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ksung84
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The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes 13 Aug 2013, 11:55
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D
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84% (01:18) correct 16% (01:35) wrong based on 784 sessions

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The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes will probably be the basis of an overhaul of its routes; it is expected that they will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of continue to use feeder aircraft to bring passengers to major hubs.

(A) it is expected that they will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of continue

(B) it is expected that it will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, rather than to continue

(C) it is expected that the number of direct point-to-point flights will increase, instead of their continuing

(D) the airline is expected to increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, rather than continue

(E) the airline is expected to increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of its continuing
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D
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blueseas
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The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes 13 Aug 2013, 12:12
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ksung84
The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes will probably be the basis of an overhaul of its routes; it is expected that they will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of continue to use feeder aircraft to bring passengers to major hubs.

(A) it is expected that they will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of continue
(B) it is expected that it will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, rather than to continue
(C) it is expected that the number of direct point-to-point flights will increase, instead of their continuing
(D) the airline is expected to increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, rather than continue
(E) the airline is expected to increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of its continuing



+1 if you like the question. :-D
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some theories:
correct idiom: X rather than Y or X instead of Y==>HERE X AND Y MUST BE PARALLEL.

possessive nouns can serve as antecedents only to possessive pronouns, not to subject or object pronouns.

basing this rule. we can easily eliminate option A and B...because THEY (IN OPTION A) AND IT(IN OPTION B) are subject pronoun but we have AIRLINES IN possesive form so its wrong.

(A) it is expected that they will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of continue
WRONG

(B) it is expected that it will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, rather than to continue
WRONG

(C) it is expected that the number of direct point-to-point flights will increase, instead of their continuing
WRONG
-their = plural and airline = singular
-NOT PARALLEL will increase is not parallel to their continuing

(D) the airline is expected to increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, rather than continue
CORRECT.
-to increase parallel to (to) continue.

(E) the airline is expected to increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of its continuing
WRONG
--NOT PARALLEL to increase is not parallel to its continuing


hope it helps
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thangvietname
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The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes 21 Sep 2015, 02:56
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why possesive +noun
is alway problematic
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tarunk31
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The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes 21 Sep 2015, 03:14
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thangvietnam

It is not that possessive nouns are always problematic. It is just that whenever you see a noun in possessive case, you should check whether a pronoun that refer to the possessive noun is also in possessive case. A subject or object pronoun should never refers to a noun in possessive case. Note that the possessive pronoun still can refer to a subject or object noun.

For ex. Both of the following sentences are correct.

I met John yesterday as I had to return his books.

Here possessive pronoun his refers to object noun John.

Since I had John's books for the past one year, his books are not in good condition anymore.

Here possessive pronoun his refer to possessive noun John's.
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The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes 01 Aug 2022, 17:35
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ksung84
The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes will probably be the basis of an overhaul of its routes; it is expected that they will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of continue to use feeder aircraft to bring passengers to major hubs.

(A) it is expected that they will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of continue

(B) it is expected that it will increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, rather than to continue

(C) it is expected that the number of direct point-to-point flights will increase, instead of their continuing

(D) the airline is expected to increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, rather than continue

(E) the airline is expected to increase the number of direct point-to-point flights, instead of its continuing
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There are two major issues this question is testing- pronoun & parallelism.
First of all, from the meaning, Airline is expecting something.
lets just do easy eliminations first.

A- They- who are the 'they'- planes?, routes?; planes will increase the number, that is nonsensical.
B- it can't refer to a possesive (The airline's)- wrong
C- Again, their, is ambiguos
D- The airline- aha- one issue is cleared. parallelism is also correct and logical. the airline is expected to increase the number.... rather than continue..(to increase..and continue).the meaning is logical.- correct
E- the parallelism is ok but not better, the second structure is bad, its introducing a new clause and its awkward. There is no need for this. D is our winner.
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The airline's proposed purchases of as many as 250 medium-range planes 13 Aug 2023, 11:28
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Could it be that "they" in a makes reference to "purchases". In that case, what is the problem with a?

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