GWD8-41新问!!

GWD8-Q41

When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950’s, some 4,000
existed in the United States, but today there are less than one-quarter that many.

A. there are less than one-quarter that many
B. there are fewer than one-quarter as many
C. there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount
D. the number is less than one-quarter the amount
E. it is less than one-quarter of that amount

关于D. 之前的讨论贴有解释说the number没有指代. 因为the number是特指, 指前面提到过的4000 driver-ins. 所以在D这里,就不合逻辑意思了.  我觉得有道理.

可是在OG里发现这样一例:

81. In 1973 mortgage payments represented twenty-one percent of an average thirty-year-old male's income; and forty-four percent in 1984.

(A)  income; and forty-four percent in 1984

(B)   income; in 1984 the figure was forty-four percent

(C)  income, and in 1984 forty-four percent

(D)  income, forty-four percent in 1984 was the figure

(E)   income that rose to forty-four percent in 1984

B对.  由此看来, the figure是可以认为不是特指前面提到的数字.而泛泛的指数字.  1984的数字.

那么GWD8-41D中的the number就应该没有问题.

那么D的问题在哪里呢?

另: the amount为什么在这里可以代可数名词?

personal opinion

我的第一感觉是D

the correct expression should be "the number is  greater/ fewer than.....

D. the number is less than one-quarter the amount

D里是is呀

number is countable.  but "less" modifies "uncountable"

恩

给大家这么一说也感觉有点道理

继续讨论

是啊, 矮子里拔将军,也认为D更好, 表达意思清楚无歧义.比it is /there are的用法都要简洁.

但是后面的one-quarter the amount, 是什么用法呢?

ding

不明白D项 ，到底哪点不讨ETS 喜欢了

the number is less觉得不好。

我选A