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Antarctica---which is correct actually?

Expert replies
by amysky_0205 » Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:13 pm
Antarctica receives more solar radiation than does any other place on Earth, yet the temperatures are so cold and the ice cap is reflective, so that little polar ice melts during the summer; otherwise, the water levels of the oceans would rise 250 feet and engulf most of the world's great cities.

A. is reflective, so that little polar ice melts during the summer; otherwise,
B. is so reflective that little of the polar ice melts during the summer; were it to do so,
C. so reflective that little polar ice melts during the summer, or else
D. reflective, so that little of the polar ice melts during the summer, or
E. reflects so that little of the polar ice melts during the summer; if it did

OA: B

i think some people argue about the answer C (?)
can someone explain more clearly? thank u!
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Source: — Sentence Correction |

by The Iceman » Sat Dec 22, 2012 8:50 pm
amysky_0205 wrote:Antarctica receives more solar radiation than does any other place on Earth, yet the temperatures are so cold and the ice cap is reflective, so that little polar ice melts during the summer; otherwise, the water levels of the oceans would rise 250 feet and engulf most of the world's great cities.

A. is reflective, so that little polar ice melts during the summer; otherwise,
B. is so reflective that little of the polar ice melts during the summer; were it to do so,
C. so reflective that little polar ice melts during the summer, or else
D. reflective, so that little of the polar ice melts during the summer, or
E. reflects so that little of the polar ice melts during the summer; if it did

OA: B

i think some people argue about the answer C (?)
can someone explain more clearly? thank u!
C is incorrect because it gets the intended meaning wrong.

As per C, the result of temperature being so cold and the ice cap being reflective is that the polar ice melts [first].., or else the water levels would rise [second].

This means that as a result either the first is possible or else the second is possible. However, this is not the intended meaning.

As per B, there is only one result, which is "little of the polar ice melts during the summer". We are talking about a hypothetical scenario here to show if ice did not melt during the summer the water levels of the oceans would rise.

Hence B is the right option.
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