SC question

joeh11 · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:56 pm Post subject: SC question

Those who have visited the Grand Canyon have typically seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark the passage of time like the rings in a tree trunk.
(A) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark
(B) see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors mark
(C) been seeing layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, whose different colors are markers of
(D) been able to see layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors marking
(E) seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, marking by different colors

The answer is (D), but I don't know why (A) is wrong. "Be able to" in D is more exact expression in the line of thought?

800GMAT · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:27 pm Post subject:

(A) has more problem than the exact expression. It distorts the meaning of the sentence:

(A) "seen layers of sediment in the gaping canyon, with different colors that mark"
Do the colors mark the passage of time?.....No....The layers do.

(A), by suggesting that the colors mark the passage of time, distorts the original meaning.
Whereas D clearly states that the layers mark the passage of time.