[TetsuroN]

JEM or Bobo!!!!! I thought the answer was E, but it is not E! It is B, but why? What is the rule for using gerund form over the infinitive and for the order of "almost" and "by"?

In 1997, despite an economy that marked its sixth full year of uninterrupted expansion with the lowest jobless rate in a quarter century, the number of United State Citizens declaring themselves bankrupt has jumped by almost 20 percent, at 1.34 million.

A. declaring themselves bankrupt has jumped by almost 20 percent, at

B. declaring themselves bankrupt jumped by almost 20 percent, to

C. who declared themselves bankrupt has jumped by almost 20 percent, to

D. who declared themselves bankrupt jumped almost by 20 percent, at

E. to declare themselves bankrupt jumped almost by 20 percent, to


Exasperated!
Tets