In 1930, Japanese American artist Chiura Obata depicted the natural beauty of Yosemite National Park in two memorable woodcuts: Evening at Carl Inn and Lake Basin in the High Sierra. In 2019, _______ exhibited alongside 150 of Obata’s other works in a single-artist show at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Explanation
Context: "In 2019, __ exhibited alongside 150 of Obata's other works in a single-artist show." The antecedent is "two memorable woodcuts: Evening at Carl Inn and Lake Basin in the High Sierra" — two artworks (plural).
Answer: B) they were
Why? Plural antecedent (two woodcuts) → plural subject pronoun "they" + plural verb "were."
Traps:
- A) it was → singular; two woodcuts require plural
- C) this was → singular demonstrative; wrong number
- D) some were → "some" is vague and doesn't clearly refer back to the two named woodcuts