more...than...比较级问题

egretlee

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

这道题答案没问题, 问题是, 如果我给他换个说法, 就要用 expect…to set dividends more conservatively than______填什么呢？before? Last year?这种事件状语行吗？

egretlee

sorry, 时间状语, 笔误

egretlee

大家帮忙看看吧