I am going through a period of questionning but the success to handle the SC depends on a good understanding, which is not yet entirely the case for me...

Here are 2 different SCs with seemingly opposed OAs concerning the "like". I let you judge.

SC1000
134.As rare as something becomes, be it a baseball card or a musical recording or a postage stamp, the more avidly it is sought by collectors.
(A) As rare as something becomes, be it
(B) As rare as something becomes, whether it is
(C) As something becomes rarer and rarer, like
(D) The rarer something becomes, like
(E) The rarer something becomes, whether it is

Kaplan 800

Early medieval monasteries, while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts, like modern libraries.

A.while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts, like modern libraries.
B.like modern libraries, often served as text repositories, though they were clearly less accessible to outsiders.
C.while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts as does the modern library
D.like modern libraries, while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts
E.while clearly less accessible to outsiders, acted like modern libraries act by serving as repositories for texts

I would say E and B.

Whether ..or is idiomatic. So E

x like y, often served as.. seems ok. So B
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E


C


for the 2nd, B is wrong because "they" is ambiguous.

E and C.

As rare as something becomes, be it a baseball card or a musical recording or a postage stamp, the more avidly it is sought by collectors.
(A) As rare as something becomes, be it - not parallel. OUT
(B) As rare as something becomes, whether it is - not parallel. OUT
(C) As something becomes rarer and rarer, like - not parallel. OUT
(D) The rarer something becomes, like - need a constrasting construction. OUT
(E) The rarer something becomes, whether it is - Parallel. Constrasting construction (whether this or that). RIGHT

Kaplan 800

Early medieval monasteries, while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts, like modern libraries.

A.while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts, like modern libraries. - do is missing. OUT.
B.like modern libraries, often served as text repositories, though they were clearly less accessible to outsiders. - they is ambiguos. OUT
C.while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts as does the modern library - RIGHT
D.like modern libraries, while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts - Akward construction.
E.while clearly less accessible to outsiders, acted like modern libraries act by serving as repositories for texts - comparing two verbs - need as, not like.

Doh missed the ambiguos pronoun! Have also checked the dictionary and 'while' can be used as:

5. even though; although: While she appreciated the honor, she could not accept the position.

Have seen sites state although is preferable to while, but cannot find a definitve answer (not that it matters in this case anyway, but would be nice to know).

Usage of 'like' in the first example is more as sighting examples. Often preferred way to give example is using "such as". Even with the usage of "like" when sighting examples usually I don't see "or" its usually "and" ( e.g 'like X, Y and C', its not 'like X or Y or C' ). Where as 'Whether X or Y or C is proper'. So E it is.

Now coming to second example, here usage of like is more with the intention of comparing to libraries. Its not giving example but comparing to librarian. So A is fine.

B.like modern libraries, often served as text repositories, though they were clearly less accessible to outsiders.

Changes the meaning, referent to "they" is not clear, it can be libraries or monasteries . so falsely this can be interpreted as 'libraries' are less accessible to outsiders' which is not what the original sentence says. so this twists the meaning of the sentence.

C.while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts as does the modern library

not quite sure why i didn't like this, use 'like' for comparing nouns and 'as' for comparing verbs? monsatries => libraries ( instead of library is preferred ? )

D.like modern libraries, while clearly less accessible to outsiders, often served as repositories for texts

similar to B. reads as libraries are less accessible to outsiders!!

E.while clearly less accessible to outsiders, acted like modern libraries act by serving as repositories for texts

original sentence only says 'often' served as repositories, where as this sentense comes out as if 'always' and they acted like modern is too out of context.
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