og17

17. Native American burial sites dating back 5,000 years indicate that the residents of Maine at that time were part of a widespread culture of Algonquian-speaking people.

(A)  were part of a widespread culture of Algonquian-speaking people

(B)   had been part of a widespread culture of people who were Algonquian-speaking

(C)  were people who were part of a widespread culture that was Algonquian-speaking

(D)  had been people who were part of a widespread culture that was Algonquian-speaking

(E)   were a people which had been part of a wide­spread, Algonquian-speaking culture

OG解释：In B and D, the replacement of were with the past perfect had been needlessly changes the original meaning by suggesting that the Native Americans had previously ceased to be part of the widespread culture.（the Native Americans实际上是不是指the residents of Maine？）Choice E displays inconsistent tenses（E选项是主句用过去式were，从句用过去完成式had been；而B和D选项是主句用过去完成式，从句用过去式。不考虑这道题目的逻辑意思，是不是B和D这样用就是对的？哪位NN能给我清楚地讲讲两种用法的区别，万分感谢！！） and an error of pronoun reference, people which（E选项中的people前加了a，应该是种族的意思，为什么不能用which？）.