* the percentage of people

[kartik1979]

The percentage of people aged 28 - 35 remaining single increased abruptly between 1985 and 1990 and continued to rise more slowly over the next five years.

a) The percentage of people aged 28 - 35 remaining single increased abruptly between 1985 and 1990 and continued to rise more slowly over the next five years.
b) The percentage of people aged 28 - 35 remaining single increased abruptly between 1985 and 1990 and has continued to rise more slowly over the next five years.
c) The percentage of people aged 28 - 35 remaining single increased abruptly between 1985 and 1990 and had continued to rise more slowly over the next five years.
d) There had been an abrupt increase in the percentage of people aged 28 - 35 who remained single between 1985 and 1990 and it continued to rise more slowly over the next five years.
e) There was an abrupt increase in the percentage of people aged 28 - 35 who remained single between 1985 and 1990 which continued to rise more slowly over the next five years.


The right Ans is A as per unknown source

I have a specific question in this regard.I had narrowed down to choice A and B and also thought that A follows parallism rules (increased .....contnued) but Selected B as the ans as the first part of sentence "The percentage of people aged 28 - 35 remaining single increased abruptly between 1985 and 1990 " states something that has happened in past and then " has continued to rise more slowly over the next five years." the process is contnuing which requires" Has"

Where am i going wrong?

[Ben Ku]

Please cite the source (author) of this problem. We cannot reply unless a source is cited (and, if no source is cited, we will have to delete the post!). Thanks.