Source: Gmat Prep, mba.com, Test II

So-called green taxes, which exact a price for the use of polluting or nonrenewable fuels, are having a positive effect on the environment and natural resource base of countries as varied as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.

a. Same as above
b. as varied as are
c. as varied as those of
d. that are as varied as
e. that are varied as are

Just wondering if d. was incorrect for any other reason other than being longer than a. Please advise. Thank you![/u]

Not really - just redundant b/c you don't need "that are."

There is nothing wrong with A...Very simple and concise

There's a very subtle difference in meaning, although Stacey is correct that the main issue is that of redundancy/wordiness. But consider the difference between these two sentences, which would illustrate the point:
(1) I get mail from cities as far away as Providence.
(2) I get mail from cities that are as far away as Providence.

If I'm in San Francisco, then sentence #2 means, strangely enough, that I get mail from cities that are all exactly 3,082 miles away (the distance from SF to Providence). Sentence #1 implies no such thing.

Similarly, the wrong answer (D) seems to imply that EACH country is somehow as 'varied' as EACH other country. That's not the intended meaning, which is that the SET of countries is varied.

If I try to "trim" the sentence, I see
...green taxes...are having a...effect on ... base of countries as varied as China, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
By looking at A, I am confused what are being compared.
The green taxes of different countries are varied? Or The effects of green taxes in different countries are varied? Or the environment and natural resource bases of different countries are varied?
By putting C back to the sentence, the sentence kind of means that the green taxes of different countries are varied.
Won't C be a better choice?
Thanks in advance.

there's no ambiguity.

if i say:
wow! i've never seen a pumpkin as big as that one!
the only possible meaning is that i've never seen a pumpkin whose size is greater than or equal to x, where x is the size of the pumpkin i'm currently contemplating. in other words, 'as big as that one' is a modifier that modifies 'pumpkin' (and not any of the words that come before it).

same deal in this sentence, just with a lot more words thrown in.

Why dont we need the "are" here ??

Please explain.

Thanks
Anon

The phrase "as varied as" indicates some kind of comparison, so what are you comparing? What is it that is actually varying here? The noun 'countries" before the phrase and the three specific countries listed after the phrase. When you're comparing, you need the things you're comparing in parallel format.

So: "countries" on one side and "China, the Netherlands, and Hungary" on the other. Proper, parallel comparison.

Hi,

In the above example why can't we interoret the sentence as


Green taxes,....., are having a positive effect on the environment and natural resource base of countries as varied as the environment and natural resource base of China, the Netherlands, and Hungary

Why is option c. as varied as those of wrong ?

Is there as rule that as..x...as will refer only to the immdiate noun, in that case my doubts are cleared if not then I am confused.. PLease help