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Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
gmattokyo wrote:
Heterosexuals in the United States have a significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS than do heterosexuals in Sub-Saharan Africa.
A) a significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS than do
B) a significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS in comparison with
C) a great likelihood of a contracting AIDS more significant than do
D) a significantly lower likelihood of contracting AIDS as compared to
E) a significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS than those
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that heterosexuals in the United States have a significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS than heterosexuals in Sub-Saharan Africa do.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Idioms• "greater" and "lower" must have a logical sequence with "than"; in a comparison, "greater/lower...than" is the idiomatic construction.
A: Correct.1/ The sentence formed by this answer choice uses the phrases "significantly lower chance" and "than do heterosexuals in Sub-Saharan Africa", conveying the intended meaning - that heterosexuals in the United States have a
significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS than heterosexuals,
in general, in Sub-Saharan Africa do.
2/ Option A correctly uses the idiomatic construction "lower...than".
B:1/ This answer choice incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction "lower...in comparison with"; remember, "greater" and "lower" must have a logical sequence with "than"; in a comparison, "greater/lower...than" is the idiomatic construction.
C:1/ This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "great likelihood of contracting AIDS more significant"; the use of the adjectives "great" and "significant" illogically imply that heterosexuals in the United States have a
great likelihood of contracting AIDS, and this likelihood is somehow
more significant than the likelihood of a contracting AIDS heterosexuals in Sub-Saharan Africa have; the intended meaning is that heterosexuals in the United States have a
significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS than heterosexuals in Sub-Saharan Africa do.
D:1/ This answer choice incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction "lower...as compared to"; remember, "greater" and "lower" must have a logical sequence with "than"; in a comparison, "greater/lower...than" is the idiomatic construction.
E:1/ The sentence formed by this answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "those heterosexuals in Sub-Saharan Africa"; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that heterosexuals in the United States have a significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS than
a certain subset of heterosexuals in Sub-Saharan Africa does; the intended meaning is that heterosexuals in the United States have a significantly lower chance of contracting AIDS than heterosexuals,
in general, in Sub-Saharan Africa do.
Hence, A is the best answer choice.All the best!
Experts' Global Team