sam2304 wrote:At a conference on the origins of language, the complexity of tools 1.75 million years old were said to
suggest a level of human development, inconceivable unless they had language.
(A) were said to suggest a level of human development inconceivable unless they had language
(B) were said to suggest that without language their level of human development was not conceivable
(C) was said to be suggestive of a level of human development not conceivable without language
(D) was said to suggest a level of human development inconceivable unless they had language
(E) was said to suggest a level of human development inconceivable without language

OA after discussions.

options C & E seem good. but will go with E.
1) were comes for plural noun
2) were comes for plural noun
3) no issue but it uses wordy passive
4) they seems to have no referent
5) looks less wordy and more like an answer

user123321

IMO E

What is OA?

OA : E

@user123321: Was mixed between C/E. C seems fine with meaning.

sam2304 wrote:OA : E

@user123321: Was mixed between C/E. C seems fine with meaning.

I think you came across something as VAN rule. According to that you can easily eliminate C.

Moreover meaning in C is quiet different :

Actually "suggestive" is an adjective - so it modifies the noun "of a level". So actual meaning completely change :
original one - the complexity of tools ..... suggests XYZ
now in this - the complexity of tools ... said to be XYZ..

Consider this sentence :
His recommendation was suggestive of...
He suggested that...

I think you got the difference

Moreover you cannot modify one noun with the other - so "of a level" ( noun) cannot modify another noun "of human development".

I hope this helps !!

C is wordy: "to suggest" (verb) preferred over "to be suggestive" (verb + adjective)