An agreement question tests whether a verb matches its subject, even when their usual order is reversed. Sort the choices by whether they fit it or they. An -ing form alone can't be a main verb, the verb saying what the subject does or is. To find the true subject, ask what the verb is about, and put the subject first if it follows the verb. One thing takes a singular verb, and more than one takes a plural verb.
Hints
- Hint 1
Look at the words after the semicolon. Which part does stood belong to, and does that leave the surrounding part with its own main verb?
- Hint 2
After among them, try putting the subject first. Then check whether that subject names one thing or more than one.
Step-by-step
Find the subject after the verb
Step 1Check for a main verb
The part starting among them needs a main verb, the verb saying what its subject does or is. Does stood fixed fill that job? It belongs to the clause about Earth, a group with its own subject and verb. The surrounding part still needs a main verb, so being the belief fails because being needs a helper.
- Step 2
Find what belongs among the myths
What belongs among those myths? It's the belief described by that the Earth stood fixed at the center of the universe. The opening phrase tells us which group the belief belongs to, so the true subject is the belief, not the myths. The subject follows the verb in this sentence, so flip the order to check: the belief ___ among them.
- Step 3
Match the subject's number
One belief fits it, so we need a singular verb. The forms were the belief and the belief were use plural were, which doesn't match. The choice was the belief gives us it was and puts the verb before its subject after among them. Choice D.