Not only did the systematic clearing of forests in the US create farmland (especially in the Northeast) and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but it also caused erosion and very quickly deforested whole regions.
a. Not only did the systematic clearing of forests in the US create farmland (especially in the Northeast) and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but it also
b. Not only did the systematic clearing of forests in the US create farmland (especially in the Northeast), which gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but also
c. The systematic clearing of forests in the US, creating farmland (especially in the Northeast) and giving consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but also
d. The systematic clearing of forests in the US created farmland (especially in the Northeast) and gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses an furniture, but it also
e. The systematic clearing of forests in the US not only created farmland (especially in the Northeast), giving consumers relatively inexpensive houses and furniture, but it
In A,
gave should be in the same tense as
create:
Not only DID the clearing CREATE farmland and GIVE consumers relatively inexpensive houses, but it also caused erosion. Eliminate A.
In B,
which seems to refer either to
farmland or to
the Northeast, but neither farmland nor the Northeast
gave consumers relatively inexpensive houses. Eliminate B.
In C, the subject (
clearing) lacks a verb. The result is a sentence fragment. Eliminate C.
In E,
not only gave...but it caused is unidiomatic. The correct idiom is
NOT ONLY X BUT ALSO Y. Eliminate E.
The correct answer is
D.
While
not only generally should be followed by
but also, it is not necessary that
but it also (in the OA here) be preceded by
not only.
Also:
not only X but also Y is appropriate when X and Y are SIMILAR IN NATURE:
John is not only a GREAT SWIMMER but also a FINE DANCER.
A:
Not only did the systematic clearing create farmland, but it also caused erosion.
Here, the creation of farmland (a POSITIVE action) and the causing of erosion (a NEGATIVE action) are CONTRASTING IDEAS.
not only X but also Y cannot serve to connect contrasting ideas.
Eliminate any answer choice that includes
not only.
Eliminate A, B and E.
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