Researchers have discovered a new species of sparrow that lives only in cypress groves, almost wholly dependent on the berries of a certain type of vine that grows on cypress trees and whose coloring is completely different from all other sparrows.

1) that lives only in cypress groves, is almost wholly dependent on the berries of a certain type of vine that grows on cypress trees, and has coloring completely different from that of
2) that lives only in cypress groves, almost wholly dependent on the berries of a certain type of vine that grows on cypress trees, and whose coloring is completely different from that of
Explanation given by MGMAT:

The original sentence intends to identify a sparrow by the fact that it lives in cypress groves, eats certain berries, and has certain coloring. All these facts about the sparrow must be presented in parallel form. However, in the original sentence, these facts are presented in different forms. We need to find a choice that presents them all in parallel fashion. Moreover, "whose coloring is different from all other sparrows" is incorrect. The sparrow's coloring is different from the coloring of other sparrows, not from the sparrows themselves. We need to find a choice that makes this clear.



MGMAT says 1) above is the correct answer. However I find nothing wrong with choice 2) above. The statements (coloured in RED) in choice 2) above fits the explanation part (also coloured RED). Would be nice if you could explain why 1) is better than 2)

1) that lives only in cypress groves, is almost wholly dependent on the berries of a certain type of vine that grows on cypress trees, and has coloring completely different from that of
2) that lives only in cypress groves, almost wholly dependent on the berries of a certain type of vine that grows on cypress trees, and whose coloring is completely different from that of

Hi Augith,

I have found another reasoning

Do you find the phrase 'almost wholly dependent on the berries of a certain type of vine that grows on cypress trees'
modifying sparrow?

To me this phrase, may modify researchers or sparrow

But if we include "is" in this phrase, making it a clause. Then, we solve the problem

that lives only in ... is almost wholly dependent on the...has coloring...



you can correct me if you find this reasoning wrong
Also, it would be great if MGMAT staff can put some light on this as well as other recent queries ( :wink: including mine, which is there with no replies for the last three days)

regards
rajan

Hi, guys - traffic has been very high lately, so we have been a bit behind. We're only allocated one hour of paid time a day to answer questions, so it's tough to get through everything, even though we all end up donating an extra half hour or hour on our assigned days because we want to help you guys. So just be patient when traffic spikes - we'll get to you when we can! :)

The second answer choice listed breaks parallelism, as rajan noted. It basically says "that (a) lives, (b) almost wholly dependent and (c) whose coloring is. We don't have three parallel parts of speech there, as we do in the first answer choice listed above (that (a) lives, (b) is, and (c) has).

Remember that, for properly constructed lists, you should be able to finish the sentence with each separate item on the list. In this sentence, the list starts after the word "that":

Researchers have discovered a new species of sparrow that lives only in cypress groves
Researchers have discovered a new species of sparrow that almost wholly dependent on the berries of a certain type of vine that grows on cypress
Researchers have discovered a new species of sparrow that whose coloring is completely different from that of all other sparrows.

The second and third sentences don't work.