Pests had destroyed grape, celery

[sameerballani]

Pests had destroyed grape, celery, chili pepper crops, sugar beet and walnut in the region, but
in the 1880s, more effective pest-control methods saved the citrus industry.

A) Pests had destroyed grape, celery, chili pepper crops, sugar beet and walnut in the region, but
in the 1880s, more effective pest-control methods saved the citrus industry.

B) Pests had destroyed grape, celery, chili pepper, sugar beet and walnut crops in the region, but
in the 1880s, more effective pest-control methods saved the citrus industry.

C) In the 1880s, more effective pest-control methods saved the citrus industry from what was
destroying grape, celery, chili pepper, sugar beet and walnut crops in the region.

D) Pests had destroyed grape, celery, chili pepper, sugar beet and walnut crops in the region, but
more effective pest-control methods that were introduced in the 1880s saved the citrus
industry.

[spoiler]OA: B[/spoiler]

Please give reasoning for eliminating wrong options..

Thanks

[[email protected]]

Hi sameerballani,

For elimination purposes, here's what I noticed in each of the wrong answers:

A - the word "crops" is in the wrong spot (it should be at the end of the list)
C - the verb "destroying" is wrong; this SC presents "2 past events", so "had destroyed" is what the sentence requires)
D - "introduced in the" followed by "1880s" is wordy/redundant.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[sameerballani]

Hi Rich,

Thanks
I have doubt between option A & B. Can you please elaborate more on the position of word "CROPS."
This is where I am confused..

Hi sameerballani,

For elimination purposes, here's what I noticed in each of the wrong answers:

A - the word "crops" is in the wrong spot (it should be at the end of the list)
C - the verb "destroying" is wrong; this SC presents "2 past events", so "had destroyed" is what the sentence requires)
D - "introduced in the" followed by "1880s" is wordy/redundant.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[[email protected]]

Hi sameerballani,

This SC describes 5 crops: grape, celery, chili pepper, sugar beet and walnut. Rather than put the word "crop" after every type of crop, the proper style would be to put it at the end of the list. Answer B puts the word "crops" in the proper spot, but answer A puts the word "crops" after the 3rd item in the list (and it shouldn't be there).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich