Eaten in the Mediterranean countries, northern Europeans viewed the to

Question

Eaten in the Mediterranean countries,  northern Europeans viewed the tomato with suspicion, for they  assumed it had poisonous properties because of its relationship to deadly nightshade.

(A) northern Europeans viewed the tomato with suspicion, for they
(B) northern Europeans were suspicious of the tomato, and they
(C) the tomato was viewed with suspicion by northern Europeans, who
(D) the tomato was suspicious to northern Europeans, and it was
(E) the tomato was viewed with suspicion by northern Europeans, it being

abhishekdadarwal2009 · Answer

Eaten in the Mediterranean countries, northern Europeans viewed the tomato with suspicion, for they assumed it had poisonous properties because of its relationship to deadly nightshade.

(A) northern Europeans viewed the tomato with suspicion, for they 
Eaten is modifying the noun which is exactly after the comma and in this case 'northern europeans' and this is logically wrong (i hope they were not actually eaten.. hehehe)
 (B) northern Europeans were suspicious of the tomato, and they 
Same wrong structure as above
 (C) the tomato was viewed with suspicion by northern Europeans, who 
Correct structure and modificaion
 (D) the tomato was suspicious to northern Europeans, and it was 
change in meaning because the point of view was filled with suspecion
 (E) the tomato was viewed with suspicion by northern Europeans, it being  
being is wrong here.

MayankSingh · Answer

Ans C 
Eaten in the Mediterranean countries, northern Europeans viewed the tomato with suspicion, for they assumed it had poisonous properties because of its relationship to deadly nightshade.

(A)  northern Europeans  viewed the tomato with suspicion, for they--------Eaten in the Mediterranean countries" referring to Tomato not northern europeans
(B)  northern Europeans  were suspicious of the tomato, and they-----------Same as A
(C)  the tomato was viewed with suspicion by northern Europeans, who -----Modifiers Ok... Clause 1 modify tomato & Who - European refer
(D)the tomato was suspicious to northern Europeans, and  it was ---- Correct version should be "it was assumed to have "
(E) the tomato was viewed with suspicion by northern Europeans,  it being  ----- "it being assumed it has" wrong....

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The error in this question is the use of a misplaced modifier. The construction of the given sentence has the absurd implication that ‘northern Europeans were eaten in the Mediterranean countries’, whereas what the author obviously means is that the tomato was eaten in Mediterranean countries. So, the underlined portion must start with the phrase ‘the tomato’ and not with ‘northern Europeans’.

So, both (A) and (B) can be eliminated on this consideration.

The phrase in (D) “ the tomato was suspicious to northern Europeans” does not make sense, and can be eliminated.

(C) has the phrase ‘northern Europeans who assumed’  and (D) has the phrase ‘northern Europeans, it being assumed’. Of these, the former is much clearer and neater, and must be preferred as the answer.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Eaten in the Mediterranean countries, northern Europeans viewed the to

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Eaten in the Mediterranean countries, northern Europeans viewed the to

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