Key Discovery

[mehravikas]

Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.

A. the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of
B. a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provides fossils that are evidence
C. a large scaly creature, whose fossils resemble both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of
D. the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of
E. the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of

Source: MGMAT
OA: [spoiler]A
[/spoiler]

[spoiler]Doubt: MGMAT says that 'D' is wrong because 'D' uses provides instead of "provide". If I correct that the sentence would be - Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resemble both a fish and a land-animal, provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.

Is this sentence correct? Is "which" referring to creature or the noun phrase "the fossils of a large scaly creature"?

Please explain?[/spoiler]

[VikingWarrior]

D. the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of

If you correct D then it becomes:
the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provide evidence of
which resembles is referring to creature, provide refers back to fossils.

[mehravikas]

Thanks.

D. the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of

If you correct D then it becomes:
the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provide evidence of
which resembles is referring to creature, provide refers back to fossils.

[gmatmachoman]

Vikas,

I wonder " the fossils" is singular or plural... seems crazy doubt ..but need to sort it out!

[mehravikas]

It is plural - that is why it has to followed by provide.

the fossils....provide

Vikas,

I wonder " the fossils" is singular or plural... seems crazy doubt ..but need to sort it out!

[kg]

can some one please help why E is wrong?

[gmatmachoman]

It is plural - that is why it has to followed by provide.

the fossils....provide

Vikas,

I wonder " the fossils" is singular or plural... seems crazy doubt ..but need to sort it out!

Yeah thx man....

[komal]

Hailed as a key discovery in the science of evolution, the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of a possible link in the evolutionary chain from water-based to land-based organisms.

A. the fossils of a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provide evidence of
B. a large scaly creature resembling both a fish and a land-animal provides fossils that are evidence
C. a large scaly creature, whose fossils resemble both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of
D. the fossils of a large scaly creature, which resembles both a fish and a land-animal, provides evidence of
E. the fossils of a large scaly creature resemble both a fish and a land-animal and provide evidence of

Fossils is plural so usage of singular verb 'provide' is correct . Hence (B), (C) and (D) eliminated
(E) is eliminated because of usage of 'resembles' here.
My pick is (A)

[gaurav147320]

in my opinion E should b the answer.

[gaurav147320]

@komal..didnt get hw did u omit E

[Osirus@VeritasPrep]

D is wrong because it uses the singular verb when the subject is plural

E is wrong because it changes the meaning. "resembling both...." is meant to act as a modifier. By changing it to resemble it is no longer a modifier but it is a verb, which isn't grammatically incorrect, but it does change the meaning when it is probably more logical that the statement is meant to modify fossils, instead of describe an action of the fossils.