The presence of mysterious paintings in a cave located outside Columbi

Question

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC2) 
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The presence of mysterious paintings in a cave located outside Columbia, Missouri,  remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying  the images created by ancient residents of the Mississippi Valley.

A) remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying

B) remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began to study

C) remains puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying

D) remains puzzling to archaeologists, beginning in the mid-1980s to study

E) remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s would begin to study

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generis · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC2)

→ The subject is  presence,  singular. (See below)
The verb must therefore be  remains,  not  remain. 
Eliminate A, B, and E
→ Option D contains a disconnected modifier ("beginning . . . ")
The time stamp, "the mid-1980s," indicates that the sentence is describing a completed action in the past, for which a simple past tense verb is typically preferred.
(C) uses such a simple past tense verb  began  and includes a subject ( who ), whereas (D) uses only a present participle,  beginning. 
These participle modifiers (verbING phrases) typically modify the entire previous clause or the subject of that clause.
 Beginning to study  does not logically modify either one.
Eliminate D.
The correct answer is C.

ANALYSIS

• Split #1: subject/verb agreement

The first word in each option provides a big hint about one issue that the question tests.
Options A, B, and E all begin with the plural verb  remain,  whereas options C and D begin with the singular  remains.

Find the subject.
Subjects are often hiding in plain sight; that is, subjects are often followed by prepositional phrases that describe the subject but are not the subject.

This subject is followed by three prepositional phrases.
The presence 
. . . . . . .  of  mysterious paintings 
. . . . . . . . . . .  in  a cave located 
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  outside  Columbia, Missouri

With one very rare exception that you do not need to worry about,  the object of a preposition is never the subject of a sentence.

To find the subject of the sentence, keep moving “backwards” through the prepositional phrases until you find the “main” noun of that noun phrase.

If I strip this part of the sentence, the subject will be easier to see:
The presence  of mysterious paintings in a cave located outside Columbia, Missouri , remain

In this case, the subject is  presence,  singular and must be paired with  remains .

Eliminate options A, B, and E.

→ The verb in option E,  would begin to study,  is incorrect.
Use of the simple past tense is indicated by the time "in the mid-1980s."
"Would begin to study" is typically used 
-- to describe past  habits:  For awhile after I lost my first baby tooth, I would begin to smile, remember the new and unwelcome gap, and cover my mouth.  )
-- in  reporting  statements:  She hoped that the bigots would begin to understand that she would show them no mercy when she cross-examined them during the hate crimes trial.

→ Whether  began  is followed by  to study  or  studying  does not matter. Both are acceptable.

• Split #2: Modifier usage

Option D uses a participle (verbING) phrase after a comma ( beginning in the mid-1980s to study ).
Typically, such ___ING phrases modify the entire previous clause or its subject.
This modifier cannot logically modify either one.
"Beginning in the mid-1980s to study" cannot modify the fact that the presence of mysterious paintings still puzzles archaeologists.
Nor can the phrase modify  the presence .
If  beginning  is supposed to modify  archaeologists , it should not be preceded by a comma (though removing the comma would create a hot mess of a sentence).

Be careful.  
What I have just written about these modifiers is a strong guideline but not a rule etched in stone.
COMMA + ___ING can occasionally modify the preceding noun, as is the case in  this official question. 
Eliminate D

The answer is C.

COMMENTS

Sr1994  , welcome to SC Butler.

Well, these answers are a very good way to ring in a new year.

This Butler crew is really solid. Future aspirants will be helped by your different approaches and different tones.

As always, I encourage new people to join SC Butler.
Don't worry if "your" solution has already been posted.
Post your answer using your own style. 
(Maybe I should do this thing in competition mode?)

Kudos to all.

winterschool · Answer

The presence of mysterious paintings in a cave located outside Columbia, Missouri, remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying the images created by ancient residents of the Mississippi Valley.

A)  remain  puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying  Incorrect

Sv error - The presence singular, remain plural

B)  remain  puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began to study  Incorrect

Sv error - The presence singular, remain plural

C)  remains puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying   Correct 
 
D) remains puzzling to archaeologists,  beginning in the mid-1980s to study   Incorrect

modifier error - beginning wrongly modifies previous clause and changes meaning
 
E)  remain  puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s would begin to study  Incorrect

Sv error - The presence singular, remain plural

ramlala · Answer

Subject - Verb

Presence of - remains,  Eliminate A, B & E

Activity of studing began by archaeoligist, so  who  is appropriate after comma.
 Eliminate D

My Answer C

Sr1994 · Answer

Here, the subject is " Presence ". So, we need " Remains ". Presence is singular.
Eliminate A,B & E.  (Subject Verb Agreement Error - Singular noun--> Singular verb, Plural noun--> Plural Verb)

We are down to C & D. 
Comparing both, C is much more clear. The use of "Who" is referring to "archaeologists". This helps us to understand the sentence more clearly. 
In the option D, beginning is modifying the preceding clause.

Answer C

Sumi1010 · Answer

In the sentence -  The presence  of mysterious paintings in a cave located outside Columbia, Missouri,  remain puzzling to archaeologists. 
the subject is "the presence" ,hence the correct verb will be "remains".

A)  remain  puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying
 the subject is "the presence" ,hence the correct verb will be "remains". 
B)  remain  puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began to study
 the subject is "the presence" ,hence the correct verb will be "remains". 
C) remains puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying
 Correct S-V agreement. The archeologists began studying the painting. 
D) remains puzzling to archaeologists,  beginning  in the mid-1980s to study
 "beginning in the mid-1980s to study" acts as participle modifier and applies to the doer of the preceding clause. However,the presence of the painting  did not begin  the study.  
E)  remain  puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s would begin to study
 the subject is "the presence" ,hence the correct verb will be "remains".

IMO  C

Anuragsharma93 · Answer

IMO C

The Subject is the presence , the plural noun of paintings is part of the prepositional phrase so dont get confused...
Hence Remain is wrong and we need Remains - A/B/E are out

Between C and D - D has ackward construct and C has both parts in past tence and meaning is intact hence C

DinoPen · Answer

The presence of mysterious paintings in a cave located outside Columbia, Missouri,  remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying  the images created by ancient residents of the Mississippi Valley.

The subject is 'The presence' which is singular. Incorrect match of 'remain' (should be remains)
Cross out  A,B,E 
'who' correctly modifies the noun preceding who (archaeologists). 'The presence can't begin something' Cross out  D.
  
 A) remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying

B) remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began to study

C) remains puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s began studying

D) remains puzzling to archaeologists, beginning in the mid-1980s to study

E) remain puzzling to archaeologists, who in the mid-1980s would begin to study

generis · Answer

The official explanation is  here .

The presence of mysterious paintings in a cave located outside Columbi

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

The presence of mysterious paintings in a cave located outside Columbi

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards