Question

Almost like clones in their similarity to one another, the cheetah species' homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease.

• A. the cheetah species' homogeneity makes them especially vulnerable to disease
• B. the cheetah species is especially vulnerable to disease because of its homogeneity
• C. the homogeneity of the cheetah species makes it especially vulnerable to disease
• D. homogeneity makes members of the cheetah species especially vulnerable to disease
• E. members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

members of the cheetah species are especially vulnerable to disease because of their homogeneity

Here, at the very beginning, the sentence uses the plural pronoun 'their' which now needs to be followed by a plural noun that could possibly be described as 'like clones' with respect to similarity. A singular species (as it is followed by 'is' and 'its' is used later in the sentence to refer to it in option B) cannot possibly be described as "almost like clones in THEIR similarity to one another". This eliminates option B. In options A, C and D, "The cheetah species' homogeneity" is singular and thus inappropriate for the plural 'their' in "almost like clones in their similarity to one another". Thus, options A, C and D are taken out. The only option left is E. This the correct answer because it uses 'members' which is plural and its logical to say that "members of the cheetah species" are "almost like clones in their similarity to one another"- "their homogeneity" is also completely correct.