A team of scientists has recently provided evidence of Earth

[eggpain24]

A team of scientists has recently provided evidence of Earth being bombarded daily with as many as 40,000 small comets, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere to fall to Earth as rain.

(A) of Earth being bombarded daily with as many as 40,000 small comets, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere to
(B) of Earth's being daily bombarded with as many as 40,000 small comets, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere and that
(C) that as much or more than 40,000 small comets daily bombard Earth, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere, and
(D) that daily Earth is bombarded with as much or more than 40,000 small comets that vaporize in the upper atmosphere and that
(E) that Earth is bombarded daily with as many as 40,000 small comets that vaporize in the upper atmosphere and

This is a problem from GMAT prep. The OA is E

I just got some problems with choice C. The correct answer could easily be picked up

in choice C，“as much as” can only refer to countable nouns，so it is out

but here is my analysis of another error in choice C. just correct me if I am wrong

“as much or more than 40,000 small comets daily bombard Earth, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere, and fall to Earth as rain.”

the construction seems to put “bombard” and “fall” as parallel element，whereas “vaporizing” as modifier

1. vaporizing modifies “ comets” → makes sense， but makes little sense when considering the logical relationship between the modifier and the clause

2. vaporize and fall should be parallel → makes more sense；you have to vaporize first and then fall （ nice meaning conveyed by conjunction "and", which represents " a series of action")

[jnelson0612]

A team of scientists has recently provided evidence of Earth being bombarded daily with as many as 40,000 small comets, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere to fall to Earth as rain.

(A) of Earth being bombarded daily with as many as 40,000 small comets, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere to
(B) of Earth's being daily bombarded with as many as 40,000 small comets, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere and that
(C) that as much or more than 40,000 small comets daily bombard Earth, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere, and
(D) that daily Earth is bombarded with as much or more than 40,000 small comets that vaporize in the upper atmosphere and that
(E) that Earth is bombarded daily with as many as 40,000 small comets that vaporize in the upper atmosphere and

This is a problem from GMAT prep. The OA is E

I just got some problems with choice C. The correct answer could easily be picked up

in choice C，“as much as” can only refer to countable nouns，so it is out

but here is my analysis of another error in choice C. just correct me if I am wrong

“as much or more than 40,000 small comets daily bombard Earth, vaporizing in the upper atmosphere, and fall to Earth as rain.”

the construction seems to put “bombard” and “fall” as parallel element，whereas “vaporizing” as modifier

1. vaporizing modifies “ comets” → makes sense， but makes little sense when considering the logical relationship between the modifier and the clause

2. vaporize and fall should be parallel → makes more sense；you have to vaporize first and then fall （ nice meaning conveyed by conjunction "and", which represents " a series of action")

Actually "much" can only refer to uncountable nouns. "many" refers to countable nouns". "as much or more" is also redundant.

As to your questions:

1) a comma + ING modifier is an adverbial modifier so it does not refer to the noun comets.

2) agree that vaporize and fall should be parallel.