[求助]885-section 12-13

13.   Some analysts point out that because people are becoming accustomed to a steady inflation rate of four to five percent, businesses found that they could raise prices according to this amount without thereby provoking strong public reaction.

(A) found that they could raise prices according to this amount without thereby provoking

(B) found that they were capable of raising prices by this amount and not provoke

(C) find that they are capable of raising prices by this amount and not provoke

(D) are finding that they can raise prices by this amount without provoking（D）

(E) are finding that they can raise prices according to this amount and will not thereby provoke

答案D，但是finding这样一个描述过程的动词是否能准确描述商人发现抬高物价并不会导致太大社会反响这样一个事情？我觉得用found比较好，但是时态又不对应，怎么解释？

这题考时态一致

从逻辑上讲，先变得习惯，然后才能发现

怎么说find时态也不会比become过去啊，你可以理解成人慢慢在适应，商人们也随之逐渐发现这个现象

而且A的thereby多余，B， and前后不并列

谢谢