The Quechuans believed that all things participated in both the materi

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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that many individual Quechuans claimed to have made direct contact with the mystical layer of reality by using an ichana (dream) experience.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Pronouns + Awkwardness/Redundancy

• For referring to the method by which an action is done, “by” is preferable to “through”.

A:
1/ This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "with an ichana (dream) experience"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that many individual Quechuans claimed to have made direct contact with the mystical layer of reality alongside an ichana (dream) experience; the intended meaning is that many individual Quechuans claimed to have made direct contact with the mystical layer of reality by using an ichana (dream) experience.
2/ Option A suffers from pronoun ambiguity, as the pronoun "it" could refer to both "the material level" and "the mystical level".

B:
1/ This answer choice suffers from pronoun ambiguity, as the pronoun "it" could refer to both "the material level" and "the mystical level"

C: Trap.
1/ This answer choice uses the needlessly indirect phrase "have contact...directly", leading to awkwardness.
2/ Option C uses "through" to refer to the method by which many Quechuans made contact with the mystical level; remember, for referring to the method by which an action is done, “by” is preferable to “through”.

D: Correct.
1/ This answer choice uses the phrase "by means of an ichana (dream) experience", conveying the intended meaning - that many individual Quechuans claimed to have made direct contact with the mystical layer of reality by using an ichana (dream) experience.
2/ Option D avoids the pronoun ambiguity seen in Options A and B, as it uses no pronouns.
3/ Option D uses the preferred term "by" to refer to the method by which many Quechuans made contact with the mystical level.
4/ Option D is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.

E:
1/ This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "due to an ichana (dream) experience"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that many individual Quechuans claimed to have made direct contact with the mystical layer of reality because an ichana (dream) experience existed; the intended meaning is that many individual Quechuans claimed to have made direct contact with the mystical layer of reality by using an ichana (dream) experience.
2/ Option E uses the needlessly indirect phrase "have contact directly", leading to awkwardness.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team