Astronomers

Experts hoping to get a reply here.

Hi,
I am not an expert but I will present my analysis as I was working on this question.

I will stick to your question "What is wrong with answer choice E?"
There are two things:
1)Illogical statement

a discovery suggesting a gigantic amount of particles ...

a discovery is noun acting as subject
suggesting a verb
a gigantic particle is noun acting as object

This is similar to 'Father suggesting his son' or 'Jack suggesting Jill'
2) Tense disagreement
Notice gap was spotted (past tense), wheras in E ....a gigantic amount of particles escaping(present continuous) .
Let simplify the sentence 'Astronomer spotted a gap ...... suggesting that gigantic number of particles escaping' sounds same as
'I spotted a dead rat killing by cat'
It should be ' I spotted a dead rat killed by a cat'

A is logically correct
'a discovery suggesting ' is a dependent clause which by itself makes no sense..
To make sense out the dependent clause it has to be complemented by restrictive clause 'that a gigantic number of particles escaped ' modifying the verb suggesting.
Also it uses correct tense 'escaped'.

Hope this helps.

sandipgumtya wrote:Recently, some astronomers spotted a gap in the extended outer atmosphere of the Sun, a discovery suggesting that a gigantic number of particles escaped into space as geomagnetic storms that at times cause damage to the Earth's satellites and power grids.

A. Sun, a discovery suggesting that a gigantic number of particles escaped

B. Sun, a discovery that suggested the escape of a gigantic amount of particles

C. Sun suggesting that a gigantic number of particles escaped

D. Sun that suggests a gigantic number of particles that escaped

E. Sun, a discovery suggesting a gigantic amount of particles escaping

amount serves to refer to a NON-COUNTABLE noun:
an amount of MILK
an amount of RAIN
an amount of SOIL.

number serves to refer to a COUNTABLE noun.
a number of CUPS
a number of RAINDROPS
a number of PEBBLES.

B and E: amount of particles
Here, amount cannot serve to refer to a countable noun such as particles.
Eliminate B and E.

C: the Sun suggesting that a gigantic number of particles
Here, suggesting seems to refer to the Sun, implying that THE SUN is SUGGESTING.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate C.

D: Sun that suggests a gigantic number of particles
Here, that suggests seems to refer to the Sun, implying that THE SUN SUGGESTS a gigantic number of particles.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate D.

The correct answer is A.