The original has an improper comparison. Comparisons must relate logically parallel
elements. This sentence compares “the Civil War” to “soldiers in Vietnam.” It must
compare “soldiers” to “soldiers” or “war” to “war.” In this case, it would have to be war
to war because the meaning is that in those wars, Smith & Wesson equipped
soldiers.
(A) This answer choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.
(B) CORRECT. This choice correctly compares logically parallel elements: “the Civil
War to the Vietnam war.” It contains no other errors.
(C) This choice does compare logically parallel elements: “soldiers in the Civil War
and soldiers in Vietnam.” However, this comparison undermines the meaning
because the meaning is that in those wars, Smith & Wesson equipped soldiers. Thus,
the correct comparison would compare “war” to “war.” Furthermore, this comparison
is incorrectly structured; idiomatically, it should not employ “and soldiers” but should
be structured “from soldiers in the Civil War to soldiers in Vietnam.”
(D) This choice does compare logically parallel elements: “soldiers in the Civil War
and soldiers in Vietnam.” However, this comparison undermines the meaning
because the meaning is that in those wars, Smith & Wesson equipped soldiers. Thus,
the correct comparison would compare “war” to “war.” Also, the ending “to” is
incorrect; idiomatically that comparison must be structured as “both the soldiers and
the sailors.”
(E) This choice correctly compares logically parallel elements: “the Civil War and the
Vietnam war.” However, this comparison is incorrectly structured; idiomatically, it
should not employ “and the Vietnam war” but should be structured “from the Civil War
to the Vietnam war.”
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