Shree9975 wrote:
chetan2usouvik101990Isnt their in option D ambiguos.??
It shouldn't be the right answer choice.
Am i correct??
hi
Shree9975,
Visitors to the Rodin Museum have often examined the enormous sculpture The Gates of Hell and saw figures clawing at the gates, whose eyes and mouths gape like black holes in the universe.
(A) saw figures clawing at the gates, whose eyes and mouths gape
(B) saw figures clawing at the gates, whose eyes and mouths were gaping
(C) saw figures clawing at the gates, with eyes and mouths gaping
(D) seen figures who claw at the gates, their eyes and mouths gaping
(E) seen figures clawing at the gates, whose eyes and mouths have gaped
i'll give you two reasons why it is correct..
1) all other choices are clearly worse and this choice stands out as the correct answer. remember, we are told that we have to choose best available answer..
2) now specific to your question. why "their" is correctly refering back to figures...
here we have two nouns : one is subject-Visitors to the Rodin Museum. and second is object- figures...
"their" can be taken correctly referring to figures because their is a posssesive pronoun(therefore should refer to object in this case) and the construction of the sentence too points to this..
Ofcourse when we have only one noun, a subject, then 'their' would refer back to the subject if the meaning conveys so..
example:-
1) Visitors to the Rodin Museum have taken their luggage with them.
correct2) Visitors to the Rodin Museum were mesmerized by their ability to establish such a huge museum.
Here , there is only one noun but clearly their does not refer to that noun. hope it helps
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