[Taka]

Maybe this question is kind of related to what I asked before: the question of comma.

Please read the sentence below:

The clearest evidence of old age is how eagerly I look for the proof that I haven't slipped. I love the newspaper story reporting the success of the eighty-four-year-old scientist, or the aged marathon runner.

What is the object of "reporting" there? Is it (a):"reporting [the success of the eighty-four-year-old scientist, or the aged marathon runner.], or (b): "reporting [the success of the eighty-four-year-old scientist], or [the aged marathon runner.]?

I think the answer is (a). That is, the newspaper story is reporting the successful eighty-four-year-old scientist and aged marathon runner; they were both successful. But my text, written by a Japanese, says (b) is the answer: "the success" is modified only by "of the eighty-four-year-old scientist" because "the aged marathon runner" is separated by a comma. It says we cannot tell from the sentence that the aged marathon runner was successful.

I don't think the answer (b) makes sense.

I don't get it...

What do you think, Mike?