C还有另一个问题哦: (C) not until almost 1900 were scholars and critics to begin seriously to study 把倒装还原成正常语序吧,就能看出来了: In 1990, Scholars and critics were to begin to study .... (以上为了简化,把adverb都去掉, "almost 1990"就假设是1990哈) 这句话逻辑上有问题哦,发现了吗?
如果我今天(April 21, 2012)说: I am to apply to MBA. 相当于: I will apply to MBA (some time in the near future). 但问题是,谁也不知道我到底什么时候apply. 我并没有说。 仅仅是在今天(April 21, 2012)我告诉你们我对于未来的plan.
那咱回头看原句: In 1990, Scholars and critics were to begin to study .... 这句子并没有说when did they begin to study!
而原句的意思是(忽略almost):In 1990, they began to study ....
所以,就算是咱能接受C那样的倒装,那也该写成这样: Not until almost 1990 did scholars and critics begin ...