OG2017 782

ScarlettDeng

来自BeattheGMAT,https://www.beatthegmat.com/november-is-traditionally-t290570.html ,我觉得解析得不错，就搬运过来啦

It's testing LOGICAL COMPARISONS because of the use of "when compared with." Here are the two questions I ask myself whenever I see comparisons:

1. Logically, what do we mean to compare?
2. What is this sentence actually comparing (structurally)?

November is traditionally the strongest month for sales of light trucks, but sales this past November, even when compared with sales in previous Novembers, accounted for a remarkably large share of total vehicle sales.

1. Logically, what do we mean to compare? In this case: this November's sales to previous Novembers' sales. （对比的是这个十一月的销量和以往的十一月的销量）

2. What is this sentence actually comparing (structurally)? "sales... when compared with sales..." Looks good so far. （是销量与销量之间的对比）


B) but even when it is compared with previous Novembers, this past November’s sales

What is this actually comparing (structurally)? "It" to "Novembers." "It" seems to be referring to "this November's sales," so the pronoun doesn't agree. Incorrect. （it其实是想指的是过去这个十一月的销量，但是sales是复数，it 和sales 不符合agreement）


C) but even when they are compared with previous Novembers, sales of light trucks this past November

What is this actually comparing (structurally)? "They" = sales. We can't compares "sales" to "Novembers." Incorrect. （they在这里想指向的是过去的这个十一月的销量，但是compared with 后面是previous Novembers，销量和月份对比，不平行）


D) so that compared with previous Novembers, sales of light trucks this past November

"So that" changes the meaning significantly. It would imply an extension of a previously stated idea, rather than a contrast. If the share of total vehicle sales is "remarkably large" for this November, we want to state that that's surprising EVEN THOUGH November is usually a strong month. （原文句子想表达的意思是，尽管十一月是全年销量最强劲的月份，但是过去的这个十一月异常地强劲，比过往的十一月都强劲）

Answer choices that get rid of a contrast word such as "but," "although," or "despite" are usually wrong, because the contrast is usually central to the meaning.


E) so that this past November’s sales, even compared with previous Novembers’ sales,

Same "so that" issue as in D. （so that和D中情况一致）


The correct answer is A.