[lemma=the] [lemma=rate] [!tag=IN] [lemma=□]
[lemma=the] [lemma=rate] [!tag=IN] [lemma=decline]
[lemma=the] [lemma=rate] [!tag=IN] [lemma=the]
The rate then declined until 1979 as the backlog of applications was cleared . In at least one case , the rate actually declined . " why have the rates been declining ? The rate then declines quickly and fairly smoothly , again to nearly zero .