Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
gezus wrote:
Many entomologists say that campaigns to eradicate the fire ant in the United States have failed because the chemicals that were used were effective only in wiping out the ant's natural enemies, which made it easier for them to spread.
(A) which made it easier for them
(B) which makes it easier for it
(C) thus making it easier for them
(D) thus making it easier for the ant
(E) thereby, it was made easier for the ant
Concepts tested here: Tenses + Pronouns + Awkwardness/Redundancy• A pronoun and its derivatives can only have one referent in a sentence.
• The simple past tense is used to refer to actions that concluded in the past.
• The simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature.
A:1/ This answer choice incorrectly refers to the singular noun "the fire ant" with the plural pronoun "them".
B:1/ This answer choice incorrectly uses "it" both as a placeholder pronoun and to refer to "the fire ant"; remember, a pronoun and its derivatives can only have one referent in a sentence.
2/ Option B incorrectly uses the simple present tense verb "makes" 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 simple present tense is used to indicate actions taking place in the current time frame, indicate habitual actions, state universal truths, and convey information that is permanent in nature.
C:1/ This answer choice incorrectly refers to the singular noun "the fire ant" with the plural pronoun "them".
D: Correct.1/ This answer choice correctly uses "it" solely as a placeholder pronoun.
2/ Option D avoids the pronoun error seen in Options A and C, as it uses the noun phrase "the ant", rather than a pronoun.
3/ Option D avoids the tense error seen in Option B, as it uses the present participle ("verb+ing" - "making" in this sentence) rather than an active verb.
4/ Option D is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
E:1/ This answer choice uses the passive and needlessly wordy construction "it was made easier for the ant", leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
Hence, D is the best answer choice.To understand the concept of "Simple Tenses" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):
All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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