OG--89

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 micro-computer, four times as many than there were
(E)   every thirty-two pupils now has one microcom-puter, four times as many as

看上去最正确的是C. 但我有个问题：（1）为什么用four times as many as there were? 为什么用复数were？？

                                                                  （2）OG说E选项中的four times as many as错误的修饰了pupils，为什么它不修饰one microcom-puter？

请各位指教~~