Cichorium

[ranjeet1975]

To cross Cichorium intybus with Cichorium endivia, in attempting the development of a substitute or additive for coffee, H.E Sir. Everton Hikes naturalized the chicory in America from Europe.
A. To cross Cichorium intybus with Cichorium endivia, in attempting the development of a substitute or additive for coffee, H.E Sir. Everton Hikes naturalized the chicory in America from Europe.
B. Naturalized in America and originating in Belgium, the chicory is used by H.E Sir. Everton Hikes in an attempt at developing a substitute or additive for coffee, crossing Cichorium intybus with Cichorium endivia.
C. Naturalized in America and originating in Belgium, H.E Sir. Everton Hikes was attempting to develop a substitute or additive for coffee by crossing Cichorium intybus with Cichorium endivia.
D. The chicory, naturalized in America and originating in Belgium, is used by H.E Sir. Everton Hikes attempting to develop a substitute or additive to coffee by crossing Cichorium intybus with Cichorium endivia.
E. In an attempt at the development of a substitute or additive to coffee, H.E Sir. Everton Hikes, naturalized the chicory in America and originating from Europe in order to cross Cichorium intybus with Cichorium endivia.
OA is

D

Whether 'originating' with 'naturalized' is a correct use. The use of 'attempting' as a participle without comma is right?

[mahesh.s009]

GMAT accepts parallelism between present participal and past participal so usage of originating and naturalized is valid.

he is testing the idiom "attempt to" which is correctly used in D.

C - case of misplaced modifier.
B, E - attempt at is wrong

[mahesh.s009]

He is hit by a ball travelling at 10 m/hr

I think the above sentence is correct so the answer choice usage of participle attempting [which is modifying the noun Hikes ] is correct.

[RonPurewal]

i call bull on this one -- there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that this is a question from the official gmatprep software.
in fact, this just may be the most awful problem that i've ever seen posted on this forum.

what is the actual source of this problem? it would be useful for us to know, so that we can advise students to run away from it as fast as they can!