ gmat FAULTY PARALLELISM

_{FAULTY PARALLELISM}

For a sentence to be parallel, similar elements must be expressed in similar form.

When two adjectives modify the same noun, they should have similar forms.

Example:

The topology course was both rigorous and a challenge.

Since both rigorous and a challenge are modifying course, they should have the same form:

The topology course was both rigorous and challenging.

When a series of clauses is listed, the verbs in each clause must have the same form.

Example:

During his trip to Europe, the President will discuss ways to stimulate trade, offer economic aid, and trying to forge a new coalition with moderate forces in Russia.

In this example, the first two verbs, discuss and offer, are active. But the third verb in the series, trying, is passive. The form of the verb should be active:

During his trip to Europe, the President will discuss ways to stimulate trade, offer economic aid, and try to forge a new coalition with moderate forces in Russia.

When the first half of a sentence has a certain structure, the second half should preserve that structure.

Example:

To acknowledge that one is an alcoholic is taking the first and hardest step to recovery.

The first half of the above sentence has an infinitive structure, to acknowledge, so the second half must have a similar structure:

To acknowledge that one is an alcoholic is to take the first and hardest step to recovery.

Example:

This century began with war brewing in Europe, the industrial revolution well-established, and a nascent communication age.

(A) war brewing in Europe, the industrial revolution well-established, and a nascent communication age.
(B) war brewing in Europe, the industrial revolution surging, and a nascent communication age.
(C) war in Europe, the industrial revolution well-established, and a nascent communication age.
(D) war brewing in Europe, the industrial revolution well-established, and the communication age beginning.
(E) war brewing in Europe, the industrial revolution well-established, and saw the birth of the communication age.

Choice (A) is incorrect. Although the first two phrases, war brewing in Europe and the industrial revolution well-established, have different structures, the thoughts are parallel. However, the third phrase, and a nascent communication age, is not parallel to the first two.

Choice (B) does not make the third phrase parallel to the first two.

Choice (C) changes the meaning of the sentence: the new formulation states that war already existed in Europe while the original sentence states that war was only developing.

Choice (E) is not parallel since the first two phrases in the series are noun phrases, but saw the birth of the communication age is a verb phrase. When a word introduces a series, each element of the series must agree with the introductory word. You can test the correctness of a phrase in a series by dropping the other phrases and checking whether the remaining phrase agrees with the introductory word. In this series, each phrase must be the object of the preposition with:

This century began with war brewing in Europe

This century began with the industrial revolution well-established

This century began with saw the birth of the communication age

In this form, it is clear the verb saw cannot be the object of the preposition with.

Choice (D) offers three phrases in parallel form. The answer is (D).