Question

The manager at the office supply store believes that the new CLP-300 laserjet printer will be used more as a replacement for printers in small offices and libraries rather than for high quality and feature-packed machines in large company settings because its noise emission, only 43 decibels, is far less than most other laserjet printers, which make about 50 decibels of noise each.

• A. more as a replacement for printers in small offices and libraries rather than for high quality and feature-packed machines in large company settings because its noise emission, only 43 decibels, is far less than
• B. more as a replacement for printers in small offices and libraries than high quality and feature-packed machines in large company settings because it emits only 43 decibels of noise, far quieter than
• C. as a replacement for printers in small offices and libraries more than for high quality and feature-packed machines in large company settings because it emits only 43 decibels of noise, far less than
• D. as a replacement for printers in small offices and libraries more than high quality and feature-packed machines in large company settings because its noise emission of only 43 decibels is far quieter than it is for
• E. as a replacement more for printers in small offices and libraries rather than for high quality and feature-packed machines in large company settings because its noise emission, only 43 decibels, is far less than it is for

Answer 1

The correct option is B more as a replacement for printers in small offices and libraries than high quality and feature-packed machines in large company settings because it emits only 43 decibels of noise, far quieter than

This sentence displays an illogical comparison and redundancy. Its noise emission...is far less than most other laserjet printers: it is illogical for emission to be less than a printer. Additionally, more than and rather than are redundant.

Choice B corrects both of these errors without introducing additional errors. The correct answer is B.

The redundant rather is erased. The printer will be used more as a replacement for.... than (for) high quality and feature packed machines. The for can be omitted because it appears in exactly the same form earlier in the sentence and is implied.

The modifying phrase far quieter than most other laserjet printers logically modifies 43 decibels of noise, and there is no illogical comparison between laserjet printers and a noise level present.

In choice C, the word "more" is misplaced in the sentence. The word "more" is used as an adverb for the verb "use"("used more for this than that"), not to express the fact that the new printer is used as a replacement for one thing more than it is for another; this is grammatically unclear.

Choices D and E are unidiomatic and unnecessarily wordy. The constructions is far quieter than it is for and is far less than it is for are both ambiguous and wordy. Choice E retains the more and rather than redundancy.