Question

read the sentence.
the forgery ______ so exquisite that it hung in the museum for the past two decades without discovery.
which verb or verb phrase is in the correct tense to complete the sentence?

• should be
• is being
• was
• will be

Explanation:

To determine the correct verb tense, we analyze the time indicator "for the past two decades". This suggests an action that started in the past and continues (or has relevance up to now), but the main action of the forgery being exquisite is a state that was true when it hung. The past tense "was" fits because the hanging (and the forgery being exquisite) occurred in the past. "Should be" implies a recommendation, "is being" is present continuous (not matching the past time frame), and "will be" is future (incorrect for a past event).

Answer:

C. was