Sentence Correction

Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.

(A) Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
(B) Between 1990 and 2000 the growth of the global economy was more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
(C) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
(D) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
(E) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeded what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture

Here, "more than" indicates that we're looking at a COMPARISON. With comparisons on SC, we want to ask ourselves: are we comparing APPLES to APPLES? In other words, are the two sides of our comparison comparable? This is a question of both MEANING and STRUCTURE.

Think of it as an inequality:
the economy grew between 1990-200 > the economy grew between 10,000BCE-1950

This is the comparison we want to make: how much the economy grew to how much the economy grew. When we're looking at the answer choices, we want to make sure they're comparing the right things.

(A) Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
Here, "it did" is standing in for "the economy did [grow]." This is a comparable comparison.

(B) Between 1990 and 2000 the growth of the global economy was more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
"More than that during 10,000 years... to 1950" is not an idiomatically correct way to talk about a time period. It's also awkward to say "the growth was more" rather than "the growth was greater." It's still more active to say "the economy grew more," though.

(C) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
The present tense "exceeds" is incorrect. Also, if we swap "growth" back in for "that," it would read "exceeds the growth which had been for [some time period]," which is nonsensical.

(D) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
"Exceeds" is again incorrect. "The growth exceeds what [the growth] has been" is a confusing comparison.

(E) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeded what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
The comparison here is "the growth exceeded what [the growth] did." This doesn't make any sense. Growth can exceed growth, but it can't exceed what a growth does.

The answer is A.

Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture to 1950.

(A) Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
(B) Between 1990 and 2000 the growth of the global economy was more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
(C) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
(D) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
(E) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeded what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture

Here, "more than" indicates that we're looking at a COMPARISON. With comparisons on SC, we want to ask ourselves: are we comparing APPLES to APPLES? In other words, are the two sides of our comparison comparable? This is a question of both MEANING and STRUCTURE.

Think of it as an inequality:
the economy grew between 1990-200 > the economy grew between 10,000BCE-1950

This is the comparison we want to make: how much the economy grew to how much the economy grew. When we're looking at the answer choices, we want to make sure they're comparing the right things.

(A) Between 1990 and 2000 the global economy grew more than it did during the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
Here, "it did" is standing in for "the economy did [grow]." This is a comparable comparison.

(B) Between 1990 and 2000 the growth of the global economy was more than that during 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
"More than that during 10,000 years... to 1950" is not an idiomatically correct way to talk about a time period. It's also awkward to say "the growth was more" rather than "the growth was greater." It's still more active to say "the economy grew more," though.

(C) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds that which had been for 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
The present tense "exceeds" is incorrect. Also, if we swap "growth" back in for "that," it would read "exceeds the growth which had been for [some time period]," which is nonsensical.

(D) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeds what it has been for 10,000 years, from when agriculture began
"Exceeds" is again incorrect. "The growth exceeds what [the growth] has been" is a confusing comparison.

(E) The growth of the global economy between 1990 and 2000 exceeded what it did for the 10,000 years from the beginning of agriculture
The comparison here is "the growth exceeded what [the growth] did." This doesn't make any sense. Growth can exceed growth, but it can't exceed what a growth does.

The answer is A.