SC: For many revisionist historians, Christopher Columbus

[prashantarora610]

Hi,

I came across the following question in GMAT Prep Test.

For many revisionist historians, Christopher Columbus has come to personify devastation and enslavement in the name of progress that has decimated native peoples of the Western Hemisphere.

a) devastation and enslavement in the name of progress that has decimated native peoples of the Western Hemisphere

b) devastation and enslavement in the name of progress by which native peoples of the Western Hemisphere have been decimated

c) devastating and enslaving in the name of progress those native peoples of the Western Hemisphere that have been decimated

d) devastating and enslaving those native peoples of the Western Hemisphere which in the name of progress are decimated

e) the devastation and enslavement in the name of progress that has decimated native peoples of the Western Hemisphere

I was stuck between A and E. The OA is E. My question is that in E, what role does "the" in "the devastation and enslavement" plays? I think that it is a compound noun and thus should be followed by "was" than "were".

Also, in which conditions "that" doesn't refer to the closest object?

[RonPurewal]

1/
If this problem is from GMAT PREP, then you've posted it in the wrong folder. GMAT PREP has its own folder.

2/
If this problem is actually from the official software, then you have made a mistake in transcribing it.

"- Please check the original. (Do not copy GMAT PREP problems from other sources; if you have a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy, it's very likely to contain errors.)

"- Please post in the correct folder.

Thanks.