tia2112 wrote:
The spokeswoman for the national laboratory announced that, while the lab had been operating at a loss in the 1990s, it had become profitable in 2006, and would continue to yield high profits at least until 2025.
(A) had been operating at a loss in the 1990s, it had become profitable in 2006, and would continue
(B) had been operating at a loss in the 1990s, although becoming profitable in 2006, and will continue
(C) had been operating at a loss in the 1990s, it became profitable in 2006, continuing
(D) operated at a loss in the 1990s, becoming profitable in 2006, then would continue
(E) operated at a loss in the 1990s, becoming profitable in 2006, and continuing
Magoosh Official Explanation:The first verb,
to operate, refers to a past event (in the 1990s), so that should be past perfect in indirect speech. This is correct in
(A) – (C). The second verb,
to become profitable, is also in the past (2006), so this also should be past perfect in indirect speech: only
(A) has this correct. The final event,
to continue to yield, refers to the future, so this should be the hypothetical future, “
would continue to yield“, which
(A) & (B) & (D) have correct. All three verbs should remain in parallel: it is not correct to change some to participles, as
(C) & (E) do.
The only possible answer is (A).From Sequence of Tenses on GMAT Sentence Correction