[quote="ashishd"]Several senior officials spoke to the press on condition
that they not be named in the story.
(A) that they not be named
(B) that their names will not be used
(C) that their names are not used
(D) of not being named
(E) they will not be named
I will explain why choice d is wrong.
on (the)condition +that clause. the meaning is something is required. in this pattern, subjuntive mode is required.
but if some thing is required, we can use "on condition of something". we will go to the beach on condition of good weather. this sentence is the same as " we will go to the beach on condition that whether be good". so, the same meaning and two pattern is used.
but why choice D , using the correct pattern "on condition of somthing" is wrong. this case is what gmat like to test, the case that the pattern is correct but the meaning is wrong.
"not being named " is unclear . who is not being named? we can not say that the officials refers to "being named". of course, in many patterns, being or doing refer to the noun in the sentence . for example.
not passing gmat, I can not get in to Havard.
in this pattern, grammatically, not passing refers to "I".
but in our pattern in choice D, grammatically, being name can not refer to official and so, the meaning is unclear.
the following could be corect.
the condition of not naming the participant is required.
this is correct because naming refer to general action and should not refer to anyone.