og 199

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199. Because the Earth's crust is more solid there and thus better able to transmit shock waves, an earthquake of a given magnitude typically devastates an area 100 times greater in the eastern United States than it does in the West.

(A)  of a given magnitude typically devastates an area 100 times greater in the eastern United States than it does in the West

(B)   of a given magnitude will typically devastate 100 times the area if it occurs in the eastern United States instead of the West

(C)  will typically devastate 100 times the area in the eastern United States than one of comparable magnitude occurring in the West

(D)  in the eastern United States will typically devastate an area 100 times greater than will a quake of comparable magnitude occurring in the West

(E)   that occurs in the eastern United States will typically devastate 100 times more area than if it occurred with comparable magnitude in the West

At issue is the accurate expression of a complex comparison. Choice D, the best answer, presents the proper form of comparison, will typically devastate an area 100 times greater than will; thus, choice D logically indicates that earthquakes in the eastern United States are 100 times more devastating than are western earthquakes. Choices A, B, and E use it incorrectly to suggest that the same quake strikes both the eastern and the western United States. In choice C, 700 times the area... than is unidiomatic.