Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
gmattokyo wrote:
Because there are provisions of the new maritime code that provide that even tiny islets can be the basis for claims to the fisheries and oil fields of large sea areas, they have already stimulated international disputes over uninhabited islands.
(A) Because there are provisions of the new maritime code that provide that even tiny islets can be the basis for claims to the fisheries and oil fields of large sea areas, they have already stimulated
(B) Because the new maritime code provides that even tiny islets can be the basis for claims to the fisheries and oil fields of large sea areas, it has already stimulated
(C) Even tiny islets can be the basis for claims to the fisheries and oil fields of large sea areas under provisions of the new maritime code, already stimulating
(D) Because even tiny islets can be the basis for claims to the fisheries and oil fields of large sea areas under provisions of the new maritime code, this has already stimulated
(E) Because even tiny islets can be the basis for claims to the fisheries and oil fields of large sea areas under provisions of the new maritime code, which is already stimulating
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that the new maritime code provides that even tiny islets can be the basis for claims to the fisheries and oil fields of large sea areas, so the code has already stimulated international disputes over uninhabited islands.
Concepts tested here: Pronouns + Grammatical Construction + Tenses• The present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “has/have”) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present.
• Present participles ("verb+ing" – "stimulating" in this sentence) are used to modify nouns, refer to ongoing events in any time period, and (when preceded by a comma) express cause-effect relationships.
A: This answer choice suffers from pronoun ambiguity, as it is unclear whether “they” refers to "provisions", "islets", "fisheries", and "oil fields". Further, Option A uses the passive voice construction “there are provisions…that provide that”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
B: Correct. This answer choice acts upon the independent subject “it” with the active verb “has already stimulated” to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence. Further, Option B corrects the pronoun errors seen in Options A and D, as it features “the new maritime code” as a clear referent for the pronoun “it”. Additionally, Option B correctly uses the present perfect tense verb “has already stimulated” to refer to an action that concluded in the past but continues to affect the present. Besides, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
C: This answer choice incorrectly uses the present participle phrase “already stimulating” to refer to an action that concluded in the past but continues to affect the present; please remember, present perfect tense (marked by the use of the helping verb “has/have”) is used to describe events that concluded in the past but continue to affect the present, and present participles ("verb+ing" - "stimulating" in this sentence) are used to refer to ongoing events.
D: This answer choice suffers from pronoun ambiguity, as the pronoun “this” lacks a clear referent.
E: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; both “Because even…new maritime code” and “which is already…islands” are dependent clauses, so there are no independent subjects for the verbs “can” and “is already stimulating” to act upon.
Hence, B is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Present Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team