语法求救。。。。4

rukawa

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
求分析此句的结构。。。。

kennybigmouth

despite 后面就当一个名词短语，显示了现在完成时，接后面主句为一般现在时，in order to部分前后有两个逗号，说明是插入语，可以跳过，谓语动词expect 接 sb to do 排除DE吧。   接着看比较结构   to do sth +比较级+than sb do（助动词） 所以排除AB的were和have been，最后看C，前面是BE，后面是have been 对称，OK！就选C吧

qiuhua01234567

Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow(后置定语修饰increases) that have propelled automobile companies' common stocks to new highs(修饰increases，可以跳跃修饰，因为in sales and cash flow是修饰increases的), several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash（插入语，表示目的）, to set dividends more conservatively than they were。是分析句子么？

rukawa

哇咔咔，原来如此。。。。谢谢LS两位。。