OG: According to scientists, human expansion and the human appropriation

[AbeNeedsAnswers]

According to scientists, human expansion and the human appropriation of Earth’s finite resources is the cause of what may be the most sweeping wave of species extinctions since the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

A. expansion and the human appropriation of Earth’s finite resources is
B. expansion and human appropriation of Earth’s finite resources are
C. expansion and its appropriation of Earth’s finite resources is
D. expansion, along with their appropriation of Earth’s finite resources, is
E. expansion, along with its appropriation of Earth’s finite resources, are

B

[GaganHs]

this question is solely on S-V Agreement

A. expansion and the human appropriation of Earth’s finite resources is
S-V error

AND--PLURAL, IS-SINGULAR

B. expansion and human appropriation of Earth’s finite resources are
CORRECT

C. expansion and its appropriation of Earth’s finite resources is

S-V error

AND--PLURAL, IS-SINGULAR
D. expansion, along with their appropriation of Earth’s finite resources, is

their has no antecedent, it can't refer to human

E. expansion, along with its appropriation of Earth’s finite resources, are

S-V error

ALONG WITH AND ARE
AND--PLURAL, IS-SINGULAR

[k_rohit]

This question tests the concept of parallelism & subject verb agreement. Scientist are confirming that there are two causes, human expansion and human appropriation, of species extinction. They are connected by 'and' & requires parallel structure. Similarly 'X and Y' is a plural subject.

A. expansion and the human appropriation of Earth’s finite resources is
Parallelism error & S-V agreement error

B. expansion and human appropriation of Earth’s finite resources are
Correct answer

C. expansion and its appropriation of Earth’s finite resources is
S-V agreement error

D. expansion, along with their appropriation of Earth’s finite resources, is
Distort the meaning, further "human" is used as adjective here, so 'their' may refer the scientist, which is nonsensical

E. expansion, along with its appropriation of Earth’s finite resources, are
Distort the meaning, its has no antecedent and S-V error