sen4sun gwd 3-17 (天山7-14)

T-3-Q17.
                天山-7-14

Not one of the potential investors is expected to make an effort to buy First Interstate Bank until a merge agreement is signed that includes a provision for penalties if the deal were not to be concluded.

1. is expected to make an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until a merge agreement is signed that includes a provision for penalties if the deal were

2. is expected to make an offer for buying First Interstate Bank until they sign a merge agreement including a provision for penalties if the deal was

3. is expected to make an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until a merge agreement be signed by them with a provision for penalties if the deal were

4. are expected to make an offer for buying First Interstate Bank until it signs a merge agreement with a provision for penalties included if the deal was

5. are expected to be making an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until they sign a merge agreement including a provision for penalties if the deal were

Key is A, but somehow I feel C is better since it use subjunctive mood. "(should)be signed ... if ... were" but "them" is little bit wired, not sure if it can refer to investors.

A "is signed ... if were" does not really make sense to me.

Thx for the answer, 

thanks a lot for the answer. Found some explainations but not sure I fully understand them even it seems A is better according to these explainations. Any one could explain a little bit more?

从虚拟语气的角度，这个叫条件虚拟，应该只有条件句用虚拟

所以从逻辑意思上来讲，只有A选项正确.

hold on, how about this:

A merge agreement includes a provision for penalties (that should apply) if the deal were not to be concluded.

And "the deal" refers to "a merge agreement".

do I interpret it right?

any help is hightly appreaciated, any NN?

up by myself

ok, now get it, thx a bunch

看来这道题目cd上争议很大，我本来也是选A的，可是想了很久，突然想问问nn们，在until开头的句子中，好像没出现过什么should、would之类的吧？

如果if条件从句表示与现在的事实不符，谓语动词应该用过去时，be动词一律用were，而主句应该用would（第二三人称），那么这里会不会是在be前面省略了would？