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I understand all the other answers except [E] are incorrect.
But ..
[E] Similarities across 200 genes related to hearing and deafness discovered ...

What I have learnt is Verb-ed modifiers can modify only preceding noun or noun phrase.
Here "deafness" is the nearest noun and obviously "discovered" does not modify it.
So I assume discovered modifies "Similarities across..." the entire noun phrase.
But shouldn't there be a comma before "discovered" ?
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I understand all the other answers except [E] are incorrect.
But ..
[E] Similarities across 200 genes related to hearing and deafness discovered ...

What I have learnt is Verb-ed modifiers can modify only preceding noun or noun phrase.
Here "deafness" is the nearest noun and obviously "discovered" does not modify it.
So I assume discovered modifies "Similarities across..." the entire noun phrase.
But shouldn't there be a comma before "discovered" ?

There is a precedence of essential modifier over other modifiers. You cannot place the modifier "across 200 genes related to hearing and deafness ". This modifier has to be next to similarities to suggest what do we mean by similarities. hence, we can place discovered after this modifier.
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what is the first "that were" referring in the main statement?
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what is the first "that were" referring in the main statement?


THAT WERE is referring to SIMILARITIES
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Similarities across 200 genes related to hearing and deafness that were discovered in new research have yielded proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that were evolving independently of but convergent with the sonar hearing capabilities for which bats are well known.

[A] that were discovered in new research have yielded proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that were evolving independently of but

that were discovered in new research yields proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that were evolving independently of but also

[C] having been discovered in new research have yielded proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that were evolving independently of but

[D] discovered in new research yields proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, evolving independently but also

[E] discovered in new research have yielded proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that evolved independently of but

Source: GMAT Free

Official Explanation



Creating a filter: supposing that we can't find a defect in the original sentence, we can head to the answer choices.

Finding objective defects: choices (D) and (E) begin in a more succinct manner than (A) and (B), and they are equally clear. Choices (D) and (E) also allow us to avoid using "that were" twice in the sentence, which was creating awkwardness. So (A) and (B) are out. Answer choice (C) uses the more elaborate "having been discovered" without need. So (C) is out and we focus on (D) and (E). There are number of differences between them. One difference will do the trick if we are fully confident in it. "New research" indicates that something has happened recently, and for that "have yielded" in (E) is accurate. "Yields" would imply what we are talking about is generally the case, contrary to what's implied by the phrase "new research."

[b]The correct answer is (E).
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In A and B "that" at the beginning of the underlined part is incorrect. This is because the sentence wants to tell similarities discovered have yielded proof. However, with that, meaning changes to hearing and deafness discovered have yielded proof. So these can be eliminated.

In C having been discovered is wrong.

In D discovered and evolving does not make sense.

E has no errors and so is the right answer

Similarities across 200 genes related to hearing and deafness that were discovered in new research have yielded proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that were evolving independently of but convergent with the sonar hearing capabilities for which bats are well known.

[A] that were discovered in new research have yielded proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that were evolving independently of but

that were discovered in new research yields proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that were evolving independently of but also

[C] having been discovered in new research have yielded proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that were evolving independently of but

[D] discovered in new research yields proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, evolving independently but also

[E] discovered in new research have yielded proof of echolocation capabilities in cetaceans, including dolphins, that evolved independently of but

[b]Posted from my mobile device
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