Many employees in the energy sector must choose between jobs that offe

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

On one hand, energy-sector employees can choose high-paying jobs, but must then face the prospect of several negatives (long hours, demanding physical labor, or relocation to remote rural areas). On the other hand, they can opt for less physically demanding jobs in cities, but those jobs don't pay as much.

(A) The structure between X or Y is unidiomatic; the correct idiom is between X and Y. The construction jobs that X (offer) but Y (requiring) should be parallel, but offer is not parallel to requiring.

(B) The structure between X or Y is unidiomatic; the correct idiom is between X and Y. What was a list of three things (long hours, physical labor, or relocation) in the original sentence turns into a list of four things here (long hours, physical labor, relocation, or lower-paying jobs). Because of this, there is no longer an and Y element to complete the between X and Y idiom. The sentence says, in effect: between X that offer A, but that B, C, D, or E.

(C) The structure between X or Y is unidiomatic; the correct idiom is between X and Y. In addition, this choice places pay that is substantially higher in parallel with (pay) that requires long hours, etc. The job requires these things, not the pay. The word relocating is not parallel to the two earlier nouns on the list (hours, labor). Finally, the modifier in larger metropolitan areas illogically modifies are less physically intense; the jobs are not less physically intense only when performed in larger metropolitan areas.

(D) The construction jobs that X (pay) but Y (requiring) should be parallel, but pay is not parallel to requiring. What was a list of three things (long hours, physical labor, or relocation) in the original sentence turns into a list of four things here (long hours, physical labor, relocating, and lower-paying jobs). Because of this, there is no longer an and Y element to complete the between X and Y idiom. (Note: you could also interpret and lower-paying jobs to be the and Y portion of between X and Y. If so, however, then the three item list A, B, or C is missing the word or.) Finally, the modifier in larger metropolitan areas illogically modifies are less physically intense; the jobs are not less physically intense only when performed in larger metropolitan areas.

(E) CORRECT. The idiom between X and Y is used properly. The construction jobs offering but requiring is parallel. The three possible drawbacks of the higher-paying jobs (long hours, physically taxing labor, and relocation) are also properly parallel. The modifier in larger metropolitan areas correctly modifies jobs.