关于比较的问题Prep2012-Pack1-SC-033

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The infant mortality rate has decreased steadily over the past decades and is 【now at a lower rate  than】 ever before.
A.        now at a lower rate than

B.        now lower than 【B】

C.        now a lower rate than

D.        presently lower than it was

E.        presently lower than the rate was

这题The infant mortality rate has decreased steadily over the past decades and is now lower than ever before.这里因为前面有now后面有before，所以说是rate在两个时间的对比，如果前面没有now，是不是就得写成The infant mortality rate has decreased steadily over the past decades and is lower than that ever before？

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kluivert

感谢你，今天又学习了

The infant mortality rate has decreased steadily over the past several decades and is now at a lower rate than ever before

A. now at a lower rate than --> "lower rate" is redundant

B. now lower than --> CORRECT

C. now a lower rate than --> "lower rate" is redundant

D. presently lower than it was
Came to know about this concept from another forum :
Adverbs that refer to AN INDEFINITE TIME IN THE PAST (ever, never, already, yet) typically require the PRESENT PERFECT.
So WAS ever before is incorrect.

The OA implies the following:
The rate is now lower than [IT HAS] ever [BEEN] before.
The words in brackets are omitted, but their presence is understood.

E. presently lower than the rate was ---> Same as D and "rate" is redundant here.