ellipsis in comparison

[thanghnvn]

Soaring television costs accounted for more than half the spending in the presidential campaign of 1992,// a greater proportion than it was// in any previous election.

A. a greater proportion than it was
B. a greater proportion than
C. a greater proportion than they have been
D. which is greater than was so
E. which is greater than it has been

choice B is OA in above problem. pls do not discuss why other choices are wrong. if you want to know why the other choices are wrong, pls read another posting at this forum

we discuss choice B, the oa. and we have to learn from the OA.

Soaring television costs accounted for more than half the spending in the presidential campaign of 1992,// a greater proportion than// in any previous election.

because the first half of the comparison has "in the presidential campaign" and the second half has "in any previous election", the elliptical part must be" more than the half of spending"
so. the meaning is

Soaring television costs accounted for more than half the spending in the presidential campaign of 1992,// a greater proportion than//more than half the spending in any previous election.

this makes no sense.

even if the meaning is

Soaring television costs accounted for more than half the spending in the presidential campaign of 1992,// a greater proportion than// that proportion in any previous election.

why we do not need "that" before "in any previous election". if we do not put in "that" , the meaning is the same "proportion" before and after "than" . this meaning is non sense.

ok, pls, explain the logicness of the choice B. I am confused. Thank you

[RonPurewal]

As you mentioned, there are already existing threads on this problem.
Do not create new threads for problems that already exist on the forum.

Thanks.