An international convention regulating trade in endangered

Question

An international convention regulating trade in endangered species, especially bears and tigers,  could be significantly weakened were it not for restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species, warn conservation and animal welfare groups .

A) could be significantly weakened were it not for restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species, warn conservation and animal welfare groups.
B) could be significantly weakened if restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species aren't eased, warn conservation and animal welfare groups.
C) couldn't be significantly weakened without restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species being eased, warn conservation and animal welfare groups.
D) can't be significantly weakened if restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species are eased, warn conservation and animal welfare groups.
E) could be significantly weakened if restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species are eased, warn conservation and animal welfare groups.

Futuristic · Answer

E, though I'm really sleepy and took a lot of time over it.

dwivedys · Answer

An international convention regulating trade in endangered species, especially bears and tigers, could be significantly weakened were it not for restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species, warn conservation and animal welfare groups. 

A) could be significantly weakened were it not for restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species, warn conservation and animal welfare groups. 
B) could be significantly weakened if restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species aren't eased, warn conservation and animal welfare groups. 
C) couldn't be significantly weakened without restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species being eased, warn conservation and animal welfare groups. 
D) can't be significantly weakened if restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species are eased, warn conservation and animal welfare groups. 
E) could be significantly weakened if restrictions on captive breeding of endangered species are eased, warn conservation and animal welfare groups.

"Could be significantly weakened were it not for restrictions on captive breeding" is different than "could be significantly weakened if restrictions on captive breeding ARE EASED"

E creates a cause-effect relationship whereas the original sentence says that the convention would have been weakened had the restrictions not been there.

My choice is A.

OA please..

u2lover · Answer

I pick A as it doesn't mess with the meaning of whether restrictions are or are not good for the convention... what a mind bender :drunk

Futuristic · Answer

I think you guys are really good. I forgot to check for sentence meaning in my sleepy frame of mind at 4am. Anyway I came back to look at this and the difference is quite subte.

"If it were not for x, there would be no Y."

This means that the existence of Y mandates the existence of X, or X is necessary for Y. In simple logic, this can be interpreted as:-

^x => ^y
TF y=>x

sperinko · Answer

Is it (B). I suppose the sentence is supposed to mean that unless the international convention eases restrictoins on captive breeding, the convention is unlikely to be a hit .

shoonya · Answer

E for me. makes the meaning very clear in not so twisted words.
what's the OA?

jaynayak · Answer

Will go with E.

The animal groups are warning people of something. 
IMO you have to show something drastic or predict something drastic for the warning to be effective. 

E does that.
A just makes a statement that the international convention will b weakened, but it is not beacuse of restrictions on captive breeding.

E - the groups warn that if the restrictions on captive breeding is eased, the convention will be weakend.

If you read carefully, the meanings of A and E are different.

buzzgaurav · Answer

OA is E.

An international convention regulating trade in endangered

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