Recent studies suggest that an intake of vitamin E in excess

[CD]

Recent studies suggest that an intake of vitamin E in excess of that found naturally in a balanced diet may actually increase the risk of developing certain illnesses

A.
B. Recent studies suggest that taking vitamin E in excess of that found naturally in a balanced diet actually increases the risk of developing certain illnesses
C. Certain illnesses may be at a higher risk of development if vitamin E is taken in excess of a balanced diet, according to recent studies
D. According to recent studies, the intake of vitamin E, if in excess of that found naturally in a balanced diet, may actually increase developing certain illnesses
E. Vitamin E, recent studies suggest, if in excess of that found naturally in a balanced diet, may actually increase the development risk of certain illnesses

The correct answer is A. My question is, doesn't "that" lack an appropriate antecedent? If "that" = "[an] intake", the phrase would be "in excess of an intake found naturally in balanced diet...". It doesn't seem to me that an intake can be FOUND in a balanced diet.

Any thoughts?

[rfernandez]

You're correct. The referent for "that" is "an intake." This usage of found may sound unfamiliar to you, but in fact it's completely acceptable. Don't think of it as searching for something and finding it, but rather as a feature of a balanced diet. I hope this helps.

Rey

[CD]

You're correct. The referent for "that" is "an intake." This usage of found may sound unfamiliar to you, but in fact it's completely acceptable. Don't think of it as searching for something and finding it, but rather as a feature of a balanced diet. I hope this helps.

Rey

I must not have explained my question adequately. I understand that the use of "found". The question is that as far as I know, an intake of food can't be part of a diet. The food itself is part of the diet.

So for example, it would be correct to say "eggs are part of a healthy diet," but not "eating eggs is part of a healthy diet" or "the intake of eggs is part of a healthy diet."

[Guest]

A. Recent studies suggest that an intake of vitamin E in excess of that found naturally in a balanced diet may actually increase the risk of developing certain illnesses

B. Recent studies suggest that taking vitamin E in excess of that found naturally in a balanced diet actually increases the risk of developing certain illnesses [Changed from indefinite from definite - may actually to actually - eliminate it]

C. Certain illnesses may be at a higher risk of development if vitamin E is taken in excess of a balanced diet, according to recent studies [Changes meaning - eliminate it]

D. According to recent studies, the intake of vitamin E, if in excess of that found naturally in a balanced diet, may actually increase developing certain illnesses [ changes meaning - risk of developing vs. developing certain illnesses - eliminate it]

E. Vitamin E, recent studies suggest, if in excess of that found naturally in a balanced diet, may actually increase the development risk of certain illnesses [ awkward - eliminate it]

Answer: A

[StaceyKoprince]

So, essentially, the sentence is saying "an intake of vitamin E in excess of the intake found naturally in a balanced diet."

I'm debating with myself on this one. I'm going to kick it to our curriculum director for the official word. In the meantime, here's both sides of the argument raging in my head:

#1
If I were trying to convey the info myself, I wouldn't choose to write it exactly this way. For example, I might prefer "an intake of vitamin E in excess of the intake that occurs naturally in a balanced diet." I don't have that option, though, and it's not unusual at all for a correct answer (especially to a harder question) to be something that I would never write myself in the real world. But it can be grammatically correct even if the construction is unusual or awkward.

When I say that something can be found in a healthy diet, I don't have to literally talk about the food item that I'm eating. I can talk about the more fundamental components - and vitamins are certainly fundamental components of the foods we eat.

So, when I'm eating a normal balanced diet without supplementary vitamin pills, I have some intake of vitamin E - or just a certain level of vitamin E that I'm ingesting. I can talk about the level of vitamin E found naturally in a balanced diet. Intake is just a variant (though as I said, I agree it sounds awkward - I'd rather say level, if I were saying it personally).

#2
An "intake" isn't part of the diet itself; rather, it's the process for ingesting the vitamin (or whatever). It would be more appropriate to say that the vitamin is found in the normal diet, or to talk about the levels found in the normal diet.

[christiancryan]

I can read it those same two ways as you, Stacey. It seems to me that the noun "vitamin E" itself is the slightly more natural antecedent:

"Recent studies suggest that an intake of vitamin E in excess of THE VITAMIN E found naturally in a balanced diet..." You find physical things in your diet.

But I see the argument for "intake" as the antecedent as well, although I too would probably want to rephrase the "that found naturally" part.

I don't think that this possible ambiguity is necessarily grounds for disqualifying (A), though. If a reference can be read in two slightly different ways, but they mean the same thing (or essentially the same thing), then the sentence can still be correct. For example, consider #105 in the 11th edition. In correct answer choice (A), the "which" clause technically could be referring to "a technique called proton-induced X-ray emission," or the clause could be referring ONLY to "proton-induced X-ray emission." However, these technically different references yield exactly the same meaning.

Now, our question isn't quite as clear: the two readings do differ ever so slightly in meaning (is it "the vitamin" itself that is found in the diet, or is it the "INTAKE of the vitamin" that is found in the diet?). But -- perhaps surprisingly for a grammar hound like me (that is, "such as I") -- I don't think that the difference really matters. More importantly, I think that the GMAT would probably feel the same way.

Hope that makes sense!

[Everything OR Nothing]

I want to know what is wrong with B.?

The Manhattan explanation says,(B) The phrase "actually increases" has a stronger meaning than the author intended - that high vitamin E consumption "may actually increase" certain risks.


How are we so sure about the author's intention ?(whether he wanted to say for sure or with some doubt by using the word "may")

[jlucero]

I want to know what is wrong with B.?

The Manhattan explanation says,(B) The phrase "actually increases" has a stronger meaning than the author intended - that high vitamin E consumption "may actually increase" certain risks.


How are we so sure about the author's intention ?(whether he wanted to say for sure or with some doubt by using the word "may")

Because of the first part of the sentence: a study suggests.

A study suggests that Vitamin C may prevent scurvy.
A study suggests that Vitamin C prevents scurvy.

Both are ok.

A study suggests that Vitamin C actually prevents scurvy.

This is too strong after the soft suggestion. Call this an idiomatic difference and memorize it.