Question No. 12 of 1000SC

[isisalaska]

Is debating about idiomatically incorrect?
question No. 12 1000 SC

12. A little under a million years ago, the briny waters of the Baltic Sea began flooding into the cold North Atlantic: geologists are still debating whether the flood was gradual or created a cataclysm.
(A) whether the flood was gradual or created a cataclysm
(B) if the flood was gradual or created a cataclysm
(C) about whether the flood was gradual or cataclysmic
(D) whether the flood was gradual or cataclysmic
(E) whether the flood was gradual or it created a cataclysm

[aim-wsc]

first of all cut A, B & E.
they dont follow ll lism....

''was gradual or catacylismic''
is right.
therefore remain C & D.

...debating over/about the issue would have been OK.
BUT in this case we hv two things.
DISCARD C.

[sumitkrishna]

I agree. "about" is unnecessary here. (D) is the best option.

[Stacey Koprince]

"debating about" is redundant. You only need "debating." You can have a debate about something, but if you are actively debating, then the meaning of "about" is already covered.

[ajdjmba]

Unable to understand the parallelism in this particular question.
why "flood was gradual or created a cataclysm" is not parallel
and why "the flood was gradual or cataclysmic" is parallel.

Pl help.