OG语法题，抓狂了！！！求分析！！！

boreposuo

85. According to a recent poll, owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land is still a goal of a majority of young adults, like that of earlier generations.
(A) like that of earlier generations
(B) as that for earlier generations
(C) just as earlier generations did
(D) as have earlier generations
(E) as it was of earlier generation

为什么 A B 中的that 不对？
为什么This sentence compares a single goal shared by generations. The secondpart of the sentence must have the same structure as the first part？？？

谢谢指教~

boreposuo

A:1.like比较两个名词,此处应该是句子和句子之间的比较，应该用as；
Generally, COMMA + LIKE at the end of a sentence serves to modify the SUBJECT of the preceding clause a goal
2.第二个部分缺失主谓，不能和主句平行
3.that核心指代a goal,具体是哪个goal不能清楚的表达，比较对象错误：The implication is that OWNING AND LIVING IN A FREESTANDING HOUSE is LIKE A GOAL （but which？）of earlier generations.

A选项如果这样理解呢？总之理不清头绪，抓狂了

boreposuo

思路：poll 民意调查
句子和句子之间的比较
owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land=Subject1 VS it= Subject2
is=verb1  VS was=verb2
of a majority of young adults=介宾短语1 VS of earlier generation=介宾短语2
This sentence compares a single goal shared by generations. The secondpart of the sentence must have the same structure as the first part 第二个句子应该与第一个句子有相同的结构，主+谓+介宾短语
A:1.like比较两个名词,此处应该是句子和句子之间的比较，应该用as；
2.第二个部分缺失主谓，不能和主句平行，that指代模糊
B：1.第二个部分缺失主谓，不能和主句平行，that指代模糊
2.as表比较时 应该接句子
C：1.补出的助动词did在as前面找不到对应的动词
2.earlier generations did 和(owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land) is不平行;
D：1.as引起的从句不平行，have没有平行对象不能和is比较
2. have earlier generations 逻辑不合理
E: bingo :
1.As接句子表比较
2.as后面的句子结构和比较对象一一对应：it(owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land ) was (a goal) of earlier generations.   
3.Was 很好的对应is 反映出了时间不同


以上是我做题时的思路，但就是觉得非常别扭，问题再加2个：

为什么 a goal 可以省略？？？

a goal of a majority of young adults和of earlier generation 是介宾短语么？？？
求指点啊~~~