E
Comparision markers == that, as for split

Correct comparision of area of two regions = E
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actually, we were at the same page chosing option C. But after reviewing, C compares "size" with "land area" while E compares "land area" with "land area" ("that of"). Moreover, option E ascertains us by using the correct idiom "Laos has X but (Laos also has) Y"
Hope it helps
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Hi all,

For those researching answers for this question, I would like to add that "X but Y" is not an idiom to justify an answer.

There is:
Not X but Y
Not only X but Y
Not X but instead Y

The conjunction "but" typically introduces something contrary to the subject or prior( or subsequent) independent clause.
Please let me know if I'm in error. Thanks!
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"Land area" can mean two different things. It can mean the acreage, i.e. the number of acres, as in One MIT study claims that, in some U.S. cities, parking lots cover more than a third of the land area. It can also mean just some territory, not its size, as in Thunderstorms are well-monitored over land areas, where radar can keep an eye on their sometimes- quick development.

B and C mention the size of the land area; thus, they assume the second interpretation above. C then proceeds to use the expression "land area" in the first sense, i.e. size. Thus, C compares the size of one land area with another land area, which seems unnecessarily complicated. Now, B is more logical, yet B changes the meaning of the sentence! We can also say that the United States has a land area of about the same size as the entire Great Britain; for example, the State of Texas would qualify. A suggests that many people in Great Britain are members of hill tribes.

In D the non-idiomatic "but only four million in population" is offset by commas, which suggests that "many are members..." should make sense with the first part of the sentence: "Laos has a land area comparable to the size of Great Britain, and many are members..." Even if we rewrite the sentence to say "Laos has four million citizens, and many are members...", this still doesn't quite sound right because it is not specified, many of whom or of what. It would be better to say "Laos has four million citizens, many of whom are members..."

Basically, we are left with E. Note that "...to that of Great Britain..." makes it clear, in which sense the words "land area" are used. In this context Great Britain has one, the land area, which is a number, rather than a piece of land. The logic of the sentence still escapes me. I understand that Laos is sparsely populated, but why this detail about hill tribes? Is it saying that the mountain valleys are densely populated, thus even further lowering the population density at the accessible part of Laos?
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Sergey Orshanskiy, Ph.D.

regarding "that" in E.

"that" pronoun can be used in the non parallel structure like this one E.

When is it possible to do so?

when "that" is unambiguous from the context. is that right?

why this question? because in many og, non parallel with "that" is considered wrong.