SAT真题上册第一套Section 7第9题的解释

A. Although the candidate promised both to cut taxes and improve services, he

B. The candidate, having promised both to cut taxes and improve services,

C. Although the candidate made promises both to cut taxes and improve services, he

D. Having promised, first, to cut taxes and, second, to improve services, the candidate

E. The candidate's promises were both to cut taxes and improve services, he

这道题有无数同学选择了A选项，首先从句式判断，只有A、C有着比较正常的句子结构，平行结构也正确。然后比较一下，A显然比C更简洁（A说promised，C说made promises）因此选择A。

但是这里大家都忽略了未划线部分有一个阴险的代词them，而既然出现代词，则必须有明确的指代对象。而在原句中，them是找不到指代对象的，有同学说指代to cut taxes and improve services，但是them只能指代名词而不能指代动作。因此这里的them是一个空指代。因此我们必须选择C，因为C选项中有一个词promises，可以充当them的指代对象。因此C选项虽然不如A简洁，但却是正确的选项。