Sentence Correction

603. Reporting that one of its many problems had been the recent extended sales slump in women’s apparel, the seven-store retailer said it would start a three-month liquidation sale in all of its stores.
(A) its many problems had been the recent
(B) its many problems has been the recently
(C) its many problems is the recently
(D) their many problems is the recent
(E) their many problems had been the recent


Oa is A

IMO A
Clearly second part of the sentence is in the past tense so the first part should also be in past tense,as reporting and the seven-store retailer said .both are happening at the same time.
So BCE are out

We are left with A and E
Its is definately used for the seven-store so E is out
We are left with A

IMO A

swati.sug wrote:IMO A
Clearly second part of the sentence is in the past tense so the first part should also be in past tense,as reporting and the seven-store retailer said .both are happening at the same time.
So BCE are out

We are left with A and E
Its is definately used for the seven-store so E is out
We are left with A

Sorry guys, a little help needed here...

I'm trying to understand why B is out. It could be a case where the sales slump did occur in the past but is still ongoing today, that's why the retailer would want to start a three-month liquidation sale... in this case, shouldn't it be

Reporting that one of its many problems HAS been the recent extended sales slump... the seven-store retailer said it would start a three-month liquidation sale...

In fact, if we use 'HAD been', this implies that the problem no longer exists, and we would have the following as the 2nd half of the sentence -> ... 'the seven-store retailer started a three-month liquidation sale in all of its store'

Is this wrong?

wats OA......????A or B

The OA is A. The OG's explanation is the same as the one given in the above. But I can't understand why seeing it from B's pespective (as explained above) is incorrect.

IMO A.

Reason: The second part of the sentence clearly says that "the seven-store retailer said".. this is a action over in the past. So the after the problem occured only the company came said that it would do some thing to correct the problem. So had been is to be used.

B makes sense but not the intended sense. the use of has been
makes the action continue into the present

Hope i am clear .. If not please let me know .. i wil try to put it in another way