gmatprep : the river in San Antonio

[gmater08]

Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio winds through the middle of the business district, and the River Walk, or Paseo del Rio, is the city's most popular attraction.

A) Unlike many United States cities, where a river is no longer the focal point of urban life, the river in San Antonio
B) Unlike the river in many cities in the United States, which is no longer the focal point of urban life, in San Antonio the river
C) Today the river in many cities in the United States is no longer the focal point of urban life, unlike San Antonio, where it
D) In few United States cities today, a river is the focal point of urban life, but the river in San Antonio
E) No longer do many cities in the United States have a river as the focal point of urban life, but in San Antonio the river

Why D is incorrect and E is correct. Can anybody please explain?

[frigorificos]

Option D does not convey the intended message which is - San Antonio, unlike many other cities has a river as a focal point.

D does NOT bring out this contrast.

Option E here correctly brings out the contrast by suing the word BUT and it also adheres to parallelism by comparing similar quantities (cities) on either side of the word BUT.

[esledge]

Good answer, frigorificos. Thanks!