LithiumIon wrote:
2016
GMAT Official Guide, Question 10, Pg. 675
A long-term study of some 1,000 physicians indicates that the more coffee these doctors drank, the
more they had a likelihood of coronary disease.
(A) more they had a likelihood of coronary disease
(B) more was their likelihood of having coronary disease
(C) more they would have a likelihood to have coronary disease
(D) greater was their likelihood of having coronary disease
(E) greater was coronary disease likely
Let's look at the structure here-
"the more coffee these doctors drank,
more they had a
likelihood of coronary disease
As the second part of the structure refers to 'likelihood', we need 'greater'. 'greater' is used when the noun is a number. For example: percentage, rate, likelihood, distance and population.
Also, 'likelihood' means 'the probability of a specified outcome'. Thus, it's imprecise to say they had a likelihood/probability of coronary disease. The correct usage should be "likelihood
of having coronary disease'.
E goes out as it distorts the meaning. 'likelihood' was greater, NOT the disease.
This leaves us with D.
Happy Prepping!

Dolly Sharma
Although your answer is correct, some of your explanations are not accurate based on
book. GREATER is actually used for uncountable things, NUMEROUS or MORE NUMEROUS is used for countable items. Here "likelihood" is not countable. The likelihood of having coronary disease is higher for those who drink certain amount of coffee.
book, pg. 200. for greater details