Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
TrueLie wrote:
A survey by the National Council of Churches showed that in 1986 there were 20,736 female ministers, almost 9 percent of the nation’s clergy, twice as much as 1977.
(A) twice as much as 1977
(B) twice as many as 1977
(C) double what it was in 1977
(D) double the figure for 1977
(E) a number double that of 1977's
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 20,736 is twice the number of female ministers that there were in the country in 1977.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Pronouns + Comparisons + Idioms• Comparisons must always be made between similar things.
A:1/ This answer choice incorrectly compares "20,736 female ministers" to "1977"; remember, comparisons must always be made between similar things.
2/ Option A incorrectly uses "much" to refer to the countable noun "ministers"; remember, for such a noun, the appropriate term is "many".
B:1/ This answer choice incorrectly compares "20,736 female ministers" to "1977"; remember, comparisons must always be made between similar things.
C:1/ This answer choice suffers from pronoun ambiguity, as the pronoun "it" lacks a clear and logical referent.
D: Correct.1/ This answer choice uses the phrase "the figure for 1977", conveying the intended meaning - that 20,736 is twice the number of female ministers that there were in the country in 1977.
2/ Option D avoids the pronoun error seen in Option C, as it uses no pronouns.
3/ Option D correctly compares "20,736 female ministers" to "the figure for 1977".
4/ Option D avoids the idiomatic error seen in Option A, as it uses the adjective "double" rather than a modifying phrase along the lines of "twice as much", as seen in A.
E:1/ This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase "that of 1977's"; the construction of this phrase illogically implies that 20,736 is twice the number
of the number of female ministers that there were in the country in 1977; the intended meaning is that 20,736 is twice the number of female ministers that there were in the country in 1977.
Hence, D is the best answer choice.All the best!
Experts' Global Team