关于OG89的正确答案

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.

(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

用排除法后只能选C,可C后面的there were怎么解释呢，后面不应修饰复数名词啊？

这个知识点前面有帖子提过，好像没人反应，只得又拿出来～～