[micaelo]

Hello. In the following multiple-choice exercise:
"Here is a wonderful opportunity at a .............. cost to visit the truly remarkable island of Cuba."
A cheap B moderate C bargain D small
The answer-key gives B moderate as the only possible answer. However, I had done a search in google and found quite a few instances of "bargain cost", so why is this incorrect? As usual, thank you for your help.

[mesmark]

I think moderate is the best of the choices, but it may just be the most common collocation. I would definitely understand 'bargain cost' but it would sound funny to me, possibly some other dialect of English

[mesmark]

actually, having now posted, I think the problem with 'bargain cost' is the 'a'. If I would use 'bargaib cost', I wouldn't use the particle 'a'.

But, again, I wouldn't use it.

[mesmark]

Check outh a Google battle of the 2 with 'a' included, and you'll see that 'moderate! is the winner 66:1