Sentence Correction

Because the Earth's crust is more solid there and thus better able to transmit shock waves, an earthquake of a given magnitude typically devastates an area 100 times greater in the eastern United States than it
does in the West.

(A) of a given magnitude typically devastates an area 100 times greater in the eastern United States than itdoes in the West
(B) of a given magnitude will typically devastate 100 times the area if it occurs in the eastern United States instead of the West
(C) will typically devastate 100 times the area in the eastern United States than one of comparable magnitude occurring in the West
(D) in the eastern United States will typically devastate an area 100 times greater than will a quake of comparable magnitude occurring in the West
(E) that occurs in the eastern United States will typically devastate 100 times more area than if it occurred with comparable magnitude in the West

Any thoughts what's the correct answer.

I would answer E.

because the earthquake in the US is stated as an example, "an earthquake that" is the correct form...

I am not sure about this one

yeah IMO choice E is the best answer.

an earthquake (singular noun) requires singular verb (devastates).


hence IMO A.


Thanks!

As per OG, the correct answer is D. Any experts can help in explaining this further. These kind of questions are crazy I say.

Got the answer from the below link.

https://www.pagalguy.com/forum/gmat-and- ... s-132.html

A. It states the same earthquake destroys land in both east and west which is illogical
B.cannot be the same earthquake---illogical
C. different quakes in east and west but it says it destroys 100 times the area of east (illogical) if a quake occurs in India it can destroy India not 100 times the area of Inidi I mean area should be greater than or equal to what it destroys
D.Looks correct parallel comparison and different quakes
E. Same quake---illogical
D is my answer

D has one problem - an area 100 times greater than will a quake of comparable .................... - awkward construction.

it should have been - an area 100 times greater than an area devasted by an earthquake of comparable magnitude..............


Thanks!