MAJORITY / VARIETY

[mmslf75]

I am well versed will "The number and A Number " difference ...
However have query pertaining to VARIETY and MAJORITY type sentences..
Q1
A wide variety of symtoms " has " / " have " been detected ?
Q2
Manhattan states that ...
The student majority is opposed to the new reform
A majority of people are coming tonight

But there is one more sentence out there.. but I fail to understand why SINGULAR verb is taken ??

A majority of commuters in the train READS and SINGS during the journey

Why to take READS and SINGS... cant we use READ and SING only.. ??

[mmslf75]

Anyone anybody ... pls help

[rookiez]

for the second one it will be "read and listen"

In constructions below follow the object of preposition of
A Majority of ...
A Variety of ...

Here commuters is plural and hence plural verb should be used.

This sentence is wrong in M-SC guid and this issue has been acknowledged by M-Staff