Question

Simplify the underlined part of the given sentence (if necessary):
The widely accepted big bang theory holds that the universe began in an explosive instant ten to twenty billion years ago and has been expanding ever since.

• A. that the universe began in an explosive instant ten to twenty billion years ago and has been expanding
• B. that the universe had begun in an explosive instant ten to twenty billion years ago and had been expanding
• C. that the beginning of the universe was an explosive instant ten to twenty billion years ago that has expanded
• D. the beginning of the universe to have been an explosive instant ten to twenty billion years ago that is expanding
• E. the universe to have begun in an explosive instant ten to twenty billion years ago and has been expanding

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

that the universe began in an explosive instant ten to twenty billion years ago and has been expanding

The sentence requires a simple past tense with respect to 'universe'. So, 'began' is correctly used in the given sentence. The past perfect 'had begun' of B implies that we are talking about some other event in the past and the universe had begun before that. "To have been" and "to have begun" of options D and E respectively are way too complicated when we need a simple past tense. C uses 'that has expanded' as if the Big Bang phenomenon is already over. Even if we do not understand the Big Bang theory, its been mentioned as something that is still going on. Also, the beginning of C uses too many words to state something simple. Thus, option A best befits the context.