Sentence Correction

Recent findings lend strong support to the theory that a black hole lies at the center of the Milky Way and of many of the 100 billion other galaxies estimated to exist in the universe.

(A) that a black hole lies at the center of the Milky Way and of
(B) that a black hole lies at the Milky Way's center and
(C) that there is a black hole lying at the Milky Way's center an
(D) of a black hole lying at the Milky Way's center and
(E) of a black hole that lies at the center of the Milky Way and of

OA: A

1- In OA, What will happen if the second 'of' omitted? Does tbe meaning change?
2- Is the structure of ' Milky Way's center' correct?

Thanks

Mo2men wrote:1- In OA, What will happen if the second 'of' omitted? Does tbe meaning change?

If the second of is omitted, a reader is likely to make the following interpretation:
the theory that a black hole lies at the center of the Milky Way and [that] many of the 100 billion other galaxies estimated.
Here, the portion in red seems to refer to the theory, as follows:
the theory [that] many of the 100 billion other galaxies estimated.
The implication is that many of the 100 billion other galaxies performed the act of estimating -- a nonsensical meaning.

OA: the theory that a black hole lies at the center of the Milky Way and of many of the 100 billion other galaxies.
Here, the inclusion of the second of makes it clear that the two of-phrases in green are parallel and thus serve the SAME FUNCTION.
Both clearly serve to modify the center, conveying the following meaning:
A black hole lies at the center OF the Milky Way.
A black hole lies at the center OF many of the 100 billion other galaxies.
This meaning makes sense.

2- Is the structure of ' Milky Way's center' correct?

SC757 in the OG18:
To map Earth's interior, geologists use a network of seismometers.
Here, the phrase in blue suggests that Milky Way's center is a viable structure.

GMATGuruNY wrote:

Mo2men wrote:1- In OA, What will happen if the second 'of' omitted? Does tbe meaning change?

If the second of is omitted, a reader is likely to make the following interpretation:
the theory that a black hole lies at the center of the Milky Way and [that] many of the 100 billion other galaxies estimated.
Here, the portion in red seems to refer to the theory, as follows:
the theory [that] many of the 100 billion other galaxies estimated.
The implication is that many of the 100 billion other galaxies performed the act of estimating -- a nonsensical meaning.

OA: the theory that a black hole lies at the center of the Milky Way and of many of the 100 billion other galaxies.
Here, the inclusion of the second of makes it clear that the two of-phrases in green are parallel and thus serve the SAME FUNCTION.
Both clearly serve to modify the center, conveying the following meaning:
A black hole lies at the center OF the Milky Way.
A black hole lies at the center OF many of the 100 billion other galaxies.
This meaning makes sense.

2- Is the structure of ' Milky Way's center' correct?

SC757 in the OG18:
To map Earth's interior, geologists use a network of seismometers.
Here, the phrase in blue suggests that Milky Way's center is a viable structure.

Dear Mitch,
In OA, does 'estimated' work as adjective that describe 'galaxies'???

Thanks in advance for your help

Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,
In OA, does 'estimated' work as adjective that describe 'galaxies'???

Thanks in advance for your help

Correct!
However, if the second of were omitted, then estimated would seem to function as a verb, as discussed in my post above.

GMATGuruNY wrote: OA: the theory that a black hole lies at the center of the Milky Way and of many of the 100 billion other galaxies.
Here, the inclusion of the second of makes it clear that the two of-phrases in green are parallel and thus serve the SAME FUNCTION.
Both clearly serve to modify the center, conveying the following meaning:
A black hole lies at the center OF the Milky Way.
A black hole lies at the center OF many of the 100 billion other galaxies.
This meaning makes sense.

OA conveys the following meaning
a black hole lies at the center OF the the Milky way and [a black hole lies at the center] OF many of the 100 billion other galaxies.

Since the subject/ellipse,' a black hole lies at the center' is common for both phrases, doesn't it suggest that the same black hole that lies at center of milky way also lies at the center of other galaxies?

The good part of this question was remaining choices too don't address this difference, so other choices could be eliminated due to other reasons.