旧prep1-24 比较结构和形容词比较级的疑问

hytiancai

24. (25819-!-item-!-188;#058&002130)

Employment costs rose 2.8 percent in the12 months that ended in September, slightly less than

they did in the year that ended in theprevious quarter.

（A) less than they did

(B) less than it did

(C) less than they were

(D) lower than

(E) lower than they were  

我的疑问是：1、2.8percent 是否在句子中充当补语的作用？

2、那如果是补语的话，如何界定是否可以省略助动词？（我只知道如果有宾语的话，是不能省略助动词的）

3、lower 是否可以修饰 2.8 percent?如何可以，D选项是否可以理解为强调补语（2.8percent）的比较？

希望可以给予解答，感谢各位NN

bitieming

2.8percent应该是宾语吧，costs rose 2.8percent，lower可以修饰percent但是这个地方比较的实际是动作rose，原句结构为 costs rose 2.8 percent, less than they(costs) did(rose) in...

hytiancai

thx