[問題]考古題 FORM23 Q14 V.S. FORM21 Q4

[中國石油]

Q14. The herring gull population in the North Atlantic is now thirty times larger [url]than in[/url]the beginning of the century.
(A) than in
(B) than they were at
(C) than it was at
(D) compared to than of
(E) compared to what they were at

Q4. The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the United States now have two incomes, significantly more than [url]earlier decades did[/url].
(A) earlier decades did
(B) earlier decades
(C) in earlier decades
(D) earlier decades have
(E) that in earlier decades

想請問一下這二題的差別為何處? 如果都是now 與 過去時間的比較，為何一個答案more than 後面直接加 in ，而另外一個答案卻不行呢?

[keane0727]

我有同樣的疑問。
同一人（物）不同時間的比較常省略第二個子句的主詞與動詞，保留時間副詞。例：
That salesman isn't as aggressive as (he was) before.
There are not as many trees around here as (there were) two years ago.

另外查了Cambridge: in/at the beginning應該都可以用

[keane0727]

自己頂一下
Q14為什麼不選A？
這個問題我想了一下，是不是因為in the beginning與前面in the North Atlantic結構平衡所以容易造成誤解？

[vantreal]

Q14:
(A) larger than ____ (??? )
=>very unclear, 主詞跟時間副詞不是同等性質
(B) they were => plural, 錯
(C) correct
(D) 比較級adj後面接 than
(E) 比較級adj後面接 than

Q4:
(A) earlier decades did => not a person
(B) earlier decades => more than earlier decades? 句意錯
(C) correct
(D) earlier decades have => not a person
(E) that in earlier decades => 不用that

兩個不同點:
Q14: N必須跟N比較.
Q4: 句意很清楚, 最後的只是比較時間的不同.

(解釋的不好, 請見諒!!)

[dibert8]

Q14:
(A) 比較對象的時態比主要子句早,動詞不能省略
(B) population --> it
(D) (E) compare to: 比擬
=> (C)

Q4:
比較要同類 (three-fifths 不能跟 decades 比) => 刪除 (A) (B) (D)
(E) 連接詞後有主詞 (that) 沒有動詞;要省就要一起省
=> (C) : The Census Bureau reports that more than three-fifths of all married couples in the United States now have two incomes, (which was) significantly more than (that was) in earlier decades.
因為附屬結構(逗點以後的部份)只有一個時態(由時間副詞 in earlier decades 決定,所以沒有時態先後的問題;主詞(=附屬結構的主詞= which =逗點前面整句)和動詞一起省略.
附屬結構的目的在補充說明主要結構,時態因句意而定,跟主要結構沒有牽連.