OG-11-Help Guys

[gdk800]

Question No. 117

New theories propose that catastrophic impacts of asteroids & comets may have caused reversals in Earth's magnetic field, the onset of ice ages, splitting apart continents 80 million years ago, and great volcanic eruptions.

a) splitting apart continents
b) the splitting apart of continents
c) split apart continents
d) continents split apart
e) continents that were split apart

I can't get the reasoning given in the book

[harsh.champ]

Question No. 117

New theories propose that catastrophic impacts of asteroids & comets may have caused reversals in Earth's magnetic field, the onset of ice ages, splitting apart continents 80 million years ago, and great volcanic eruptions.

a) splitting apart continents
b) the splitting apart of continents-MOre appropriate.(continents being a proper noun the should be used)
c) split apart continents
d) continents split apart
e) continents that were split apart

I can't get the reasoning given in the book

We are looking for an effect.
IMO B

[prinit]

Question No. 117

New theories propose that catastrophic impacts of asteroids & comets may have caused reversals in Earth's magnetic field, the onset of ice ages, splitting apart continents 80 million years ago, and great volcanic eruptions.

a) splitting apart continents
b) the splitting apart of continents
c) split apart continents
d) continents split apart
e) continents that were split apart

I can't get the reasoning given in the book

My pick is B. cause>effect may have caused the splitting apart of continents ..is perfect

[Rajat Khandelwal]

here splitting......may refer to the action in the preceding clause...so to avoid that ambiguity participle has been converted into gerund , noun form...so as to adhere to the principal of parallelism---idea of equal rank should have same grammatical form...

I think it will do.