Tough OG question

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Tough OG question

by Elena89 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 1:37 am
Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this year
than last because refiners are paying about $5 a
barrel more for crude oil than they were last year.

(A) Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this
year than last because refiners are paying about
$5 a barrel more for crude oil than they were
(B) Heating-oil prices are expected to rise higher
this year over last because refiners pay about
$5 a barrel for crude oil more than they did
(C) Expectations are for heating-oil prices to be
higher this year than last year's because refiners
are paying about $5 a barrel for crude oil more
than they did
(D) It is the expectation that heating-oil prices will be
higher for this year over last because refiners
are paying about $5 a barrel more for crude oil
now than what they were
(E) It is expected that heating-oil prices will rise
higher this year than last year's because refiners
pay about $5 a barrel for crude oil more than
they did

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by sam2304 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:58 am
B - higher this year over last is wrong. higher ... than ...
C - are for heating oil prices to be - too wordy and awkward, moreover last year's is a wrong comparison
D - same as B - higher than should be used.
E - rise higher is redundant, higher than last year's is wrong. It should be then this year's heating oil prices are higher than last years' whatever compared should be similar.

IMO A.
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by apex231 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 7:06 pm
(A) Heating-oil prices are expected to be higher this
year than last because refiners are paying about
$5 a barrel more for crude oil than they were

wouldn't A been better if it included "than last year"

Now it can be said that it's the use of ellipsis that makes "year" after "than last" implicit.

Experts please comment...

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by Elena89 » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:22 pm
@apex231..

yeah that's what I am confused about.. Option A sounds pretty weird to me and haven't seen anything like this before.. But since all other options are incorrect 'cause of obvious comparison logic, that's why we're only left with option A..