OG verbal review # 33
Carbon-14 dating reveals that the megalithic monuments in Brittany are nearly 2,000 years as old as any of their supposed Mediterranean predecessors.
(A) as old as any of their supposed
(B) older than any of their supposed
(C) as old as their supposed
(D) older than any of their supposedly
(E) as old as their supposedly

The correct answer here is (B). (A), (C) and (E) are out coz "2000 yrs as old as" is unidiomatic. But between (B) and (D), shouldn't we pick (D) coz of "supposedly". "Mediterranean" is an adj and so would require an adverb to modify it.

OG verbal review # 49
Reporting that one of its many problems had been the recent extended sales slump in women’s apparel, the seven-store retailer said it would start a three-month liquidation sale in all of its stores.
(A) its many problems had been the recent
(B) its many problems has been the recently
(C) its many problems is the recently
(D) their many problems is the recent
(E) their many problems had been the recent

Similar case here. Correct ans is (A). Wont we need "recently" to describe "extended" which is an adjective. Further, shouldn't "is" be better than "had been".

Rahul,

With adjective/adverb problems such as these, the key is to recognize which word or words the modifier is supposed to describe. Often this can only be done by considering the logical or intended meaning of the sentence.

In #33, the monuments in Brittany are nearly 2,000 years older than those that had previously been dated. Thus, the issue in not whether these monuments are Mediterranean. They are. Rather, the issue is whether the previously dated monuments are actually predecessors. Therefore, the adjective supposed in answer choice B correctly describes the noun predecessors, whereas in choice D the the adverb supposedly incorrectly describes Mediterranean.

Similarly, in #49, it is illogical that a retailer would intentionally extend a sales slump. Yet, by using the adverb recently to describe the adjective extended, choices B and C are doing just that! Answer choice A, the correct answer, properly uses the adjective recent to describe the noun slump. Moreover, the past perfect had been is correct, since it indicates an action that took place prior to when the retailer said (simple past) it would begin a liquidation sale.

-dan