A conjunction such as and must serve to connect PARALLEL FORMS.New items developed for automobiles in the 1997 Model year included safer air bag, which, unlike previous air bags, eliminated the possibility that a burst of smoke would appear when the bag inflated, and making an already terrified passenger think the car was on fire.
A. inflated, and making
B. inflated, so that it could make
C. inflated and made
D. inflated and make
E. inflated to make
A: a burst of smoke would appear when the bag inflated, and making
Here, making lacks a preceding parallel form.
Eliminate A.
In B, it is not crystal clear whether it serves to refer to a burst of smoke or to the bag.
Eliminate B.
C: the bag inflated and made an already terrified passenger think the car was on fire
Here, the implication is that the BAG made the passenger think the car was on fire.
The intended meaning is that A BURST OF SMOKE would make the passenger think the car was on fire.
Eliminate C.
Generally, an infinitive modifier serves to express the INTENT of the preceding subject.
E: the bag inflated to make an already terrified passenger think the car was on fire
Here, the usage of to make implies that the bag INTENDED to make the passenger think the car was on fire -- a nonsensical meaning.
Eliminate E.
The correct answer is D.
