OG13一道语法题,previously thoght,新人求探讨!

jino_lx6

Digging in sediments in northern China, evidence has been gathered by scientists suggesting that complex life-forms emerged much earlier than they had previously thought.
(A) evidence has been gathered by scientists suggesting that complex life-forms emerged much earlier than they had
(B) evidence gathered by scientists suggests a much earlier emergence of complex life-forms than had been
(C) scientists have gathered evidence suggesting that complex life-forms emerged much earlier than
(D) scientists have gathered evidence that suggests a much earlier emergence of complex life-forms than that which was
(E) scientists have gathered evidence which suggests a much earlier emergence of complex life-forms than that


这题的答案是C.之前一直在纠结这题的成分.
然后最近突然觉得是否可以按如下理解?

Scientists have gathered evidencesuggesting that complex life-forms emerged much earlier than (they were)previously thought.

这里than (they were) previously也是状语从句省略,因为前面主语也是complex life-forms.所以所谓从句省略主谓?

而前面也有earlier,后面有previously两个表示时间的点.所以省略了也没有歧义.同时这个从句也可以写成earlier than they have been previously thought.

不知道我理解得有没有问题,求大牛指教!

giny

同意楼主，那更完整的应该是complex life-forms emerged much earlier than (they have been) previously thought (to emerge).