The Commerce Department announced that the economy grew during the second quarter at a 7.5 percent annual rate, while inflation eased when it might have been expected for it to rise.
(A) it might have been expected for it to rise
(B) it might have been expected to rise
(C) it might have been expected that it should rise
(D) its rise might have been expected
(E) there might have been an expectation it would rise
This question tests you on Idioms.
The correct idiomatic structure should be-it might have been expected to rise
Eliminate options A and C.
The sentence says
Inflation eased when it might have been expected to rise.
Inflation is the subject. What it has (eased) and what is expected (to rise) should be parallel.
Options D and E breaks parallelism
D-, while inflation eased when its rise might have been expected
"its rise" is a noun. Option D brings in another subject and breaks parallelism.
E- while inflation eased when there might have been an expectation it would rise.
an expectation is a noun. We need to use a verb that is parallel to “eased”. Option E breaks the parallel structure
Option B is correct.