[求助]一道新prep题

xiaoyuexing

请教大家一道语法题： 

Not one of the potential investors is expected to make an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until a merger agreement is signed that includes a provision for penalties if the deal were not to be concluded.

A. is expected to make an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until a merger agreement is signed that includes a provision for penalties if the deal were

B. is expected to make an offer for buying First Interstate Bank until they sign a merger agreement including a provision for penalties if the deal was

C. is expected to make an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until a merger agreement be signed by them with a provision for penalties if the deal were

D. are expected to make an offer for buying First Interstate Bank until it signs a merger agreement with a provision for penalties included if the deal was

E. are expected to be making an offer to buy First Interstate Bank until they sign a merger agreement including a provision for penalties if the deal were

    答案是A，我选C

   请问大家：“if the deal were”明明是虚拟语气，为什么前面不用(should)+原形？

    谢谢大家指点！

chwayne

我上的是GWD的GMAT小班课，他告诉我们没有语法，让我们忘记所有学过的语法知识来做题，只留下最基础的小学英语讲的，这道题明显是A好，如果按管的做法，他肯定是这样讲的：首先CD排除是因为主语要用is，ABC中，BC没有A简洁，我知道你看了肯定觉得我这样回答相当于没回答，很扯，可是GWD上课就是这样讲的，他从来不用什么语法知识讲题。你就做个参考吧，如果真的不懂，就看看别人的回答吧。

applebeer

 C这个选项自身有问题，1.signed by them--代词指代不清晰，如果指代 a merger，则有数的不一致。
2. agreement with a provision for penalties这个expression有歧义，agree with有与。。。相一致的意思，而A中的说法应被译为包含的意思。