[SC悬赏令] Prep2012-Pack1-SC-049 求助~

Even though interest rates rose last year, they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s, when the economytumbled into a recession and markets were depressed.   

A.       they were not nearly as high as the early 1980s,when

B.       they were not nearly as high as interest rates in the early 1980s,when

C.       they were not nearlyat the levels theywere in the early 1980s, at the time when

D.       they had not approached the high levels of the early 19805,during the time in which

E.       the high levels of the 19805 were not being approached, when

这题答案选B。 其中我比较困惑的是，这里是主语直接的比较还是状语直接的比较呢？

如果B答，把interst rates去掉可不可以？ 就是当作比较之间主谓都相同，as high as 后省略了hey were：  they were not nearly as high as  ( interest rates ) in the early 1980s .

大家进来指点一下哈~~