What's the trick in this one , why C?

[atishree]

In January 1994 an oil barge ran aground off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, leaking its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean, while causing the pollution of the city’s beaches.
A) leaking its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean, while causing the pollution of
B) with its cargo of its cargo of 750000 gallons leaking into the ocean, and it polluted
C) and its cargo of its cargo of 750000 gallons leaked into the ocean, polluting
D) while it leaked its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean and caused the pollution of
E) so that its cargo of 750000 gallons leaked into the ocean, and they were polluting

[arindambanerji]

IMO C

Others have pronoun and antecedent problem

[fierymustang]

My answer is 'C' too.

and my reason is redundancy.

[samarpan_bschool]

In January 1994 an oil barge ran aground off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, leaking its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean, while causing the pollution of the city’s beaches.
A) leaking its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean, while causing the pollution of
B) with its cargo of its cargo of 750000 gallons leaking into the ocean, and it polluted
C) and its cargo of its cargo of 750000 gallons leaked into the ocean, polluting
D) while it leaked its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean and caused the pollution of
E) so that its cargo of 750000 gallons leaked into the ocean, and they were polluting

There are two things that the oil barge does-
(i) It ran aground off the ocean
(ii) It leaked its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean

Final thought is - 'the act of oil barge leaking its cargo into the ocean' polluted city's beaches.

In Option C 'polluting' (present participle) makes thsi point clear. (Present participle can refer to the subject or Subject and verb or the action of the preceding clause) So C makes the best option.

In B -> pronoun 'it' refers to 'oil barge'. However the oil barge did not pollute the city, it is the action (final thought) that polluted the city. So B is wrong

I am assuming you have eliminated other choices A, D and E at the first go.

[atishree]

Originally Posted by samarpan_bschool

In January 1994 an oil barge ran aground off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, leaking its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean, while causing the pollution of the city’s beaches.
A) leaking its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean, while causing the pollution of
B) with its cargo of its cargo of 750000 gallons leaking into the ocean, and it polluted
C) and its cargo of its cargo of 750000 gallons leaked into the ocean, polluting
D) while it leaked its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean and caused the pollution of
E) so that its cargo of 750000 gallons leaked into the ocean, and they were polluting

There are two things that the oil barge does-
(i) It ran aground off the ocean
(ii) It leaked its cargo of 750000 gallons into the ocean

Final thought is - 'the act of oil barge leaking its cargo into the ocean' polluted city's beaches.
In Option C 'polluting' (present participle) makes thsi point clear. (Present participle can refer to the subject or Subject and verb or the action of the preceding clause) So C makes the best option.

In B -> pronoun 'it' refers to 'oil barge'. However the oil barge did not pollute the city, it is the action (final thought) that polluted the city. So B is wrong

I am assuming you have eliminated other choices A, D and E at the first go.

thanks , nice explanation