Sentence Correction

Paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould has argued that many biological traits are not the products of natural selection, favored due to their enhancement of reproduction or survival, but that they are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments.

(A) due to their enhancement of reproduction or survival, but that they are

(B) due to the reproduction or survival they enhance, but they are

(C) because they enhance reproduction or survival, but

(D) because they enhance reproduction or survival, but are

(E) because of enhancing reproduction or survival, but are

OA:
this problem is from GMAT prep, Please see the image and find the OA as well.

basic structure: Gould has argued that traits are not X but are Y

so you need the second "are"

"because" is preferred over "due", so C D E are left
E is out: "enhancing reproduction" is not right

between C and D, only D repeats the needed "are" in the parallel structure

I don't agree with you..
the correct structure should be:

are not X, But Y

NOT X, BUT Y is the correct idiom as GMAT asks a lot of question based on this.

good explanation here:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/pal ... t1413.html

I do not understand "favored", pls, help, help

capnx wrote:good explanation here:
https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/pal ... t1413.html

I checked it on the link ...but still was not convinced..so i posted the Question again here..Hope some one will explain it..!

Even I went with C. I am also not convinced with the solution given on the thread!

Experts, please jump in and throw some light on this!