unflinchingSubhs
There seems to be a lot of idiom play ...With Reference/In reference ...anxiety about /anxiety that etc.
How do I get to the correct answer based on meaning and grammar .
GMATNinjaI agree with you unflinchingSubhs. Therefore I would like to present my 2-cents based on grammar and meaning and the experts can chime in as well!
In reference to the current hostility toward smoking, smokers frequently expressed anxiety that their prospects for being hired and promoted are being stunted by their habit.
(A) In reference to the current hostility toward smoking, smokers frequently expressed anxiety that
INCORRECT : If there is a current hostility towards smoking, how can smokers 'expressed their anxiety '? Should this expression not be in a simple present or present progressive to suggest the same?
(B) Referring to the current hostility toward smoking, smokers frequently expressed anxiety about
INCORRECT: Same error as in (A)
(C) When referring to the current hostility toward smoking, smokers frequently express anxiety about
INCORRECT: Grammar and meaning wise this is correct but the about is not a great way to complete this for idiomatic reasons as well as the fact that about is a preposition and not a relative clause modifier.(daagh Sir has also explained this very well) Also using the 'that' from the original sentence preserves its original meaning.
(D) With reference to the current hostility toward smoking, smokers frequently expressed anxiety about
INCORRECT: Usage of past tense and the word about
(E) Referring to the current hostility toward smoking, smokers frequently express anxiety that
CORRECT: The expression of the anxiety of the smokers is in present tense and logically refers to their expression towards the current hostility towards smoking. Moreover that completes the sentence as a relative clause modifier.
Hope this answers your query!