An agreement question tests whether a verb matches its subject as one thing or more than one. Sort the forms into singular for one thing and plural for more than one, then look around the blank for its subject. With subjects joined by or or nor, the verb matches the nearer subject, not both together. Replace that subject with it or they to check its number. A nearby noun may belong to a describing phrase rather than the subject.
Hints
- Hint 1
The blank belongs to the part after “most accept that.” Look for the words naming what might be to blame.
- Hint 2
With subjects joined by neither ... nor, the verb matches the nearer subject. Replace that nearer subject with it or they to work out the number the verb needs.
Step-by-step
Match the nearer subject
Step 1Sort the forms by number
The choices are forms of be, so let's sort them by number. Which forms go with they? The forms are, were, and have been do, so they're plural; the remaining form goes with it. The verb before solely to blame must agree with its subject, meaning one thing takes a singular verb and more than one takes a plural verb.
- Step 2
Find what might be to blame
What might be to blame? After most accept that, the sentence gives us neither the political turmoil surrounding the revolution nor the severe budget reduction. Historians and manuscripts belong to an earlier part of the sentence, and the words about the revolution describe the turmoil. That leaves political turmoil and budget reduction as the subjects linked by nor.
- Step 3
Apply the rule for nor
Does neither ... nor make the subject plural because it names two possible causes? Unlike and, or and nor don't make the verb agree with both subjects together. Instead, the verb matches the nearer subject, whether that subject names one thing or several. Here, the severe budget reduction is nearer the blank than the political turmoil. Its main noun, reduction, names one budget cut, so the subject is singular and needs a singular verb.
- Step 4
Test the singular form
Shrink the severe budget reduction to it and test the singular form: it is solely to blame. Is is the matching verb, and we can put the longer subject back without changing that verb form. Choice B.