Sound can travel through water for enormous distances, preve

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Sound can travel through water for enormous distances, prevented from dissipating its acoustic energy as a result of boundaries in the ocean created by water layers of different temperatures and densities.

A. prevented from dissipating its acoustic energy as a result of
B. prevented from having its acoustic energy dissipated by
C. its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by
D. its acoustic energy prevented from being dissipated as a result of
E preventing its acoustic energy from dissipating by
R I C H A,
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by richachampion » Wed Sep 28, 2016 10:27 am
OA: C
R I C H A,
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by richachampion » Wed Sep 28, 2016 10:49 am
Experts please confirm my understanding for this question:

Meaning Analysis =
X as a result of Y -- This means that Y has caused X. Now you can clearly see that this is nonsensical in meaning in Option A and Option D.

Option B also has a meaning issue. As if distances prevented in dissipating its acoustic energy.

Option E =
preventing, which is a verb+ing modifier. I don't think that I do need to emphasize what VERB+ING do and how do they function.
Thus option E has a meaning issue as if sound itself prevented dissipating its own energy.

Option C has no meaning or modifier error it correctly connects the idea of cause and effect that its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by boundaries in the ocean created by water layers of different temperatures and densities.
R I C H A,
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by GMATGuruNY » Fri Sep 30, 2016 3:48 am
Sound can travel through water for enormous distances, prevented from dissipating its acoustic energy as a result of boundaries in the ocean created by water layers of different temperatures and densities.

A. prevented from dissipating its acoustic energy as a result of
B. prevented from having its acoustic energy dissipated by
C. its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by
D. its acoustic energy prevented from being dissipated as a result of
E. preventing its acoustic energy from dissipating by
Generally, COMMA + VERBed refers to the immediately preceding noun.
Thus, in A and B, prevented seems to modify distances.
Since it is not the distances but the ACOUSTIC ENERGY that is prevented from dissipating, eliminate A and B.

Generally, COMMA + VERBing refers to the SUBJECT of the preceding clause.
Thus, in E, preventing seems to modify SOUND, implying that the sound is preventing its own energy from dissipating.
Not the intended meaning.
Eliminate E.

In D, as a result of boundaries implies that the boundaries themselves are RESULTING in something.
Not possible; only an ACTION or an EVENT can result in something.
Eliminate D.

The correct answer is C.

OA: its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by boundaries in the ocean
Here, dissipating is a GERUND: a verb serving as a NOUN.
More specifically, dissipating serves as the object of the preposition from.
From what action is the energy prevented?
The energy is prevented from DISSIPATING.
By boundaries serves to express that BOUNDARIES IN THE OCEAN prevent the energy from dissipating.
What prevents the energy from dissipating?
The energy is prevented from dissipating BY BOUNDARIES IN THE OCEAN.

The entire phrase its acoustic energy prevented from dissipating by boundaries in the ocean is an absolute phrase.
For a description of this grammatical construction, check my posts here:

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