Clarification needed on Idiom usage and diction

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One of the primary distinctions between our intelligence with that of other primates may lay not so much in any specific skill but in our ability to extend knowledge gained in one context to new and different ones.
A. between our intelligence with that of other primates may lay not so much in any specific skill but
B. between our intelligence with that of other primates may lie not so much in any specific skill but instead
C. between our intelligence and that of other primates may lie not so much in any specific skill as
D. our intelligence has from that of other primates may lie not in any specific skill as
E. of our intelligence to that of other primates may lay not in any specific skill but


OA [spoiler]C

I under why C is the right answer, but what would be good to know is the right usage of Idiom here over which I am confused - I thought "Not X but Y" is the right idiom whereas "Not so X as Y" is not. Also between "lay" and "Lie", which is the correct usage? Any clarifications please[/spoiler]
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by iamcste » Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:44 pm
X as much as Y-Positive

In negative connotations

Not so much X as Y....which is used in the correct ans


Not X but Y is correct too....but, not in this case

Between X and Y is used also here


Lay, Lie

https://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/la ... s-lie.aspx

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by aj5105 » Sat Dec 27, 2008 7:46 am
can somebody throw some light on 'Not so much X as Y' idiom ?

thanks!

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