GWD上的一道SC有些疑惑，求各位解答

龙泽

Not one of the potential investors is expected to make an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until a merger agreement is signed that includes a provision for penalties if the deal were not to be concluded.

A. is expected to make an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until a merger agreement is signed that includes a provision for penalties if the deal were

B. is expected to make an offer for buying First Interstate Bank until they sign a merger agreement including a provision for penalties if the deal was

C. is expected to make an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until a merger agreement be signed by them with a provision for penalties if the deal were

D. are expected to make an offer for buying First Interstate Bank until it signs a merger agreement with a provision for penalties included if the deal was

E. are expected to be making an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until they sign a merger agreement including a provision for penalties if the deal were

这道题答案给的是A， 但我觉得A选项中that 没有直接紧跟修饰的名词agreement，在GMAT语法上应该错误的。
所以我认为C选项更合适，them 应该指代的是potential investors，也没什么问题

请给位帮忙分析一下

angelhxl

你好，原文中没说就是potential investors sign agreement，所以保证原意，不应把被动改主动。另外，因为signed是一个动词,而且谓语就这两字，未免头重脚轻，所以把that提后，明显修饰agreement。另外，c选项，be表达什么概念呢？哪里有暗示其用动词原形？

sunny803

关于修饰语不必紧跟被修饰词的几种情况，可参考Manhattan语法第12章234页的阐释第2点：                                  
A very short predicate falls between, shifting a very long modifier back.
Right: A new CEO has been hired who will transform the company by decentralizing authority to various division heads while increasing their accountablity through the use of public scorecards.

A中的情况就是句子主语的修饰语过长，谓语很短，所以把短谓语放在主语中心词和长修饰语中间来平衡整个句子。

C项的问题在于until后面的句子动词用了be, 应该用is。而且被动语态相对主动语态来说没有那么直接。另外，从代词指代应尽量靠近指代对象的原则来看，也是A中的they与the potential investors更近。