OG 125

Apolloemma

Today, because of improvements in agricultural technology, the same amount of acreage produces double the apples that it has in 1910.
(A) double the apples that it has
(B) twice as many apples as it did
(C) as much as twice the apples it has
(D) two times as many apples as there were
(E) a doubling of the apples that it did

Logical predication;  Diction;   Verb form
The sentence compares the number of apples produced today with the number of apples produced in 1910. The phrase double the apples is not very exact but it could be understood to mean twice as many or as many as; the verb form has confounds the sequence of events and makes the comparison illogical. An action that occurred in 1910 requires a verb in the past tense. The two elements being compared must be grammatically parallel. The same amount... produces is paralleled by as it did (produce understood). The subjects amount and //are parallel, as are the verbs produces and did (produce).
A     The comparative construction as many as is needed; the verb tense has is incorrect with in 1910.
B     Correct. As many as is used for a countable quantity; the two elements being compared are parallel; the verb is in the past tense.
C    Much is used where many is required; the verb tense has is incorrect with in 1910.
D    Two times is wordy; there were is vague because it does not refer to amount of acreage.
E    A doubling of the apples is awkward and, when joined with that it did, suggests doubling the apples themselves, not the amount of apples.


问题1， The phrase double the apples is not very exact but it could be understood to mean twice as many or as many as.
twice as many 和as many as 有什么不同？
.....
我再读这个句子，觉得作者的意思是说，double the apples that.. 一个很可能的解释是, 将苹果的产量增大了两倍，但是不能肯定这种说法。所以，需要在double 后面加上as many as 来更加明确这种说法。正如 先选项解释， The comparative construction as many as is needed，所说。

问题2， 对于E的解释，
a doubling of the apples 这是一个complex gerund, the apples 是doubling的宾语。所以, a doubling of the apples that ..说的意思就是将苹果本身扩大两倍。