In E use of subsequent is wrong as it should have been subsequently.........moreover it seems from the language in E that interest rates would themselves rise and decline though the original sentence intends to say that the increase would cause interest rates to rise.............

Hey guys,

Great question, and one thing I'd encourage you to do is to consider logic before deferring to "unidiomatic". "Idiomatic" basically just means "that's just the way it is" (cue the Bruce Hornsby single...) and since that's not as easily definable on so many questions, if you can find a logical reason that something is wrong (or not wrong), that's a much more universal strategy.

Here, E is illogical - "rising" and "declining" are used as nouns (note that "interest rates'..." with the possessive makes "rates" an adjective, describing "rising"). Do interest rates really own, or possess, "rising"? It's a whole lot more logical if the verb is used, and it's also a lot cleaner and more concise. So D has those advantages - logic and concision - over E. And since there's a way to replicate that search ("does it make logical sense?" "Is it clear?" "Is it unduly wordy and long?"), I'd recommend thinking that way before just noting "idiom".

aspirant2011, thanks!

Brian@VeritasPrep: very impressive explanation. much appreciated.

In E use of subsequent is wrong as it should have been subsequently.........moreover it seems from the language in E that interest rates would themselves rise and decline though the original sentence intends to say that the increase would cause interest rates to rise.............

rising and declining are gerund, that's why subsequent is true.

IMO D

minar wrote: According to my understanding:
A, B, & C can be eliminated because the antecedent for 'they' is not clear.

One important thing to note in this sentence.

What does they refer to? Even if they referred to prime lending rates, it would still not make sense in A, B and C. This is because prime lending rates are not causing interest rates to rise and decline; the increase in prime lending rates is causing interest rates to rise and decline. This is not clear at all in A, B and C. This is also a very prominent reason why A, B and C are not correct.

Many thanks.