Why Is the Fifteenth Century "Age of Exploration" a Misnomer

Why is the fifteenth century "Age of Exploration" a misnomer?

A) China had already established colonial possessions in the "New World."
B) It incorrectly assumes European states were motivated by economic interests.
C) People, goods, and ideas had been traveling the Silk Road for centuries.
D) It was more correctly a period of European imperialism.
E) Europe had previously established colonies in the Spice Islands.