同學來訊詢問修辭問題：
Despite recent increases in sales and cash flow that have propelled automobile companies' common stocks to new highs, several industry analysts expect automakers, in order to conserve cash, “to set cash more conservatively than they were.”
A) to set dividends more conservatively than they were
B) to set dividends more conservatively than they have been
C) to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends
D) that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends
E) that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividends
B) to set dividends more conservatively than they have been
C) to be more conservative than they have been in setting dividends
D) that they will be more conservative than they were in setting dividends
E) that they will be more conservative than they have been to set dividends
A2：這題是比較結構，重點是比較級是adj or adv? A/B兩個選項都是走副詞結構，可以從more conservatively than看出，所以應該是
automakers will set dividends conservatively (未來)
automakers set dividends conservatively (過去)
兩個不同時間點做比較，未來分派股利預期比過去還保守
automakers will set dividends conservatively (未來)
automakers set dividends conservatively (過去)
兩個不同時間點做比較，未來分派股利預期比過去還保守
所以為了要讓句子結構有可比性，A/B兩個選項後面應該是要走
S + 助動詞 的結構，並非 S + BE動詞 的結構．
S + 助動詞 的結構，並非 S + BE動詞 的結構．
應該是寫成than they did 或是 than they have，不會配were 或是been這兩個be動詞結構，不然比較結構上沒有可比性
但是正確答案C 還原是
automakers will be conservative in setting dividends
automakers have been conservative in setting dividends
automakers have been conservative in setting dividends
兩句來比，都是走S + BE動詞 結構，結構上有可比性！
