Gmat Sentence Correction 87, 88

87). It takes a deft balance between savings discipline, investment knowledge, risk taking, luck, and time to raise a million dollars through investments.

(A) It takes a deft balance between

(B) Deft balancing is needed between

(C) Deftly balanced, it takes

(D) It takes a deft balance of

(E) A deft balance is what one needs among

88). Last year, land values in most parts of the pinelands rose almost so fast, and in some parts even faster than what they did outside the pinelands.

(A) so fast, and in some parts even faster than what they did

(B) so fast, and in some parts even faster than, those

(C) as fast, and in some parts even faster than, those

(D) as fast as, and in some parts even faster than, those

(E) as fast as, and in some parts even faster than what they did


Answers --

87). D is the best choice.
A, B - incorrect - usage of between is wrong here...."between" is used when we consider only two objects. Further correct idiom is "balance of"
C - incorrect - Awkward.....Deftly balanced seems to modify the full sentence
E - incorrect - Changes the meaning (deft balance among a, b and c ) ---"among" incorrect here, we need "of" here.
"Deft balance of" is not same as "Deft balance among"
E suggests that "Deft balance" is the only required object among all the other objects "savings discipline, investment knowledge, risk taking, luck and time" ...which is incorrect.

88). D - correct - idiomatic
Comparison in this sentence is between the most parts of pineland and parts outside the pineland.
A, B, C - incorrect - correct idioms are "as...as" and "so..that"
E - incorrect - "they" referring to what ?