113. Analysts blamed May’s sluggish retail sales on unexciting merchandise as well as the weather, colder and wetter than was usual in some regions, which slowed sales of barbecue grills and lawn furniture.

(A) colder and wetter than was usual in some regions, which slowed
(B) which was colder and wetter than usual in some regions, slowing
(C) since it was colder and wetter than usually in some regions, which slowed
(D) being colder and wetter than usually in some regions, slowing
(E) having been colder and wetter than was usual in some regions and slowed

Solution:

Parallelism + Modifier + Pronoun

A is awkward due to use of “than was usual”.
C can be eliminated due to lack of clear precedent for ‘it’.
D uses ‘being’ unnecessarily.
E uses ‘having been’ unnecessarily.
B is the best choice

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