885-12-13

Some analysts point out that because people are becoming accustomed to a steady inflation rate of four to five percent, businesses found that they could raise prices according to this amount without thereby provoking strong public reaction.

(A) found that they could raise prices according to this amount without thereby provoking

(B) found that they were capable of raising prices by this amount and not provoke

(C) find that they are capable of raising prices by this amount and not provoke

(D) are finding that they can raise prices by this amount without provoking（D）

(E) are finding that they can raise prices according to this amount and will not thereby provoke

这里为什么用are finding呢?表示正在发现吗

首先 can与capable of在很多场合不适合互换，尤其是主语不是人的时候。

另外从时态上看，原因状语从句与主句用的都是一般时态。上述两点，排除a,b,c

according to的意思

according to
according to
prep.（介词）
As stated or indicated by; on the authority of:
据…所说；据…所载：
according to historians.
按历史学家所说的
In keeping with; in agreement with:
依据；按照：
according to instructions.
依据教导
As determined by:
取决于：
a list arranged according to the alphabet.
按字母顺序排列制成的表格

不符合本文表述。

另外 will not thereby provoke和原句意思有不少的差别，所以选D比较合适