Question

Simplify the underlined part of the given sentence (if necessary):
In late 1997, the chambers inside the pyramid of the Pharaoh Menkaure at Giza were closed to visitors for cleaning and repair due to moisture exhaled by tourists, which raised its humidity to such levels so that salt from the stone was crystallizing and fungus was growing on the walls.

• A. due to moisture exhaled by tourists, which raised its humidity to such levels so that salt from the stone was crystallizing
• B. due to moisture that tourists had exhaled, thereby raising its humidity to such levels that salt from the stone would crystallize
• C. because tourists were exhaling moisture, which had raised the humidity within them to levels such that salt from the stone would crystallize
• D. because of moisture that was exhaled by tourists raising the humidity within them to levels sohigh asto make the salt from the stone crystallize
• E. because moisture exhaled by tourists had raised the humidity within them to such levels that salt from the stone was crystallizing

Answer 1

The correct option is E because moisture exhaled by tourists had raised the humidity within them to such levels that salt from the stone was crystallizing

Looking at the options, we realize that the singular pronoun 'its' in A and B refers to the subject 'chambers' which is plural A plural subject requires a plural pronoun - 'them' in options C, D and E. 'Due to' also does not capture the causual context as well as 'because of' does. Therefore, A and B are incorrect. C and D do not fit the context because they do not confirm to a parallel structure- parallelism needs to exist between the salt that was crystallizing and the fungus that was growing- '...would crystallize...' and '...make the salt...crystallize' do not confirm to parallelism. Thus, option E best befits the context.