Question

romeo & juliet
(1) one play all high schoolers are familiar with is romeo & juliet. (2) whether they appreciate the playwright william shakespeare or not, they were required to read it. (3) it is one of the most well - known tragedies read in high school.
(4) the play is about two teenagers from two different backgrounds who fall in love. (5) romeo, a montague. (6) juliet, a capulet. (7) due to their families and societal status, they are forbidden to even be in one another’s presence, much less, be in love. (8) however, both teenagers disregard their parents’ requests and make plans to wed. (9) even their cousins and close friends attempt to discourage them from marrying. (10) the two lovers ignore them.
(11) once romeo and juliet make wedding arrangements, tragedy strikes. (12) each of them drinks poison thinking the other one is jilting or is already dead. (13) such actions lead to more deaths and more hatred among the montagues and capulets. (14) unexpected outcomes ensued readers are left with many questions.
(15) shakespeare creates a feud among characters who will go to lengths for what they desire. (16) it doesn’t just include the two primary characters either. (17) secondary characters feel the wrath of romeo and juliet, and their choices determine certain outcomes as well. (18) wealth, innocence, bloodshed, and love are just a few themes shakespeare brings to the table in this play. (19) tragedy can strike at any moment. (20) he shows that perfectly in romeo & juliet.
which is the best way to combine sentences 9 and 10?
a the two lovers ignore them while their cousins and close friends discourage them.
b even their cousins and close friends attempt to discourage them from marrying, but the two lovers ignore them.
c ignoring them, the two lovers are discouraged from marrying by their cousins and close friends.
d two lovers ignore them, and their cousins and close friends discourage them.

Explanation:

To combine sentences 9 and 10, we need to maintain the logical relationship. Sentence 9 says cousins/friends try to discourage, and sentence 10 says the lovers ignore them. Option B uses "Even" to show contrast and correctly connects the ideas: cousins/friends attempt to discourage, but lovers ignore them. Option A has unclear pronoun reference. Option C misrepresents the action (lovers are not discouraged by ignoring). Option D reverses the order and loses the contrast.

Answer:

B. Even their cousins and close friends attempt to discourage them from marrying, but the two lovers ignore them.