"Just as x, so y" is used to explain how two things are both true at the same time and are somehow related. You will often see it as "just as x, so too y", but the too is not required (personally I prefer using "too"). Just as I was late for breakfast, so too I was late for my morning meeting.

KW
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Answer seems to be #2 or B.

Answer 1 seems wrong because it is using 'whereas' which is used for contrasts - there are no contrasts here. Answer 3 seems wrong because the sentence is not likening scientists to anything - trick answer. Answer 4 & 5 seems wrong because they make reference to singular 'scientist' when the sentence is really talking about plural 'scientists'.

[color=#0000BF]“So they” in the main clause requires plural “scientists” – eliminate 4 and 5[/color]
1) Whereas scientists [Just as much preferred over whereas – eliminate it]
2) Just as scientists [Hold it]
3) Like scientists who [“Like” – is not used to compare clauses – eliminate it]
4) Inasmuch as a scientist
5) In the same way as a scientist

Answer: 2

B for me as well. Need 'scientists' to match up with 'they', and the proper idiom

B , I think.

A and C are unidiomatic. D and E have incorrect SV.
Note the THEY in bold.

Looks like this question is testing the idiom of "just as..., so..." Just as scientists cannot determine..., so they...

Out of curiosity, what's the source?
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1. A is wrong because of where as
2. Hold it comparison is correct
3. Like cannot be used
4. scientist singular with they -- wrong
5. scientist singular with they -- wrong

Can someone explain the idiom with just as ... so?

Thx you!
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look at non underlined part :-

because of random fluctuations in the weather, cannot determine the transition from one season to the next by monitoring temperatures on a daily basis, so they cannot determine the onset of global warming by monitoring average annual temperatures.

Just as X so Y idiom
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In B, its given "Just as.... so....". Isn't the correct idiom Just as... so to... ?

No. "Just as... so to ..." is incorrect. The correct usage is "just as...so..".

Here is the correct sentence with mapping:
Just as scientists, ---, cannot determine --, so they cannot determine the onset of global warming by monitoring average annual temperatures.

Just as X , so Y
Just as Scientist cannot determine, so They cannot determine
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Option A - Incorrect

"whereas" indicates a contrast. The two clauses reinforce each other, not contrast. Moreover, "so" is generally used to denote effect.
"they cannot determine the onset of global warming ..." is not an effect of "scientists cannot determine the transition from one season to the next ..."

Option B - Correct

The correlative conjunction used here is -- "just as X, so [too] Y".

Option C - Incorrect

"scientists who cannot determine …"(this seems to imply that there are some who cannot determine and by consequence there are OTHERS WHO CAN -- not logical).
"like + so" is unidiomatic.

Option D - Incorrect

The pronoun "they" does not have an antecedent.
"in as much as" does not make sense here. It can mean - "in view of the fact that/because" - this does not make sense.
OR "to the extent that" - even this does not make sense.

Option E - Incorrect

The pronoun "they" does not have an antecedent.
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correct idiom is "Just as x, so y" .
here, x = scientists , y = they
so correct answer is B

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