Sentence Correction

Resolving a long-standing controversy among paleontologists, well-preserved feathered dinosaur fossils discovered in recent years provide incontrovertible support for the theory that birds are descendants of dinosaurs.

(A) are descendants of dinosaurs

(B) had been descendants of dinosaurs

(C) are species descending from dinosaurs

(D) had been species descending from dinosaurs

(E) are species which had been descended from dinosaurs

IMO A?

karthikpandian19 wrote:Resolving a long-standing controversy among paleontologists, well-preserved feathered dinosaur fossils discovered in recent years provide incontrovertible support for the theory that birds are descendants of dinosaurs.

(A) are descendants of dinosaurs

(B) had been descendants of dinosaurs

(C) are species descending from dinosaurs

(D) had been species descending from dinosaurs

(E) are species which had been descended from dinosaurs

A theory is always expressed in simple present tense and hence A

A - General fact
B- had been descendant , which implies that the birds are no more descendants- Not intended
C- descending doesnot imply ancestor or evolutionary , it would mean decreasing- Not intended
D- had been implies - no more - Not intended
E- same as D
A looks fine

OA is A

Pls provide reasoning when you post the IMO answers

bubbliiiiiiii wrote:IMO A?

karthikpandian19 wrote:Resolving a long-standing controversy among paleontologists, well-preserved feathered dinosaur fossils discovered in recent years provide incontrovertible support for the theory that birds are descendants of dinosaurs.

(A) are descendants of dinosaurs

(B) had been descendants of dinosaurs

(C) are species descending from dinosaurs

(D) had been species descending from dinosaurs

(E) are species which had been descended from dinosaurs

The underlined portion is a subordinate clause whose subject is birds (plural). Thus the verb should be plural. Moreover, there is also a tense issue. Since we are stating a general fact the sentence should be in simple present tense. This eliminates B and D.

E also has a tense issue since it uses 'had been'. Moreover the sentence is wordy. This eliminates E.

Between A and C:

Idiomatic issue. Descendants of is correct. Thus A.

Hope it helps.