The American Heart Association has documented that the fatty

True, but taken in consideration with an upsurge in smoking, the factors must be represented in the plural verb "were."

(C) stands.

^ E ^

"The American Heart Association has documented that the fatty and highly processed foods of the basic American diet, along with the upsurge in smoking among women, was.."

>>Foods should be considered singular here.

When we say "along with ..", it does not make the subject plural:

Jane, along with Mary, is drinking coke.

>> Also we need "warns"

Nice call Selene. I overlooked the usage of "along."

Should be (E)

Diet is singular. Foods are just a constituent of the diet.

the subject is Foods so that it should be followed by plural.

Very good question.

thourgh "and" comes between fatty and highly processed foods it is stil;la singular.

"Along with" also suggests that we need to look for a singular verb.

I will go for E

I think C too.

--The plural subject is "foods".. requres "were", a Plural verb.
-- X, along with Y, was/were --> takes the verb of X because "along with" doesn't form compound subject. Egs:

giddi77, along with others, was confused by Prof's question
The GMATClub SC experts, along with giddi77, were confused by Prof's question

-- Also ...American Heart Association .... needs warns.....

It should be "C"

I was almost about to jump to "E"

Very good question!

Agree with C too. What is the OA?

'C' it is. S/V agreement .

The American Heart Association has documented that the fatty and highly processed foods of the basic American diet, along with the upsurge in smoking among women, were key factors in the increasing proportion of women who died from heart disease beginning in the 1950’s, and warns that recent increases in smoking among teenage girls show that the fashion for healthier living has not entirely reversed the deleterious trends of a half-century ago.

OA is C. well explained, so no need of OE.

The American Heart Association has documented that the fatty and highly processed foods of the basic American diet, along with the upsurge in smoking among women, were key factors in the increasing proportion of women who died from heart disease beginning in the 1950’s, and warn that recent increases in smoking among teenage girls show that the fashion for healthier living has not entirely reversed the deleterious trends of a half-century ago.


A) were key factors in the increasing proportion of women who died from heart disease beginning in the 1950’s, and warn that
Incorrect. [singular subject] [singular verb], [modifier], and [plural verb]
B) that are the key factors in the increasing proportion of women who died from heart disease beginning in the 1950’s, and warn that
Incorrect. that X and Y that (missing verb)
C) were key factors in the increasing proportion of women who died from heart disease beginning in the 1950’s, and warns that
Correct.
D) that is the key factor in the increasing proportion of women who died from heart disease beginning in the 1950’s, and warns that
Incorrect. Same as B.
E) was a key factor in the increasing proportion of women who died from heart disease beginning in the 1950’s, and warns that
Incorrect. that X and Y [singular verb].

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