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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
betterscore wrote:
In 1979 lack of rain reduced India's rice production to about 41 million tons, nearly 25 percent less than those of the 1978 harvest.
(A) less than those of the 1978 harvest
(B) less than the 1978 harvest
(C) less than 1978
(D) fewer than 1978
(E) fewer than that of India's 1978 harvest
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that the weight of 41 million tons is nearly 25 percent less than the 1978 rice harvest.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Pronouns + Comparison + Idioms• A comparison must always be made between similar elements.
• “few”/”a few” are exclusively used to refer to plural nouns and countable nouns, and “less”/”a little” are exclusively used to refer to singular nouns and uncountable nouns; “any”, “none”, “all”, and “some” can be used to refer to plural and uncountable nouns and singular and countable nouns.
A: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "those of the 1978 harvest"; as the only possible referent for "those" is "tons", the use of "those" incoherently implies that the weight of 41 million tons is nearly 25 percent less than the
tons of the 1978 rice harvest; the intended meaning is that the weight of 41 million tons is nearly 25 percent less than the 1978 rice harvest,
itself.B: Correct. This answer choice uses the phrase "less than the 1978 harvest", conveying the intended meaning - that the intended meaning is that the weight of 41 million tons is nearly 25 percent less than the 1978 rice harvest,
itself. Further, Option B correctly compares "rice production" with "the 1978 harvest". Additionally, Option B correctly refers to the uncountable noun "rice production" with the term "less". Besides, Option B is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
C: This answer choice incorrectly compares "41 million tons" to "1978"; please remember, a comparison can only be made between similar things.
D: This answer choice incorrectly compares "41 million tons" to "1978"; please remember, a comparison can only be made between similar things. Further, Option D incorrectly refers to the uncountable noun "rice production" with the term "fewer"; please remember, “few”/”a few” are exclusively used to refer to plural nouns and countable nouns, and “less”/”a little” are exclusively used to refer to singular nouns and uncountable nouns.
E: This answer choice incorrectly refers to the uncountable noun "rice production" with the term "fewer"; please remember, “few”/”a few” are exclusively used to refer to plural nouns and countable nouns, and “less”/”a little” are exclusively used to refer to singular nouns and uncountable nouns. Further, Option E uses the needlessly wordy phrase "that (the rice production) of India's 1978 harvest", leading to awkwardness and redundancy; this usage is redundant, as in this sentence "harvest" is used to refer to the "rice production"; thus, Option E needlessly refers to "rice production" as a subset of a broader "1978 harvest".
Hence, B is the best answer choice.All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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