While Jackie Robinson was a Brooklyn Dodger

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While Jackie Robinson was a Brooklyn Dodger, his courage in the face of physical threats and verbal attacks was not unlike that of Rosa Parks, who refused to move to the back of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

(A) not unlike that of Rosa Parks, who refused
(B) not unlike Rosa Parks, who refused
(C) like Rosa Parks and her refusal
(D) like that of Rosa Parks for refusing
(E) as that of Rosa Parks, who refused

why D and E are wrong?

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While Jackie Robinson was a Brooklyn Dodger, his courage in the face of physical threats and verbal attacks was not unlike that of Rosa Parks, who refused to move to the back of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

(A) not unlike that of Rosa Parks, who refused

(B) not unlike Rosa Parks, who refused

(C) like Rosa Parks and her refusal

(D) like that of Rosa Parks for refusing

(E) as that of Rosa Parks, who refused
This is a comparison question. We are comparing the courage of Jackie Robinson to the courage of Rosa Parks.
Since we are comparing nouns (courage), we need to use "like" or "unlike."

(A) not unlike that of Rosa Parks, who refused
Great. We're comparing the courage of Jackie Robinson to that of Rosa Parks.
Here the word "that" serves as a pronoun representing "courage"
KEEP A.

(B) not unlike Rosa Parks, who refused
No good.
We're comparing the courage of Jackie Robinson to Rosa Parks
This is an illogical comparison
ELIMINATE B

(C) like Rosa Parks and her refusal
We're comparing the courage of Jackie Robinson to Rosa Parks
This is an illogical comparison
ELIMINATE C

(D) like that of Rosa Parks for refusing
We're comparing the courage of Jackie Robinson to that of Rosa Parks. That part is fine.
What about "for refusing"?
Here, it isn't clear whether it was Jackie Robinson or Rosa Parks who refused to move to the back of the bus. If anything, it sounds as though the courage moved to the back of the bus.
ELIMINATE D.

(E) as that of Rosa Parks, who refused
Since we're comparing nouns (courage), we cannot use "as"

Answer: A

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Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
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