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In D, "a long period" makes the sentence singular and that is why "have" is incorrect.
In C , "long periods" is plural and the option contains "has". INCORRECT.

We will follow proximity rule here.
That is why the ans. is A.
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There's no singular/plural issue here. The correct usage is "this has" or "this can have."

There's nothing particularly correct about making "periods" plural or including "own." Also, I've never seen an official GMAT problem in second person ("you"). I don't think we can say this has an "official" answer.
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This cannot be an official GMAT question .I have not encountered any convincing grammatical /logical factor which makes a or c or d , different from one another.
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The use of pronouns “that” and “this” should refer to a noun. In this example “this” refers to an action, which is incorrect.

Therefore, I chose E.


Based on the below read on uses of “that”:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/gmat-sent ... s-of-that/

Any color from experts would be helpful. Please let me know if my thought process is wrong.

Thanks,
Syed

Posted from my mobile device
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This question is debatable. OA cannot be A. it has to be D
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Any satisfactory explanation for this question yet ?

Feedback: Choice (B) is wrong as it uses your mind in the beginning but one’s later, which in continuation with the rest of the sentence would read one behaviour. Hence, two different pronouns will be used for the same person. Choices (C) and (E) replace ‘this can’ by ‘this has’. This introduces an element of certainty, which is absent in the original sentence. Choice (D) is idiomatically wrong in using for a long period. Choice (A) is the best option.

However I cannot understand why Long periods v/s a Long period explanation.
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Is this possible to meet dangling "this" in correct answer choice on real GMAT problem? I strongly believe that this is not the case. Is there any OG examples, in which "this" stands by itself?
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