gmat_perfect wrote:Archaeologists in Egypt have excavated a 5,000-year-old wooden hull that is the earliest surviving example of a "built" boat--in other words, a boat constructed out of planks fitted together--and that thus represents a major advance, in terms of boat-building technology, over the dugout logs and reed vessels of more ancient vintage.

(A) together--and that thus represents
(B) together--and this has represented
(C) together, and it represents
(D) together that was representing
(E) together to represent

gmat_perfect wrote:Archaeologists in Egypt have excavated a 5,000-year-old wooden hull that is the earliest surviving example of a "built" boat--in other words, a boat constructed out of planks fitted together--and that thus represents a major advance, in terms of boat-building technology, over the dugout logs and reed vessels of more ancient vintage.

(A) together--and that thus represents
(B) together--and this has represented
(C) together, and it represents
(D) together that was representing
(E) together to represent

My analysis:

The skeleton of the sentence is as follows:

A boat constructed out of planks fitted together-and that thus represents.

I can eliminate B, D, and E for the following reasons:
b=> HAS represented changes the intended meaning of the sentence.
D=> it means that planks fitted together represents.
E=> The same as it is in D.

I have doubt between A and C.

Would any one explain?

pnk wrote:

gmat_perfect wrote:Archaeologists in Egypt have excavated a 5,000-year-old wooden hull that is the earliest surviving example of a "built" boat--in other words, a boat constructed out of planks fitted together--and that thus represents a major advance, in terms of boat-building technology, over the dugout logs and reed vessels of more ancient vintage.

(A) together--and that thus represents
(B) together--and this has represented
(C) together, and it represents
(D) together that was representing
(E) together to represent

B - inappropriate tense + 'this' without noun
D - wrong tense (was representing) =>does not represent major advance today
E - fitted together to represents=> boat construted with the intension to represent major advance
C - 'a boat constructed..., and it represents..' are not llel (first part is phrase, while 2nd part a clause)

The original sentence also indicates: there is a opening dash and so there should be 'ending dash' => which is missing in C/D/E. IMO A