请问OG第89题

89. A recent national study of the public schools shows that there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were four years ago.fficeffice" />

(A)     there are now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were

(B)     there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many than there were

(C)     there is now one microcomputer for every thirty-two pupils, four times as many as there were

(D)     every thirty-two pupils now have one micro­computer, four times as many than there were

(E)         every thirty-two pupils now has one microcom­puter, four times as many as

Choices A, B, and C appropriately use the construction "one X for every thirty-two Y's" to describe the ratio of computers to pupils, but only C, the best answer, is error-free. In A, are does not agree with the subject, one microcomputer; furthermore, in A, B, and D, than is used where as is required. Choices D and E reorder and garble the "one X ..." construction, making four times as many refer illogically to pupils.

对于答案C中我有一处不明白，four times as many as there were，这里were为什么不用was?我不能确定这里是指computer数目还是pupils的数目是原来四年前的4倍。但是不管是那个数目，都应该用was呀？因为数目是单数啊。