Medical researchers, who have identified a genetic abnormality in pare

Question

Medical researchers, who have identified a genetic abnormality in parents of children with Down's syndrome,  which they believe, instead of the age of the mother, may be  the cause of this congenital birth defect.

(A) which they believe, instead of the age of the mother, may be

(B) which, they believe, may be more important than the age of the mother as

(C) believe this abnormality and not the age of the mother as being

(D) believe that this abnormality, other than how old the mother is, may be

(E) believe that this abnormality, rather than the age of the mother, may be

PTK · Answer

I go for E. see may explanations below: please reveal the OA. kudos are appreciated a lot

AliciaSierra · Answer

Hello Mike,

I am confused between option D & E. How to eliminate option D. 
D says, other than age 
E says, rather than age

Both can be correct option if we go meaning wise.

sayantanc2k · Answer

The phrase "other than" means "except" - this meaning does not make any sense in this sentence.

daagh · Answer

Medical researchers, who have identified a genetic abnormality in parents of children with Down's syndrome,  which they believe, instead of the age of the mother, may be  the cause of this congenital birth defect.

(A) Which they believe, instead of the age of the mother, may be ---  First, this is a fragment. There is no verb for the subject searchers. Second, 'they' could refer to the researchers or the parents or in a weird way the children also .

(B) Which, they believe, may be more important than the age of the mother as? ----  This is also a fragment as in A with no verb for researchers. Second the same pronoun reference problem with 'they'

(C) Believe this abnormality and not the age of the mother as being ---  as being is superfluous

(D) believe that this abnormality, other than how old the mother is, may be --  other than may also mean apart from, in which case, the intended meaning is distorted.

(E) Believe that this abnormality, rather than the age of the mother, may be --  The best

Shiv2016 · Answer

Medical researchers, who have identified a genetic abnormality in parents of children with Down's syndrome, which they believe, instead of the age of the mother, may be the cause of this congenital birth defect.

Error:
1) comma+which refers to the noun just before it and thus in this sentence comma+ which incorrectly refers to Down's syndrome. Comma+ which must refer to genetic abnormality.
2) Also this sentence is a fragment as there is no verb for medical researchers.
3) Correct idiom is: believe that

(A) which they believe, instead of the age of the mother, may be
(B) which, they believe, may be more important than the age of the mother as
(C) believe this abnormality and not the age of the mother as being
(D) believe that this abnormality, other than how old the mother is, may be
(E)  believe that this abnormality, rather than the age of the mother, may be

Bunuel · Answer

KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

The problem with the original sentence is that it subordinates everything, making it a sentence fragment. It needs to complete the primary clause, the one that begins with Medical researchers, in order to have something to which other parts of the sentence (such as who have identified... syndrome) can be subordinated. If you pay attention to the meaning of the sentence, you can see that the sentence wants to emphasize the genetic abnormality more than the mother's age. Therefore, instead of the age of the mother can remain a subordinate clause, but which they believe cannot. Eliminate (A) and (B). When comparing the remaining options, you can eliminate (C) because believe this abnormality... as being is grammatically incorrect and certainly inferior to believe that this abnormality... may be. (E) is better than (D) because rather than is more idiomatic and precise than other than. (E) is the answer.

apovit · Answer

Hi,
I have a doubt with option C believe this abnormality and not the age of the mother as being(usage of as being has already been declared wrong,with which i completely agree)
But, the usage "abnormality and not the age of the mother" seems to be wrong and shouldn't it be "abnormality not the age of the mother" be correct as per the grammar rules. 
Please clarify.

NRJ11090 · Answer

In A and B : which refers to Down’s syndrome whereas it should actually refer to the genetic abnormality. Hence A and B are incorrect. 
C : as being the cause is incorrect
D : other than how old the mother is - wordy 
E: correct

Posted from my mobile device

VerbalBot · Answer

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Medical researchers, who have identified a genetic abnormality in pare

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Medical researchers, who have identified a genetic abnormality in pare

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