SAT Writing Question

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1

<p>Mainly through the efforts of Jane Goodall, apes were revealed to be not blundering, primitive automatons, but beings with (as complex and subtle social lives like us).
(A) as complex and subtle social lives like us
(B) complex and subtle social lives just like us
(C) as complex and subtle social lives as us
(D) social lives complex and subtle just as ours
(E) social lives as complex and subtle as ours</p>

<p>I chose B at first. I saw it compared "beings" (the apes) with "us" (human beings). Can't one say:
"They are hard-working just like us"
"They play with strategy just like us" </p>

<p>The answer is E, btw.</p>

2

<p>for B to be correct, it would have to say “ours” not “us” because that word is modifying “social life”</p>

3

<p>OP asked me to comment on this question.</p>

<p>Here is your proposed sentence if you choose (B):</p>

<p>Mainly through the efforts of Jane Goodall, apes were revealed to be not blundering, primitive automatons, but beings with complex and subtle social lives just like us.</p>

<p>As maxkim points out, the contrast here is intended to be between apes’ social lives and our social lives, not precisely between their social lives and “us.” So “us” should be “ours.” </p>

<p>I expect you are imagining that “just like us” modifies the entirety of the preceding clause rather than “social lives.” Here is one example of such syntax:</p>

<p>Just like Bob, Sally loves to go for long walks in the volcano.</p>

<p>Let’s move “Just like Bob” to the end of the sentence.</p>

<p>Sally loves to go for long walks in the volcano, just like Bob.</p>

<p>When this clausal modification exists, we must offset the phrase with a comma, whether it is at the beginning or end of a sentence. Choice (B) doesn’t use a comma, so it’s wrong. Another problem with choice (B) from this perspective is that the case of the object of “like” must be in the same case as the subject of the adjacent clause, i.e., the subjective case. In this example, “Bob” must be in the subjective case in order to agree with “Sally,” which is the subject of “loves.” </p>

<p>“Bob” doesn’t visibly inflect between cases, because it’s a proper noun. “Us,” however, does. In the question at hand, “us” does not agree in case with “apes” because “apes” is the subject of “were revealed.” The subjective alternative is “we.” </p>

<p>Therefore, one may write</p>

<p>Mainly through the efforts of Jane Goodall, apes were revealed to be not blundering, primitive automatons, but beings with complex and subtle social lives, just like we.</p>

<p>But this present a secondary issue. “just like we” in its fully explicated form is “just like we [were revealed to be not blundering, primitive automatons, but beings with complex and subtle social lives]”. This phrase also exists under the modification of “Maily through the efforts of Jane Goodall.” Jane didn’t reveal the complexity of humans’ social lives; no one questions their complexity or subtlety. So the sentence would be illogical at that point, though sound from a technical standpoint.</p>

<p>I hope this helps.</p>

4

<p>"Mainly through the efforts of Jane Goodall, apes were revealed to be not blundering, primitive automatons, but beings with (complex and subtle social lives just like us). "</p>

<p>Like is a preposition, and shouldn’t it therefore be followed by a noun in the objective case? “Like we” sounds very weird. So, saying “but beings with complex and subtle lives just like us” remains valid in that regard?</p>

<p>On the logical argument, I would disagree. I think the subordinate clause “Mainly through the efforts of Jane Goodall” is true, affecting the entire sentence. But to me, that doesn’t stop the writer from comparing “beings”(apes) with humans. “Mainly through the efforts of Jane Goodall, apes were revealed to be beings with complex and subtle social lives like human beings.” I think that makes sense in that she revealed the similarity that exists between humans and apes. Example where similar comparison is considered legit (in my opinion):
“Because of science’s contributions, we discovered new metals in out-of-reach areas unlike those discovered earlier.” Logic should tell us that “new metals” are being compared to “those”, and not “areas” being compared to “those”. </p>

<p>I think that technically and reasonably, the person who wrote that sentence may be comparing “beings” with humans.</p>