Prep 183 何谓平行

wzj728

Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies' common stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, to set dividends more conservatively than they were

A.to set dividends more conservatively than they were

B.to set dividends more conservatively than they have been

C.to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends

D.that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends

E.that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividends
答案是C，B的解释是to set与have been不平行，要在been后面加上setting以修正平行。
可我不太明白，为什么要平行？如果要加的话，为什么加上setting就是平行了呢？到底平行怎么看？


哪位NN可以帮助我一下、、、还有，我还是想问为什么每次我问的问题都没人解答呢、、、郁闷

sdcar2010

Because the word THEY refers to AUTOMAKERS, then "to set dividends more conservatively than they have been" = "to set dividends more conservatively than the automakers have been".  This is awkward.  What the author means is that "to set dividends more conservatively than automakers have been setting dividends."

P.S. When a member signs on to this forum, he or she is not obliged to answer EVERY question posted here. Perhaps if you start answering other's problems, some members would start answering yours.

Arsenfan

感谢LS的解答

Arsenfan

还想问下为什么THEY指代的是AUTOMAKERS而不是DIVIDENTS呢？谢了~

Arsenfan

been与前面没有平行对象，后面加行have been setting这样就有set与前面的set平行。
用have been setting是现在完成进行时，即现在仍然这么设置分红。用现在完成时和一般现在时或许更好，但是have been setting也问题不大。    这是版主的解释，觉得更合理些。不过也谢谢1楼啦

angelcity

可以这样理解么?B 项中的to set dividends more conservatively than they have been 中的"they"说不清是指"dividend"还是"automakers", 但C项就去除了这种歧义,更优.