Piter
Based on recent box office receipts, the public's appetite for documentary films, like nonfiction books, seems to be on the rise.
(A) like nonfiction books
(B) as nonfiction books
(C) as its interest in nonfiction books
(D) like their interest in nonfiction books
(E) like its interest in nonfiction books
Official Solution (Credit: Manhattan Prep)
The original sentence contains a faulty comparison. “Nonfiction books” is either illogically compared to “the public’s appetite,” or improperly used to suggest that "nonfiction books" are examples of “documentary films.” The proper comparison should be between the public's "appetite" for x and its "appetite" for y.
(A) This choice is incorrect as it repeats the original sentence.
(B) In this choice, "nonfiction books" is illogically compared to the public's "appetite." The proper comparison should be between the public's "appetite" for x and its "appetite" for y. Moreover, the use of the comparison word "as" is incorrect. "As" is used to compare verb phrases, not nouns; in this case, two nouns ("appetite" and "interest") are compared so the comparison word "like" should be used instead.
(C) This choice logically compares the public's "appetite" for documentary films to its "interest" in nonfiction books. However, the use of the comparison word "as" is incorrect. "As" is used to compare verb phrases, not nouns; in this case, two nouns ("appetite" and "interest") are compared so the comparison word "like" should be used instead.
(D) This choice logically compares the public's "appetite" for documentary films to its "interest" in nonfiction books. However, this choice incorrectly uses the plural pronoun "their" to refer to the singular noun "the public."
(E) CORRECT. This choice logically compares the public's "appetite" for documentary films to its "interest" in nonfiction books.