Why is the answer A, and why doesn't B work?

"its biggest distractions has been the recently" - still the perfect tense, but i dont understand why A is a better answer?

Choice B, by using "recently" makes is seem as if the protraction was recent. The intended meaning of the sentence is that is was the negotiations that were recent.

- Veritas Help

Hi there,
dumb question: is the verb "made" supposed to be present or past tense?

I expect it to be present as in "the team made the commitment" - happening right now.

If this is the case, then the sequence of events should be

*Protracted Negotiations ...... * team made commitment

this is why I think either B or C is correct. Further, the first word of the sentence is "claiming" - gerund of present tense?

"made" is past tense. choices B and C are incorrect because they suggest that the protraction was recent, rather than the negotiations.

Veritas Help