In the textbook publishing business, the second quarter is historically weak, because revenues are low and marketing expenses are high as companies prepare for the coming school year.

A) low and marketing expenses are high as companies prepare

This makes sense. Revenues are low. Marketing expenses are high. They are low and high as companies prepare.

B) low and their marketing expenses are high as they prepare

their can only refer to revenues, and they refers to either revenues or marketing expenses. So this version of the sentence nonsensically conveys that marketing expenses belong to the revenues and that either revenues or marketing expenses prepare for the coming school year.

C) low with higher marketing expenses in preparation

This one conveys that the revenues are low with marketing expenses, and that the revenues are with marketing expenses in preparation for the school year, whatever all that means. Also, what the marketing expenses are higher than is not clear.

D) low, while marketing expenses are higher to prepare

This one conveys that the marketing expenses are themselves preparing for the school year. Also, higher is used without any mention of what the expenses are higher than.

E) low, while their marketing expenses are higher in preparation

This one conveys that the marketing expenses belong to the revenues, and what the expenses are higher than is not clear. Also, the use of in preparation does not make sense. Are the marketing expenses in preparation?

So the only correct version is A.

Hello,

I got this one right. but in B, why can't their refer to publishing business?

Thank you,

kassim wrote:I got this one right. but in B, why can't their refer to publishing business?

The pronoun their is plural and publishing business is singular.

Maybe you are thinking that "the publishing business" is made up of many companies or that many people are involved in the publishing business, and companies and people are indeed plural. This sentence, however, does not mention the companies or people in the business, only the business itself, which is singular.

In the following example they and their correctly refer to companies.

For textbook publishing companies, the second quarter is historically weak, because, as they prepare for the coming school year, their revenues are low and their marketing expenses are high.

It can't be B because of the singular and plural rule.
Thanks