Sentence Correction

No matter how patiently they explain their reasons for confiscating certain items, travelers often treat customs inspectors like wanton poachers rather than government employees.

(A) travelers often treat customs inspectors like wanton poachers rather than government employees
(B) travelers often treat customs inspectors as wanton poachers instead of government employees
(C) travelers often treat customs inspectors as if they were not government employees but wanton poachers
(D) customs inspectors are often treated by travelers as if they were wanton poachers rather than government employees
(e)customs inspectors are often treated not like government employees but wanton poachers by travelers

Why D and not E? Please explain.

The not like x but y seems un-idomatic
D seems good

To maintain parallelism, not like X but Y should be either "not like X but like Y" or "not X but Y". Moreover, "like" doesn't seem correct here. "treated as" seems correct.

I think you've also got a dangling modifier here that makes the sentence awkward. E is also un-idiomatic, which was stated earlier.

I couldnt find the mistake with C?

E is the best,
A,B, C should be eliminated, misplace modifier
E is better than D ( in D, "they" is awkward)

I guess D is correct - but the reference of they is unclear
E - incorrect idiom - Not like X but like Y or Not X byt Y...

What's the OA and why?

My choice D

E --> Like is used for comparison. Here it means as if the comparison is done between the treatment given to government employees vs treatment given to customs inspectors.

A,B,C gone due to incorrect modifier.

I go with D.

Cross off A,B,C misplaced modifier.

No matter how patiently they explain their reasons for confiscating certain items >>> modifies custom inspectors not the travelers

E is awkward.

thegmatbeater wrote:I couldnt find the mistake with C?

"No matter how patiently they explain their reasons for confiscating certain items"

who confiscated certain items... was it the travellers or was it the customs guy??

this is a 2-3 pattern , where in A B and C can be kicked off rightaway!