代词指代问题---旧PREP 165

fannybeibei

Due to poaching and increased cultivation in their native habitats, researchers have determined
that there are fewer than 100 Arabian leopards left in the wild, and that these leopards are thus
many times as rare as China's giant pandas.

(A) Due to poaching and increased cultivation in their native habitats, researchers have determined
that there are fewer than 100 Arabian leopards left in the wild, and that these leopards are thus many times as rare as
(B) Due to poaching and increased cultivation in their native habitats, there are fewer than 100
Arabian leopards left in the wild, researchers have determined, making them many times more rare  than
(C) There are fewer than 100 Arabian leopards left in the wild due to poaching and increased cultivation in their native habitats, researchers have determined, which makes the leopards many times more rare compared to
(D) Researchers have determined that, because of being poached and increased cultivation in their  native habitats, there are fewer than 100 Arabian leopards left in the wild, thus making them many more times as rare as
(E) Researchers have determined that, because of poaching and increased cultivation in their native habitats, there are fewer than 100 Arabian leopards left in the wild, and that these leopards are thus many times more rare than

正解E!
为什么E的their不可以指代researchers?我怎么看their都只能指代researchers，然后很开心的排除了。。。？？？！！！
求高手出手相助啊！！！

fannybeibei

谢谢jtr！
看了你的解释清楚好多

jtrchina

从句子结构出发区别代词指代最为精确
E句子结构如下：
【Researchers】 （have determined） <that, because of poaching and increased cultivation in their native habitats, there are fewer than 100 Arabian leopards left in the wild, and that these leopards are thus many times more rare than China's giant pandas.>
【】主语
（）谓语
<>从句

代词their与主语不同属同一句子层次，故优先指代同一层次的leopards
从语法上讲修饰主语也非完全不可，只是优先，如果从句中无指代对象，则可退而求其次继续寻找指代对象