Several SC Qs from Taiwanese Cram School~

fernandochang

Asked for explanations ~ pls!!!!! Thanks for your help!

15.Never before had taxpayers confronted {so many changes at once as they had in} the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
(A)so many changes at once as they had in
(B)at once as many changes as
(C)at once as many changes that there were with
(D)as many changes at once as they confronted in
(E)so many changes at once that confronted them in
A)    [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]
16.It is as diffcult to prevent crimes against property as {those that are against a} person.
(A)those that are against a
(B)those against a
(C)it is against a
(D)preventing those against a
(E)it is to prevent those against a
A):E  [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]
17.American productivity is declining in relation to Europe's; the energy expended per unit of  production in the US is {as much as twice that expended in West Germany}.
(A)as much as twice that expended in West Germany
(B)as much as twice that of  West Germany's expenditure
(C)up to two times of West Germany's expenditure
(D)up to two times what West Germans expended
(E)up to double the West German expenditure
A):A    [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]
18.Most corporations pay at least twice as much to full-time employees, if the value of benefits, sick days, and paid vacations days {are included in earnings, than} to part-time employees, whose hourly wages are often higher than those of their full-time colleagues.
(A)are included in earnings, than
(B)are included in earnings, as
(C)is included in earnings, than they pay
(D)is included in earnings, as is paid
(E)is included in earnings, as they pay
A):E    [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]
19.In 1980 the United States exported {twice as much of its national output of goods as they had} in 1970.
(A)twice as much of its national output of goods as they had
(B)double the amount of thier national output of goods as they did
(C)twice as much of its national output of goods as it did
(D)double the amount of its national output of goods as it has
(E)twice as much of their national output of goods as they had
A):C    [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]
20.Salt deposits and moisture threaten to destroy the Mohengo-Daro excavation in Pakistan, the site of an ancient civilization {that flourished at the same time as the civilizations} in the Nile delta and the river valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates.
(A)that flourished at the same time as the civilizations
(B)that had flourished at the same time as had the civilizations
(C)that flourished at the same time those had
(D)flourishng at the same time as those did
(E)flourishing at the same time as the those were
A):A   [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]
21.Because young children do not organize their attention or perceptions systematically, {like adults}, they may notice and remember details that their elders ignore.
(A)like adults
(B)unlike an adult
(C)as adults
(D)as adults do
(E)as an adult
A)   [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]
22.According to the report of the UN Conference on Desertification, {deserts worldwide are claiming an area each year the size of Maine’s.}
(A)deserts worldwide are claiming an area each year the size of Maine’s
(B)each year deserts throughout the world claim an area the size of Maine
(C)deserts throughout the world claim an area equal to Maine each year
(D)worldwide deserts each year are claiming an area equal to Maine
(E)each year worldwide deserts claim an area the size of Maine’s

siebel

以下是引用fernandochang在2003-4-8 22:42:00的发言：
Asked for explanations ~ pls!!!!! Thanks for your help!

15.Never before had taxpayers confronted {so many changes at once as they had in} the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
(A)so many changes at once as they had in
(B)at once as many changes as
(C)at once as many changes that there were with
(D)as many changes at once as they confronted in
(E)so many changes at once that confronted them in

A)    [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]
Based on verb tense, A is eliminated
Based on the Logical Subject is they, BCE is eliminated.

16.It is as diffcult to prevent crimes against property as {those that are against a} person.
(A)those that are against a
(B)those against a
(C)it is against a
(D)preventing those against a
(E)it is to prevent those against a
A):E  [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]

Parallel structure. There should be similiar structure between the main sentence and the clause. Only E gives us a perfect match.

17.American productivity is declining in relation to Europe's; the energy expended per unit of  production in the US is {as much as twice that expended in West Germany}.  
(A)as much as twice that expended in West Germany
(B)as much as twice that of  West Germany's expenditure
(C)up to two times of West Germany's expenditure
(D)up to two times what West Germans expended
(E)up to double the West German expenditure
A):A    [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]

Same here. Parallel structure...

18.Most corporations pay at least twice as much to full-time employees, if the value of benefits, sick days, and paid vacations days {are included in earnings, than} to part-time employees, whose hourly wages are often higher than those of their full-time colleagues.   
(A)are included in earnings, than
(B)are included in earnings, as
(C)is included in earnings, than they pay
(D)is included in earnings, as is paid
(E)is included in earnings, as they pay
A):E    [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]

To put it simply, it's like this:

Co. pay as much to full-time as they pay to parttime.

19.In 1980 the United States exported {twice as much of its national output of goods as they had} in 1970.  
(A)twice as much of its national output of goods as they had
(B)double the amount of thier national output of goods as they did
(C)twice as much of its national output of goods as it did
(D)double the amount of its national output of goods as it has
(E)twice as much of their national output of goods as they had
A):C    [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]

US is singular. So the pronoun need to be "it" rather than "they".
double is verb, cannot be used just after a verb "exported"

20.Salt deposits and moisture threaten to destroy the Mohengo-Daro excavation in Pakistan, the site of an ancient civilization {that flourished at the same time as the civilizations} in the Nile delta and the river valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates.
(A)that flourished at the same time as the civilizations
(B)that had flourished at the same time as had the civilizations
(C)that flourished at the same time those had
(D)flourishng at the same time as those did
(E)flourishing at the same time as the those were
A):A   [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]

CDE can be eliminated for the pronoun "those" which refers to nothing. B is not right for it's using "past perfect tense".

21.Because young children do not organize their attention or perceptions systematically, {like adults}, they may notice and remember details that their elders ignore.
(A)like adults
(B)unlike an adult
(C)as adults
(D)as adults do
(E)as an adult
A)   [SEC.2 COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE]

If not comma before "like adults", A is right. Comma means there should be a sentence followed.

22.According to the report of the UN Conference on Desertification, {deserts worldwide are claiming an area each year the size of Maine’s.}
(A)deserts worldwide are claiming an area each year the size of Maine’s
(B)each year deserts throughout the world claim an area the size of Maine
(C)deserts throughout the world claim an area equal to Maine each year
(D)worldwide deserts each year are claiming an area equal to Maine
(E)each year worldwide deserts claim an area the size of Maine’s

No answer here. the Logic subject of According to is people. But there is no such sentence in the selections.

山峰

siebel bro,
Good job!
You are somewhat S/C expert now!

fernandochang

The answer of the No.22  is B
But~ why?

siebel

以下是引用山峰在2003-4-9 22:13:00的发言：
siebel bro,
Good job!
You are somewhat S/C expert now!

Thank you, 山歌! After you taught me the rules about Comparative Structure, I have much much more confident in it. Your understanding is just perfect. Thank you!

siebel

22.According to the report of the UN Conference on Desertification, {deserts worldwide are claiming an area each year the size of Maine’s.}
(A)deserts worldwide are claiming an area each year the size of Maine’s
(B)each year deserts throughout the world claim an area the size of Maine
(C)deserts throughout the world claim an area equal to Maine each year
(D)worldwide deserts each year are claiming an area equal to Maine
(E)each year worldwide deserts claim an area the size of Maine’s

sorry. What I'm thinking about the usage of "according to" is just wrong. It seems "according to" needn't to match the logical subject. There are still some other preposition clause that have the same function, but I couldn't recall them.

To this one, we can easily elimiate AD because they are using present progressive tense which is against the "Report" in the subject clause.

E is wrong because Maine's which is not the object which the author is trying to compare.

C is not as good as B because "Equal to" means not only size, but also other aspects such as color, weight, characteristic, or even activity.

So, B is best.

mindfree

In the last problem, 's after Maine is not necessary. An area cannot equal to Maine. So it is easy to eliminate the wrong answers.

1stzhang

22.According to the report of the UN Conference on Desertification, {deserts worldwide are claiming an area each year the size of Maine’s.}
(A)deserts worldwide are claiming an area each year the size of Maine’s
(B)each year deserts throughout the world claim an area the size of Maine
(C)deserts throughout the world claim an area equal to Maine each year
(D)worldwide deserts each year are claiming an area equal to Maine
(E)each year worldwide deserts claim an area the size of Maine’s
解题思路：
（1）根据平行结构扔掉c/d
（2）比较a/b/e,从动词入手比较a/b1)a的时态不对；（2）the size of Maine’s错
（3）比较b/e，e中的the size of Maine’s
so,B