[讨论]新PREP1-174

zhangluE

174.

Often major economic shifts are so gradual as to be indistinguishable at first from ordinary fluctuations in the financial markets.

A. so gradual as to be indistinguishable

B. so gradual so that they can be indistinguishable

C. so gradual that they are unable to be distinguished

D. gradual enough not to be distinguishable

E. gradual enough so that one cannot distinguish them

答案是A

C是不是错在了表达复杂？

因为A项的 so ... as to 不存在主语不一致的问题？

MarilynR

be able/unable to be done错，不能用被动

zhangluE

恍然大悟。。感谢楼上

natalietong

OG 11 SC94中的D选项中的 are be able to be trained同理错误，要被更简洁的can代替，修改为 can be trained。

rosswye

A. so gradual as to be indistinguishable
Generally in Idiom "X...so ...as to be Y", Y refers to X, Which is true in this case. So its not ambiguous. I did not find any other problem so i moved forward.

B. so gradual so that they can be indistinguishable

So...so that.... : Incorrect Idiom : OUT

C. so gradual that they are unable to be distinguished

i found "be" is not required here, If it were 'so gradual that they are unable to distinguish", I would have choosen this, as it is more clear, But again Here it seems like economic shifts are doing some kind of action. Which is awkward.
editor: no. "they are unable to distinguish" is wrong for at least two MAJOR reasons.
first, it would mean that the economic shifts themselves are able to distinguish between things. this is clearly not the meaning of the sentence, nor is it at all reasonable.
second, you'd be left with just "distinguish from X", which is unidiomatic.

D. gradual enough not to be distinguishable
Correct idiom : enough..to.., usage is right here but "not to be distinguishable" is more wordy than indistinguishable. But still I will keep this in my pocket.
editor: i'm not sure whether "enough not to..." is idiomatic. see below.

E. gradual enough so that one cannot distinguish them
Incorrect Idiom : enough...to ?, so Out.

Out of A and D, I found A is more clear, using less Pronoun/Noun than D.
So I choose A.
---get from gmatmanhattan

YINDAPENG

楼上的经典！