What is correct idiom for this OG question?

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What is correct idiom for this OG question?

by fangtray » Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:29 am
Retailers reported moderate gains in their November sales, as much because of their sales of a year earlier being so bad as that shoppers were getting a head start on buying their holiday gifts.

a.
b. of their sales a year earlier having been as bad as because
c. of their sales a year earlier being as bad as because
d. their sales a year earlier had been so bad as because
e. their sales of a year earlier were as bad as that

my thought was.. as much because of X as because of Y.

is b and c wrong because if they use OF, then the 2nd because needs to be followed by OF. and since it doesn't we can eliminate B and C? is this thought process correct?
Source: — Sentence Correction |

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by sam2304 » Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:51 am
fangtray wrote:
my thought was.. as much because of X as because of Y.

is b and c wrong because if they use OF, then the 2nd because needs to be followed by OF. and since it doesn't we can eliminate B and C? is this thought process correct?
I solved this question few days back :)

Your idiom is right. I am not sure if we can eliminate B and C for that reason alone.

A/C - knocked off because of being
B - having been - wrong

Moreover as much because of X as because din't sound right. 'so bad' in D seemed to be a better option than 'as bad'

As for a more meaning based approach, you can check this link why A/B/C are wrong

https://www.beatthegmat.com/og-sc-76-mgm ... 86100.html

Check for Ron's reply and it cannot be explained in a more better manner.

Between D and E - as much because X as because Y - i stuck to this structure

IMO D.
Getting defeated is just a temporary notion, giving it up is what makes it permanent.
https://gmatandbeyond.blogspot.in/

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