As the housing affordability gap widens, middle-income

Question

As the housing affordability gap widens, middle-income families are especially hard-hit, (and these families can no longer qualify to buy homes, and) rising rental rates force them to use far more than the standard 25 percent of their incomes for housing, leaving them with no equity or tax write-offs to offset the expenditures.

(A) and these families can no longer qualify to buy homes, and
(B) since these families can no longer afford to buy homes, furthermore
(C) for these families can no longer afford to buy homes, yet
(D) and these families can no longer afford to buy homes, yet
(E) and these families can no longer afford to buy homes, for

Please provide some explanation. Thanks

qhoc0010 · Answer

(C) I guess
The use of "and" make the sentence so redundant. I don't think "furthermore" is a proper conjunction, but "yet" is.

gayathri · Answer

I was going to go for B but furthermore does sound awkward... :oops:

Richie Weasel · Answer

While I am not pleased with the "furthermore" in  B , I disike the "for" at the beginning of  C  even more. I say the underlined section should start with "because," "since," or maybe "as."

If I saw this question on a test, I'd go with  B . If I saw this question anywhere else, I'd check the source to make sure it was a legitimate question.

mbahope · Answer

I'd chose B too.
That choice fits very well in the overall meaning of the sentence.

saurabhmalpani · Answer

I will opt for B. Use of "Since" is fine because of "time refrence" though not B is not a proper choice but Best out of the LOT. Options ending with "yet" dosen't make sense to me. 

Saurabh Malpani

maaverick · Answer

I'll go for (B) as well.

My reasoning: The last part of the sentence reads "leaving them with no equity or tax write-offs to offset the expenditures." Therefore, the preceeding part of the sentence should substantiate the reason behind the middle-income families' inability to offset expenditure. The forst part of the sentence starts off with the "housing affordability gap" and therefore the next part should complement this reason. Hence, the option ending with "furthermore..."

rthothad · Answer

One more for 'B'.
I think the underlined portion should start off with 'because or since' - giving out the reason why "middle-income families are especially hard-hit".

ruhi · Answer

The OA is C.

mbahope · Answer

Ruhi, can you tell us where the problem came from?
Thanks

NEWKID · Answer

C for me too.
 for these families can no longer afford to buy homes, yet  
'yet' is correctly used to provide a contrast.

ruhi · Answer

Hi praveen,

885 is the question bank for SCs available for download in the verbal lessons part of gmatclub.

As the housing affordability gap widens, middle-income

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