as 中IT 的作用,让我困惑的2题

AC1980

1.        In the 1980’s the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States was nearly twice as fast as the 1970’s.

(A) twice as fast as

(B) twice as fast as it was in

(C) twice what it was in

(D) two times faster than that of（C）

(E) two times greater than

2.   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）

(E) as it was of earlier generations

IT在这两个句子中是否都有代词作用? 根据2题我老觉得1题应选B, IT 代the rate of increase of the minority population of the United States,请指教.

fengyun1

第一题可以参看 http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=23&ID=20634
第二题选E，living in a freestanding house on its own land is still a goal of a majority of young adults和
as it （living in a freestanding house ）was （a goal ）of earlier generations完美对称。