OG 2016 SC # 42

[prata]

42. In the early part of the twentieth century, many vacationers found that driving automobiles and sleeping in tents allowed them to enjoy nature close at hand and tour at their own pace, with none of the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables or with the formalities, expenses, and impersonality of hotels.

(A) with none of the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables or with the
(B) with none of the restrictions of passenger trains, railroad timetables, nor
(C) without the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables nor
(D) without the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables or with the
(E) without the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables or the

OA [spoiler]E. I am not able to follow why is D not correct. Are "without the" and "with the" not parallel?[/spoiler][spoiler][/spoiler]

[MartyMurray]

Here is something to consider.

Why is the with even there?

Isn't the point that by using tents they are not experiencing "the formalities, expenses, and impersonality of hotels"?

What does with have to do with that?

What does without x or with y even mean?

Be careful about getting too caught up in minutia and not noticing what is going on in a sentence overall.

[OptimusPrep]

42. In the early part of the twentieth century, many vacationers found that driving automobiles and sleeping in tents allowed them to enjoy nature close at hand and tour at their own pace, with none of the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables or with the formalities, expenses, and impersonality of hotels.

(A) with none of the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables or with the
(B) with none of the restrictions of passenger trains, railroad timetables, nor
(C) without the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables nor
(D) without the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables or with the
(E) without the restrictions of passenger trains and railroad timetables or the

OA [spoiler]E. I am not able to follow why is D not correct. Are "without the" and "with the" not parallel?[/spoiler][spoiler][/spoiler]

This is a classic example where one gets so caught in the minute details of the sentence that he/she forgets to apply the logic.
Without the restriction of passengers .... or with the ... does not makes sense
Without the restriction of .... or the ... perfectly implies the same meaning without making the sentence cluttered.

You cannot play cricket without a bat or a ball.
You cannot play cricket without a bat or with a ball.

See the difference and the logic?

Hope this helps.