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Investigations along the Solo river in Indonesia have led some archeologists to debunk the idea of an era in which Homo Erectus had still survived in then Homo Sapiens’ inhabited areas.
(A) in which Homo Erectus had still survived in then Homo Sapiens’ inhabited areas
(B) in which Homo Erectus still survived in areas inhabited by Homo Sapiens
(C) when Homo Erectus still survived where there were areas inhabited by Homo Sapiens
(D) when Homo Erectus had still survived in current Homo Sapiens areas
(E) when Homo Erectus still survived in areas that were then Homo Sapiens’
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this problem; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that there was an era in which Homo Erectus still survived in areas inhabited by Homo Sapiens.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Modifiers + Tenses + Awkwardness/Redundancy• The simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
• The past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past".
• "when" is only used to refer to a point in time.
A:1/ This answer choice incorrectly uses the past perfect tense verb "had survived" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past, and the past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past"; the use of past perfect tense is incorrect here, as the two actions - "survived" and "inhabited" - take place at the same time.
2/ Option A uses the passive and needlessly wordy construction "then Homo Sapiens’ inhabited areas", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
B: Correct.1/ This answer choice uses the phrase "areas inhabited by Homo Sapiens", conveying the intended meaning - that there was an era in which Homo Erectus still survived in areas that
were at the time inhabited by Homo Sapiens.
2/ Option B correctly uses "in which" to refer to the noun "era".
3/ Option B correctly uses the simple past tense verb "survived" to refer to one of two actions that concluded in the past and took place at the same time.
4/ Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
C:1/ This answer choice incorrectly refers to the noun "era" with "when"; remember, "when" is only used to refer to a point in time, and an "era" is a span of time.
2/ Option C uses the passive and needlessly wordy construction "where there were areas inhabited by Homo Sapiens", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
D:1/ This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "in current Homo Sapiens areas"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that there was an era in which Homo Erectus still survived in areas that
are now inhabited by Homo Sapiens; the intended meaning is that there was an era in which Homo Erectus still survived in areas that
were at the time inhabited by Homo Sapiens.
2/ Option D incorrectly refers to the noun "era" with "when"; remember, "when" is only used to refer to a point in time, and an "era" is a span of time.
3/ Option D incorrectly uses the past perfect tense verb "had survived" to refer to an action that concluded in the past; remember, the simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past, and the past perfect tense (marked by the use of helping verb "had") is used when a sentence contains two actions in the past; the helping verb "had" is used with the action in the "greater past"; the use of past perfect tense is incorrect here, as the two actions - "survived" and "inhabited" - take place at the same time.
4/ Option D uses the needlessly indirect phrase "current Homo Sapiens' area", leading to awkwardness.
E:1/ This answer choice incorrectly refers to the noun "era" with "when"; remember, "when" is only used to refer to a point in time, and an "era" is a span of time.
2/ Option E uses the passive and needlessly wordy construction "that were then Homo Sapiens’", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
Hence, B is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
To understand the concept of "Past Perfect Tense" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team