The number of mountain gorillas is declining with such rapidity that the population is one-half in the twenty years between a count made by George Schaller in 1960 and the one made by Dian Fossey in 1980.
(A) with such rapidity that the population is one-half
(B) with such rapidity that the population was one-half
(C) so rapidly the population divided in half
(D) so rapidly that the population was halved
(E) in such rapidity that the population is halved
A is correct the umarked is simple present so flow should be in present
Think its D
I feel “was” makes the fact as past . I read somewhere that fact can be stated in present if the flow of sentence is in present tense. First it is saying is declining (present) and then we jumped into past tense !!!!
D
(D) so rapidly that the population was halved
My guess – D
‘With such rapidity’ is not a correct idiom. Its talking about declension of the population…which is happening…’so rapidly’…”that”, now compare the population of 2 “past” periods mentioned in the sentence.
D
(D) so rapidly that the population was halved
D
D.
D
A
I think its between A/E, as B and D are past tense and C is changing the meaning, so i think E makes more sense.
How to get the correct answer?
D
D