other than and rather than, etc

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

I have two questions to ask:

No.1
For there ________ successful communication, there must be attentiveness and involvement in the discussion itself by all present.

a. to be b. being

The key is "a". Could you please explain the grammar? Can I choose "be"?

No.2

Children in the United States are exposed to many influences_______ those of their families.

a. other than b. rather than

The key is "b" but I think both are correct.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[Tdol]

1- No, it's like 'in order to have'.
2- a) seems beter to me, suggesting additional influences. While grammatically correct, b) seems to exclude the parents as an influence. Without more context, I'd default to a).

[jiang]

Dear tdol,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

Originally Posted by tdol

1- No, it's like 'in order to have'.
2- a) seems beter to me, suggesting additional influences. While grammatically correct, b) seems to exclude the parents as an influence. Without more context, I'd default to a).